Thunder from Down Under bids to end 30 year drought

Today will see the start of the snooker World Championships final in which Australian Neil Robertson will try to become the first world champion not to come from Britain or Ireland in 30 years.

It’s a startling statistic. Not since Canadian Cliff Thorburn beat Alex Higgins in 1980 has a ‘foreigner’ won this tournament. Despite the likes of James Wattana and the influx of quality Chinese players over recent years, the trophy has gone to an Englishman, Irishman, Scotsman or a Welshman since then. And no, it’s not a joke!

Robertson will take on Scot Graeme Dott in the best of 35 frame final and will be desperate to end that drought. Personal glory will, of course, be at the forefront of his mind but it has to be an ambition for him to become the first winner from outside of these shores since Thorburn.

Should he win it would only help Barry Hearn’s ambitions to get the game going again and spread the appeal of a sport that has suffered a lot in the last decade or so.

We wish him well. With no disrespect to Dott, Robertson has been playing the best snooker of the tournament and, so far, deserves to win it. The boost for snooker would be the icing on the cake.