Neil Robertson hailed his Grand Prix title victory as the best of his career after cruising to a 9-4 win over Ding Junhui in Sunday night's final in Glasgow.

Australian Robertson, 27, became the most successful player from outside the British Isles in terms of ranking tournaments by claiming his fourth at Kevin Hall.

The 2006 Grand Prix champion's three previous final successes all came against men who were outside the top 16 at the time.

And while he scoffed at suggestions he could be snooker's best ever overseas player, the left-hander from Melbourne believes his form this week proved he can compete with the best in the game.

"I don't know about best ever just yet," he said after winning what was only the second ranking final between two overseas players in the game's history.

"It's just amazing to win my fourth ranking title and to get this one back.

"I really, really wanted to win this week.

"In my previous three finals, although they were great players as well, some criticism I could have come under was maybe I didn't beat a world-class player.

"But I think with Ding, I definitely beat a world-class player - three-time ranking event winner."

The final looked set to be a classic following three centuries in an afternoon session which Robertson edged 4-3.

Ding appeared to be maintaining the trend of coming from behind he has shown this week by twice levelling.

But, with the scores locked at 4-4, the Chinese star lost an epic 57-minute frame from which he never recovered.

The usually-attacking Robertson revealed he had deliberately slowed the game down to frustrate his opponent.

He said: "It's like when two football teams play each other and they're both really attacking and that's how it was at the start.

"Nothing was really giving, so I thought, 'I'm just going to tighten this up a bit, just try to get him out of rhythm'.

"I would have been quite happy if he was to open up the balls and make it an attacking game as well.

"But he seemed to go with it and I was really confident that my cue action would withhold the pressure and I potted a lot of key balls.

"The game plan seemed to work perfectly."

Both players agreed the ninth frame had been the turning point, with Ding almost coming from 50 points behind after needing a snooker.

Robertson said: "Winning a frame when you need snookers gives you a massive boost so that was an absolutely massive frame and I gave it a big fist pump when I won it - just so much relief.

"I was really confident after that."

Ding added: "Yes, it was important.

"I was trying very hard but was not feeling well tonight."

Ding, 22, admitted his opponent's tactics had got to him.

He said: "I still tried to come back to fight for 5-5 but then I missed balls and he had very good safety and kept the ball touching the cushion. It was difficult to play.

"He used a slow game and put me in so much trouble.

"I had to just think about safety and had many problems with that. Tonight my safety was not good.

"I never gave up. The last frame I kept trying but I was feeling bad, I lost concentration and my head was not working."