Neil Robertson pulled off a remarkable comeback in the final of the Tour Championship, coming from 9-4 down to beat John Higgins 10-9 in Llandudno.
Robertson held his nerve to claim his fourth title of a stellar campaign that has already seen him win the English Open, Masters and Players Championship, but victory seemed out of reach when Higgins was on the cusp of sealing what would have been a clinical and deserved success.
A missed yellow when on the verge of completing a 10-4 triumph is one Higgins is sure to rue for some time, this his fifth final defeat of the season, but Robertson was superb when on the brink, producing breaks of 54, 108, 72, 93 and 72 to claim back-to-back Tour Championship wins.
In a match that had just about everything, Higgins was on the front foot for long periods having raced into a 3-0 lead, only to be pegged back to 3-3, before ending the opening session by winning the final two frames to hold a 5-3 advantage.
That afternoon session featured five century breaks, with Higgins responsible for three of them, and though he wasn't quite as destructive in the evening, his flawless safety play continued to keep Robertson out as he moved 8-4 and then 9-4 in front.
However, Robertson – tipped by Richard Mann in his pre-tournament preview – found his best when he needed it most, quickly turning the tables on Higgins who suddenly began to wilt in the face of the Australian's fierce onslaught.
While he had chances, Higgins didn't really do a great deal wrong from 9-4 to 9-9 as Robertson barely missed a beat, but the deciding frame saw both players make early mistakes, Higgins most significantly when he missed a straightforward red with the table seemingly at his mercy.
Robertson was in no mood to do the same, ruthlessly stepping in and navigating his way through a match-winning break of 72 that was enough to seal the 23rd ranking win of his career.
"I always believe that I can come back from any position. The way I play the game means that if I can get the momentum then I can go on a winning streak in a number of frames," Robertson told World Snooker Tour afterwards.
"I wasn’t allowing the match to get bogged down. John was just dictating the position of the balls. I didn’t have too many answers.
"When he went 9-4 up he was at his best, it was incredible to experience playing against him. When you aren’t making too many mistakes it is easier to get back into a match. I wasn’t kicking myself over anything, because John was just playing too well.
"He was really unlucky at certain times, but that is what you need to be able to come back in a match. I feel for him big time. He is such a fantastic person and a wonderful player. He will use that for motivation at the World Championship as he always does.
"It is like I’ve had three finals this week against brilliant players. Hopefully that will hold me in good stead. I can have a few days off now, chill and relax. Then I will get back into preparations for the worlds."
