Snooker: Robertson eyes No.1 spot

Published on Monday 12 October 2009 10:01

NEIL ROBERTSON set his sights on becoming only the second ever overseas World No.1 after the Thunder from Down Under climbed to a career-high third in the provisional rankings by winning his second Grand Prix crown.

The left-hander from Melbourne cruised to a 9-4 victory over Ding Junhui at Glasgow's Kelvin Hall last night to lift the fourth ranking title of his career.

Robertson, 27, knows he may have to win one of the game's two biggest prizes – the World or UK Championship – to overtake John Higgins and Ronnie O'Sullivan and thus emulate the first overseas No.1, Canada's Cliff Thorburn.

"I think winning the UK, Masters or Worlds is left for me to put myself up there as a really top player," he said.

"John's quite a fair way ahead on the provisional rankings at number one. But there's no reason why I can't give it a good go. To get to number one would be an unbelievable achievement."