Australia's Neil Robertson defeats Graeme Dott to win the Snooker Championship
World snooker championship came to a dramatic end at the Sheffield, as an Australian champion emerged for the first time in the history of the sport. Australia's Neil Robertson became the first player from outside the British Isles since 1980 to win the world snooker championship when he sealed victory over Graeme Dott in the early hours of Tuesday.
Resuming the evening session with a 12-10 lead, Robertson went on to beat former champion Dott 18-13 at the Crucible Theatre to claim the title and a cheque for 250,000 pounds ($381,000).
"It's an amazing feeling to be world champion after a Titanic struggle of a match," a relieved Robertson told reporters.
"The pressure before the final and during the final was absolutely unbelievable because there's so much at stake."
I seriously can't believe it. In my last-16 match I was 11-5 down to Martin Gould and after my (semi-final) match with Ali Carter I was really disappointed I couldn't have any of my family over for the final.
"Then I got a voicemail from my mum to say that when I was 15-9 up overnight against Ali, she had jumped on a plane, so it was quite lucky I finished the job off!
"My mum and her partner have travelled for ages and they only got two hours' sleep before the final, so for them to be here makes it absolutely perfect what is going on right now."
The Aussie added that a loss in the final would have been tormenting, he also hoped that his triumph, would inspire young Australians to take the sport.
"It would have been a big blow if I had lost in the final. I had all that pressure to contend with but hopefully this is the start of something and we can have an event there now."
The title has brought double joy for the champion the 28-year-old. His partner is due to give birth to their first child. He had the added pressure of his mother in the audience, who had flown to Sheffield to see her son play in the final, and it was also the first time that she had seen him playing professionally.
However, the final showdown was somewhat clouded by the match-fixing allegations surrounding last year's champion John Higgins, which surfaced just hours before the contest got underway. Giving his reaction to the story which has rocked the sport to its core, Robertson said: "What has happened to John Higgins won't overshadow his win.
Higgins has vowed to clear his name but faces a future away from the glare of snooker's spotlight if the allegations are proven with fans quick to condemn the Scot's behavior.
Meanwhile the losing finalist Scottish Graeme Dott who has recently recovered from a bout of depression conceded that the Australian was a better player, and deserved his victory in the championship.
"He was far and away the better player - how I managed to get 13 frames I don't know," said Dott.
"I am obviously disappointed to lose in the final and not really perform. But I needed to get to the semi-finals to get back in the top 16 and I have played really well, so hopefully I will be back for next next year."
It also remains to be seen Higgins would ever return to a top flight snooker competition, due to a controversy that threatens to plague his career for good.
Meanwhile the victory by Robertson, has entered him in an exclusive club of world snooker champions, Canada's Cliff Thorborn was the last player from outside the British Isles to capture the world title thirty years ago while Robertson became the second Australian to lift the title after Horace Lindrum's contentious victory in 1952.
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