The final of the Welsh Open promises to be one of the best matches of the season as Neil Robertson takes on Ronnie O’Sullivan in a real heavyweight showdown for the trophy, the spot in the Champion of Champions and the £60,000 first prize.
Robertson has already won the Champion of Champions this season as well as the UK Championship so we know he is fine in the big matches while O’Sullivan won The Masters last month and is seeking a second major title of 2016 here so this one is set up to be a real classic.
Neil Robertson came past Mark Allen in fine style in the previous round on Saturday. He won that semi-final 6-4 with some solid scoring, punishing the odd mistake and a decent all-round game. His scoring was better earlier in the tournament and he will need to score well here but we shouldn’t think he can’t do that.
Ronnie O’Sullivan has cruised through the draw so far with only Joe Perry giving him any trouble whatsoever and even he was sent packing 6-3 in the semi-final. The Rocket has scored so well this week and made it look so easy you would think he is unbeatable here but I just wonder how well he will perform if Robertson can get him under pressure.
The last time these two met was in The Masters last year when Robertson beat O’Sullivan 6-1 in the semi-final. I’m sure Ronnie hasn’t forgotten that but neither will Neil and he will take an awful lot of confidence from that.
I think this will be a really close match. I’ve a sneaky feeling Robertson might win it just because he has been pushed a couple of times this week and responded whereas O’Sullivan hasn’t been pushed since the first round of The Masters, a match he was lucky to come through.
I’m a safety first punter when it comes to taking on The Rocket though so I’ll side with Robertson with the 2.5 frames start even though I fancy him to win. I don’t see him losing without a real fight.
I’m also going to back over 3.5 centuries. O’Sullivan is hitting centuries to a ratio of one every three frames he wins this week so if he does win the final and keeps up that average he’ll make three.
Robertson is one of the best scorers in the game and generally when the gauntlet of scoring is laid down to him he responds in kind so I’m expecting a ton or two out of him so 3.5 tons is well within reach to end a week which has been full of centuries.
Back N.Robertson (+2.5 frames) to beat R.O’Sullivan for a 4/10 stake at 1.91 with Coral
Back him here:
Back Over 3.5 centuries for a 4/10 stake at 1.83 with Paddy Power
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