Australian Ace Robertson beats O’Sullivan in Epic Saudi Final

Neil Robertson produced a dramatic 10-9 victory over Ronnie O’Sullivan in Jeddah to capture the Saudi Arabia Masters title after one of the season’s standout finals, Sport360NG reports.

The Australian, who pockets £500,000 for his efforts, secured the 26th ranking crown of his career and moved up to third in the world rankings. The triumph also marks another significant milestone in his resurgence after falling outside the world’s top 16 just a year ago.

Robertson, the 2010 world champion, had looked in decline at the start of last season before reviving his career with wins at the English Open and World Grand Prix. Reflecting on his latest success, he admitted the victory carried special meaning.

“I can’t explain what this means in words,” Robertson said. “Last year I came here ranked 28th and looking like I’d drop even further. Hopefully my story can inspire the next generation, it’s not about how far you fall, but how far you bounce back. To beat Ronnie in a match like this, with so much at stake, is probably the best win of my career.”

O’Sullivan rallies but falls short

For O’Sullivan, the seven-time world champion, it was a case of near-miss. He left Jeddah with a £200,000 runner-up prize, along with £180,333 from a share of the £50,000 maximum break bonus and £147,000 for completing two 147s across snooker’s biggest tournaments.

The 48-year-old had trailed 6-2 after the first session and fell 7-2 behind when Robertson opened the evening with a break of 97. But O’Sullivan mounted a trademark surge, compiling a 139 for the 1,300th century of his career alongside runs of 97, 89, 57 and 80 to draw level at 7-7.

“It was unbelievable from 7-2 to 7-7, I barely did anything wrong,” Robertson admitted. “At that point this was the last place I wanted to be.”

Robertson responded with a composed 75 to regain the lead, but O’Sullivan then edged ahead by winning the next two frames to stand within touching distance of a record-extending 42nd ranking title.

The contest, however, was destined to go the distance. Robertson forced a decider with a superb 101 and, with the pressure at its peak, compiled another century to seal a famous win.