Neil Robertson regains Champion of Champions crown

Neil Robertson has won the Champion of Champions event for the second time, defeating reigning world champion Judd Trump 10-9 in a high-quality final.

The Australian had previously won the 2015 edition of the tournament, and he will pick up £150,000 for his recent victory.

Robertson set the pace early, making a century of 112 on the way to an early 3-1 lead. That fired up Trump, who responded with three excellent successive century breaks – of 121, 127, and 119 – to take the lead for the first time since frame one. It was an impressive 367-point total without reply, but once Robertson had a chance, he took it. He made breaks of 96 and 111 without a reply from Trump, meaning the first session ended with the Australian boasting a lead of 5-4.

In a match of this quality, however, between two high-quality players, that lead was not a secure one. It bounced back and forth between the two, with Robertson even getting close to a 147 before missing the 14^th red. There was a snooker battle when Trump led 7-6 – after the reigning world champion went in off the green, Robertson levelled. Trump seized the next frame, before Robertson took his first chance to make a 135 and level again.

It’s the best match I’ve ever been involved in

– Neil Robertson

The players were locked at 8-8, and after a battle, Trump laid a snooker that enabled him to clinch it. He needed one frame to win, and he looked like he had it – but he broke down on a break of 69, and Robertson had work to do to keep the match alive. He needed a snooker, and he got one – then, he potted the remaining reds with blacks to tie, and force a re-spotted black. Robertson got a decider that had looked unthinkable, and he closed it out in style, with a dominant 137, his fifth century of the match and the eighth in total.

After the match, Robertson said: “I can’t believe the pair of us playing a match like that. It’s the best match I’ve ever been involved in. It had everything.

“I dug in really deep to force a decider.”

Trump said: “The standard was very good throughout. Overall, I thought Neil deserved to win. He played the better snooker over the two sessions.

“I’m not too disappointed. It’s always a joy playing Neil because he plays similar to myself and he gets on with it. It was a game I enjoyed.

“Disappointed to lose from the position I was in, but onwards and upwards.”

It was an exciting final and an appropriate way to end the Ricoh Arena’s tenure as the host of the event – it is set to move to Milton Keynes in 2020.