Glasgow success puts Crucible in spotlight

THE success of the 12bet.com World Open should act as the catalyst for a scaled-down World Championship, according to Glasgow winner Neil Robertson and beaten finalist Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Robertson celebrated his new status as world number one by beating O'Sullivan 5-1 in the final at the SECC, hours after coming from two frames down to beat Mark Williams 3-2 in the last four.

Both players feel the excitement generated by the new format should serve as a lesson if World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn attempts to extend his restructuring of the sport to the Crucible event.

O'Sullivan said: "It's a long time being in Sheffield - 17 days. That's longer than the Olympics. It feels too long as a player - you can play matches over three days. It's unnecessary. If it was Neil playing John Higgins, I could watch them all day. But not everyone plays snooker like Neil and John Higgins and Stephen Hendry. There's not enough entertaining players about to have longer matches."

The three-time world champion added: "When you are playing 35-frame finals over two days, the first day is just jockeying for position.

"It comes down to the best of 11 frames in the final session anyway."

Robertson, whose World Championship final win against Graeme Dott ended at 12.54am earlier this year, said: "I prefer the match to end in one session, I don't like going back to the hotel and waiting around.

"I feel this tournament has been a huge success, probably the most successful tournament I've been part of.

"I think the World (Championship] should be no more than best out of 25. The final goes on way too long and it can lead to tired snooker, which was what it was between me and Graeme in the final."

Robertson revelled in the shorter format as he swept aside the favourite to claim his sixth victory in six ranking event finals.

The Australian said: "There were a few texts flying about saying 'this will be the one he loses'.

"But it wasn't and that fired me up. Whenever I get to a final, I think I'm going to win it.

"Being world champion and world No 1 gave me a big lift as well.

"If there was any problem and I was under pressure I knew I could think 'I'm the world champion, I can get out of this'."

Robertson jumped from third to first in the list of rankings and becomes only the eighth player to have held the World No 1 position, after Ray Reardon, Cliff Thorburn, Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, John Higgins, Mark Williams and O'Sullivan, who now lies fourth.