Neil Robertson believes enhancements in his security division and mindset are serving to him return to type this season.
The Australian has suffered a nightmare couple of campaigns on the primary tour, a dismal run of type that concluded with him shedding his prime 16 membership.
Robertson made just one look within the quarter-finals or higher of a rating occasion throughout the 2023/24 time period – reaching the final 4 of the World Open.
However a pleasant run on the latest Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters noticed the 42 year-old attain the quarter-finals in Riyadh, and he’s one win away from matching that on the English Open this week.
Robertson beat Shaun Murphy 4-1 on Wednesday to arrange a last-16 tie in opposition to Ross Muir on the Brentwood Leisure Centure.
“Probably the most pleasing aspect was the security facet of my recreation,” Neil Robertson, at present world ranked quantity 26, informed the World Snooker Tour.
“I’ve received again to having a variety of pleasure in my security and really having fun with the security duels, attempting to drive possibilities. Attempting to place gamers in bother.”
“I believe final 12 months I used to be in all probability getting picked off rather a lot in matches, the place I used to be enjoying thick safeties and sending reds over the outlet.
“Perhaps I used to be going for some lengthy ones that I shouldn’t have been. I used to be attempting to drive good snooker.
“At the moment was an amazing instance the place the circumstances didn’t permit for excellent scoring snooker, my security was completely good.
“Final 12 months, I wasn’t in one of the best place for a couple of completely different causes. It didn’t actually permit me to confront the problem head on with my type.
“I believe I talked an excellent recreation and tried to be as optimistic as I might. I labored actually arduous final 12 months, however I wasn’t actually trying ahead to the matches, the tournaments, the travelling.
“This 12 months is a very completely different mindset the place I can’t wait to play. Once you’re in that mode, once you get on the market and also you’re within the zone, you don’t actually care what your rating is.
“You’re simply trying ahead to enjoying matches. I’m absolutely conscious of the place I’m ranked, however there’s nothing I can do about that now.
“I simply must preserve enjoying matches and see the place it leads up. That’s the primary factor, I’m having fun with the sport once more.
“I’ve received a variety of pleasure in my security recreation, which I’ve been actually happy with right here and in Saudi.”
Defending champion Judd Trump, in the meantime, is among the many different marquee names who’re nonetheless difficult for the Steve Davis Trophy in 2024.
Trump, who has misplaced just one match to this point this season, will face Fan Zhengyi within the subsequent spherical as he continues his chase for a 3rd piece of silverware in as many months.
World champion Kyren Wilson, world quantity three Mark Allen, and two-time former English Open champion Mark Selby are additionally nonetheless within the hunt for the £100,000 prime prize.
Allen entertains John Higgins in arguably the tie of the subsequent spherical, whereas Wilson and Selby face Barry Hawkins and Si Jiahui respectively.
There are alternatives elsewhere for some much less acquainted names to problem on the enterprise finish of this week’s rating occasion from the Residence Nations sequence.
Chris Wakelin is the one different participant with expertise of successful a rating event, the previous Shoot Out champion in motion subsequent in opposition to Pang Junxu.
He Guoqiang and Ishpreet Singh Chadha conflict whereas Wu Yize meets Ben Woollaston in two different considerably shocking ties at this stage.
By the tip of Thursday’s play, the eight quarter-finalists on this 12 months’s English Open will likely be recognized.
Thursday’s English Open schedule
Spherical of 16
1pm UTC+1
Mark Selby vs Si Jiahui
Wu Yize vs Ben Woollaston
Following 1pm video games
Judd Trump vs Fan Zhengyi
Ishpreet Singh Chadha vs He Guoqiang
7pm UTC+1
Mark Allen vs John Higgins
Neil Robertson vs Ross Muir
Following 7pm video games
Barry Hawkins vs Kyren Wilson
Chris Wakelin vs Pang Junxu
Click on right here to view the complete draw.
Featured picture credit score: WST
