Neil Robertson beats Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-4 in Tour Championship final

Honours were even at the conclusion of the first session after O’Sullivan rallied with breaks of 133 and 68 to claim the final two frames of the afternoon, but he was nothing more than a spectator in the evening as Robertson won all six frames played with a dominant performance that sets him up perfectly for next month’s World Championship.

Robertson made his intentions clear immediately upon the resumption, contributions of 93 and 75 putting him on the front foot, and when he added back-to-back centuries – one of five century breaks for him in the match – his lead had swelled to 8-4 while O’Sullivan had managed only 16 points in four frames.

Having watched Robertson build another substantial lead in frame 13, O’Sullivan looked ill-prepared for the mid-range red he rattled in the jaws when handed the chance to keep his faint title hopes alive and Robertson again made him pay by moving with touching distance of victory.

The Australian, who was exacting revenge for his defeat to O’Sullivan in the final of this event in 2019, was in no mood to leave the door ajar for his opponent and ruthlessly closed out the match in style.

While another sublime century (114) wasn’t enough to earn Robertson the tournament high break prize, it did draw a tap on the knee from an appreciative O’Sullivan who has now lost five finals in a row this season.

Robertson, on the other hand, has two major titles under his belt already this term following his UK Championship triumph earlier in the campaign. With Sheffield just around the corner, it would take a brave man to discount his hat-trick claims.

Robertson told ITV afterwards: “If I’m going to compete well at the World Championship this year, then that’s the sort of performance I have to put in.

“I have to be there every session and I think I’ve done that in all of my matches this week. I’ve been there every session.”

“His cue action is just ridiculous,” a gracious O’Sullivan said. “Straight through the ball, tempo doesn’t change, opens his back hand like you’ve never seen anyone open it before. It’s just ridiculous really.

“Unbelievable. He made it look like he was playing on a pool table today. I can’t compete with that. I just have to sit back and enjoy it. Amazing play.”

Ronnie rallies in afternoon session

Ronnie O'Sullivan produced a timely late rally as he and Neil Robertson ended the first session of their Tour Championship final locked together at 4-4.

O'Sullivan came through a thrilling semi-final with Barry Hawkins on Saturday night but he displayed few signs of fatigue just hours later, compiling two century breaks to keep tabs with Robertson who himself went to three figures on two occasions.

It was O'Sullivan who made the early running and a sublime run of 128 allowed him to take a 2-1 lead, before Robertson threatened to take complete control of the match by winning three frames on the bounce with the aid of breaks of 70, and a total clearance of 133.

O'Sullivan would have been frustrated to lose the last of those frames having looked well-set early in the sixth frame, but he kept his focus admirably to clear the table with a majestic 133 in frame seven and reduce his deficit to one.

Moments later it was Robertson who cut a forlorn figure, the final frame of the afternoon slipping from his grasp when his 52-point advantage was wiped out by O'Sullivan's typically cool counter of 68 that left the final perfectly poised ahead of tonight's final act.