Neil Robertson fuelled by “painful” World Championship absence ahead of Crucible return

Neil Robertson admits he is determined to atone for last year’s World Championship absence as he prepares for his Crucible return in 2025.

The 2010 World Champion was a notable absentee from The Crucible 12 months ago, missing out on the televised stages of snooker’s blue-riband event for the first time since 2004 after bowing out in the final qualifying round.

However, 12 months on, Robertson is back in the elite field, having returned to the world’s top 16 after winning the English Open and World Grand Prix this season.

And the Australian is in a positive headspace ahead of commencing his 20th Crucible campaign against Chris Wakelin on Saturday.

“It was quite painful not being there as a player last year,” Robertson told Live Snooker.

“It’s certainly nice to be coming back as a seed, and not have to go through qualifiers like last year, and not quite making it.

“To be going there as a top-10 seed and with a couple of tournament wins under my belt, I’m going into it with a lot of confidence, and feel much more assured and in control of my own destiny.”

Robertson’s only involvements at The Crucible last year came from the television studio and commentary box, as he appeared as a pundit for the BBC.

It was certainly a consolation prize for ‘The Thunder’, who had been forced to enter the qualifying rounds after a disappointing campaign saw him drop out of the top 16.

And there was to be no reprieve for Robertson, as he was beaten 10-9 on Judgement Day by Jamie Jones in a defeat that “just summed up the season”.

Possessing one of the game’s strongest glass-half-full outlooks, he ensured he used the setback as an important learning experience to inspire him in the long run.

“When I got beat [by Jamie], my initial thought was to not even watch a single ball,” he said.

“But I had the opportunity to do a bit of punditry and tried to learn a thing or two from the people who were doing well, and embrace the tournament as a snooker fan.

“I came away from that experience quite positively. When it was all over, I had one week off, then I was back practising extremely early.

“It had been a season to forget, but it was an opportunity to try and bounce back. I was able to do that far beyond any expectations I had coming into this season.

“To be fourth on the one-year list is an amazing turnaround, an I’m really proud of myself with how I’ve been able to do that.”

It has been quite the turnaround for Robertson. He feels a large part of his success has been result of assembling a “really good structure” behind the scenes.

As well as continuing his work with coach and close friend Joe Perry, sports psychologist Helen Davies has also come aboard, while he has been accompanied on the tour by his friend Jamie throughout the campaign.

“I’m always open to new ideas,” he said. “Sometimes, when you’re walking into uncharted territory, you don’t really know what to expect, and it’s not always easy to take the leap of faith.

“You only get one career, so I thought it was worth taking the plunge and trying some different things.”

So, how do these “different things” benefit Robertson during tournaments?

“You’re dealing with enough pressure when you’re playing, so you don’t want any pre-match concerns or disturbances,” he explained.

“In years gone by, I’d be at the practise table and someone would be calling me because the security hasn’t let them in. You’d then have to put your cue down, go and get them sorted, then lose 10 minutes of practise.

“These are the kind of things I’m not going to have to worry about. The only thing I’ve had to do is focus on myself, and not worry about anything else.

“I know that everything’s going to be taken care of. No matter what happens, I know this is the right thing to do moving forward.”

Robertson has also switched to a titanium ferrule, following in the footsteps of the likes of reigning Crucible king Kyren Wilson, John Higgins and Mark Allen in recent years.

His very first tournament after doing so saw him triumph at the World Grand Prix, sealing victory with a 10-0 rout of Stuart Bingham in the final.

The 43-year-old has also made the decision not to stay in the usual heavily frequented hotel adjacent to the Crucible during this year’s championship.

Indeed, he has rented house outside of Sheffield City Centre in a move similar to one he made during his title-winning year of 2010.

“You can sometimes get stuck in the snooker mania all the time,” he said. “From a fan’s perspective, it’s a great buzz, but you’re constantly surrounded by fans, or players, or pundits, so you never really have that little escape.

“That’s why, this year, I’m going to still be close to the Crucible, but just out of the way. I can be in much more control of what I’m doing every day as well.

“Hopefully, that’s going to work out well and lead to a really positive experience.”

Robertson has had plenty of those at The Crucible over the years. Four years after his 2010 triumph, he became the first player to compile a century of centuries during a single season, hitting triple figures in his memorable quarter-final victory over Judd Trump.

Then, in 2022, the Australian joined an exclusive group of players to make a maximum break at the iconic venue, achieving the feat during his second-round defeat to Jack Lisowski.

Although, despite his pedigree in the game, Robertson’s 2010 success represents one of only three appearances in the one-table setup at the Crucible, also doing so in 2009 and 2014.

Nevertheless, the 43-year-old insists he will not be distracted by that or look too far ahead this year, as he aims to give himself the best chance of embarking on a deep run by just focusing on what is within his means.

“I know my record in recent times hasn’t been great in terms of what people think I should have achieved,” he observed. “But this is the first time where I’m going in and not allowing myself to even think like that.

“I’m not going to lose from going into my shell, which I have done in the past and play more controlled snooker, which isn’t really my game.

“I’m going to be aggressive and go for it. Wherever that leads me to is irrelevant, it’s just that I know I’ll be playing the right shots for me, and not what other people think I should be playing.

“All you can do is control what you can – like the practise and preparation – and just going out there and trying your best.”