Neil Robertson believes enhancements in his security division and mindset are serving to him return to kind this season.
The Australian has suffered a nightmare couple of campaigns on the principle tour, a dismal run of kind that concluded with him shedding his high 16 membership.
Robertson made just one look within the quarter-finals or higher of a rating occasion through 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 towards Ross Muir on the Brentwood Leisure Centure.
“Probably the most pleasing facet was the protection side of my recreation,” Neil Robertson, at present world ranked quantity 26, advised the World Snooker Tour.
“I’ve obtained again to having plenty of satisfaction in my security and really having fun with the protection duels, making an attempt to pressure probabilities. Making an attempt to place gamers in bother.”
“I feel final 12 months I used to be most likely getting picked off loads in matches, the place I used to be taking part in 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 making an attempt to pressure excellent snooker.
“At this time was an incredible instance the place the situations didn’t enable for nice scoring snooker, my security was completely sensible.
“Final 12 months, I wasn’t in the perfect place for a number of completely different causes. It didn’t actually enable me to confront the problem head on with my kind.
“I feel I talked an excellent recreation and tried to be as constructive as I may. I labored actually arduous final 12 months, however I wasn’t actually wanting 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. Whenever you’re in that mode, while you get on the market and also you’re within the zone, you don’t actually care what your rating is.
“You’re simply wanting ahead to taking part in matches. I’m absolutely conscious of the place I’m ranked, however there’s nothing I can do about that now.
“I simply have to maintain taking part in matches and see the place it leads up. That’s the principle factor, I’m having fun with the sport once more.
“I’ve obtained plenty of satisfaction 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 thus far 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 high 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 House Nations sequence.
Chris Wakelin is the one different participant with expertise of successful a rating match, the previous Shoot Out champion in motion subsequent towards 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 top of Thursday’s play, the eight quarter-finalists on this 12 months’s English Open will probably 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 photograph credit score: WST