Robertson in Masters final stages
Mifsud among those leading revival in Australian game
Australia's Neil Robertson capped off a tremendous year by reaching the final stages of the Wembley Masters, beating Dominic Dale 6-5 in the qualifier final in Wales earlier this month.
The talented 21-year-old from Melbourne earned a wild card entry and will join compatriot Quinten Hann in snooker's premier invitation event at Wembley Conference Centre in February.
Robertson won the World Under-21 Championship in China last summer and was then granted a concession to the Main Tour by the WPBSA. He went on to qualify for the final stages of the European Open in Malta next March at the Portomaso Hilton, winning five matches.
But last week, he surpassed those achievements, winning eight matches at Prestatyn.
"This is the highlight of my career so far," he said. "Winning the world U-21 was great, but I was up against junior players.
"It's been Main Tour professionals time now and I've beaten some really good ones. I've never even been to Wembley, but I'm really looking forward to play there. Ever since I got into snooker, I have regarded the Masters as one of the biggest tournaments."
The final was an enthralling affair. The first four frames were shared, Robertson making a break of 78 and world No.28 Dale a 50. The Welshman took frame five on the pink then went 4-2 up with a 73.
Robertson trailed 63-23 in the next but, crucially, cleared the colours to force a respotted black and knocked it in. He levelled the tie with a run of 73. Dale edged 5-4 ahead with a decisive 41 but back came the Aussie again with 55 to make it 5-5.
He took control of the tense decider with a superb 49 and eventually won it 69-15.
"That 49 was probably the best break of my career," he said. "There was a lot of pressure and the balls weren't well placed. I knocked in a long red and got all the points I could."
Charlton's days
Australian snooker went into decline after Eddie Charlton faded away in the late 1980s.
But world No.14 Hann, Robertson, former IBSF World Champion Steve Mifsud and fellow Main Tour pro Johl Younger are leading a revival.
"It's a shame the game was in the doldrums back home for a while," added Robertson, who lives in a shared house in Cambridge with Mifsud, of Maltese descent, and Younger.
"But it's good to be flying the flag and hopefully there will be a few more Australians coming through."