NEIL ROBERTSON wants to be top of the snooker world this weekend – having potted balls on “top of the world” at New Year.
The walk up the steep Ally Pally hill for the Masters will not faze the Australian, 43, who was in Tibet at the turn of the year.
Not only did he attempt mountain hikes at 14,000 feet – the pair had to use oxygen tanks to breathe – but he faced Mark Williams over a snooker table in the highest region of earth.
And Willo, 50, did not disappoint by hitting a 147 in that encounter to the great delight of locals on the roof of the planet.
Robertson said: “It is probably the slowest 147 he will ever make because four or five times he had to stop and sort of regather his breath.
“It was incredible.
“How to explain it would be as you’re walking around the snooker table, your heart rate was going at the same rate as if you’re going for a run.
“Instead of walking, it feels like you’re running, your heart rate is well up.
“It was a strange experience but it was worthwhile. We were looked after.
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“I’m so happy that I made the trip. It was a very good series of exhibitions that we had arranged.
“It made everyone’s time worthwhile going out there.
“The funny thing was that Mark Williams warned me about it when he knew I was going because he’d played last year.
“He said: ‘Oh you’re going to need an oxygen tank in your room, you have to hook it up through your nose to breathe.’
“I’m like: ‘Oh, no you’re joking, there’s no way.’
“I thought he was just completely winding me up.
“But then as soon as you get off the plane you feel a little bit leggy and have these small headaches, as you try to get used to the altitude.
“Playing-wise, it was so difficult to play. You had to play at least twice as slow as normal.
“If you didn’t you would start to feel a bit light-headed.
“We stopped the match a few frames in, because we had New Year’s celebrations.
“There was a massive countdown in the arena. That was a great experience.
“We explored the area and hiked up a mountain, which was pretty hard work.”
Robertson was really looking forward to facing Ronnie O’Sullivan at the Masters on Wednesday evening but the Rocket, 50, withdrew from the event citing medical reasons last Friday.
Instead, Robertson’s opponent will be reserve Chris Wakelin, who is still on a high after claiming the Scottish Open last month.
Twice the Melbourne ace has been a winner at Ally Pally, the first time being in 2012 and then ten years later, when there were some Covid restrictions.
