January 11th 2025.
Neil Robertson, the Australian snooker player, has been given a surprising opportunity to win his third Masters title. This prediction comes from former world champion Dennis Taylor, who believes that Robertson has what it takes to come out on top at the prestigious tournament. It's quite a remarkable turn of events, as Robertson was only added to the draw on Friday, taking the place of Ronnie O'Sullivan, who had withdrawn from the competition just two days before it was set to begin.
O'Sullivan's decision to pull out of the Masters was due to medical reasons, leaving Robertson to fill the spot. Ranked 17th in the world at the time of the Masters qualification cut-off, Robertson is facing a tough first match against John Higgins on Sunday afternoon. However, Taylor sees this as an opportunity for Robertson to make the most of his stroke of luck and potentially claim the trophy for the third time.
Taylor draws a parallel to Graham Miles' surprise win at the Pot Black tournament in 1974, when he stepped in for an injured Fred Davis. Despite not being well-known at the time, Miles went on to not only win that tournament, but also reach the final of the World Championship the following year. Taylor believes that Robertson could have a similar fate, especially with his tough first match against Higgins.
This season has been a bit of a mixed bag for Robertson, with his only ranking quarter-final appearance being at the Northern Ireland Open. However, he did manage to win the English Open in September, which helped him secure a spot in the top 16 once again. As for the Masters, Robertson has previous experience, having lifted the trophy in both 2012 and 2016.
Taylor, who became world champion in 1985, is also looking forward to seeing Northern Irishman Mark Allen in action. He is particularly intrigued by Allen's first round match against Chinese player Si Jiahui. Taylor praises Allen's game and believes he has been working on the mental side of his performance, but also suggests that he needs to find a balance in his shot time.
As Taylor approaches his 76th birthday, he shows no signs of slowing down in his role as a commentator for BBC's coverage of snooker events. In fact, he jokes that he plans to continue in the commentary box until he turns 100. He enjoys being able to call the shots of players of all ages and hopes to continue doing so for as long as possible. He also adds that he will only stop when he is told to do so.
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