Neil Robertson facts for kids
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Robertson at the 2015 German Masters
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| Born | 11 February 1982 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
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| Sport country |  Australia |
| Professional | 1998/1999, 2000–2002, 2003–present |
| Highest ranking | 1 (September–December 2010, June 2013–May 2014, July–August 2014, December 2014–January 2015) |
| Current ranking | 10 (as of 8 May 2018) |
| Tournament wins | |
| Ranking | 25 |
| Minor-ranking | 4 |
| World Champion | 2010 |
Neil Alexander Robertson (born 11 February 1982) is a professional snooker player from Australia. He is a former world champion and was once the world number one player. Neil is known as the most successful snooker player from outside the United Kingdom. He is also the only player not born in the UK to win snooker's special Triple Crown titles. These include the World Championship in 2010, the Masters in 2012 and 2022, and the UK Championship in 2013, 2015 and 2020.
Neil Robertson has won 25 major ranking tournaments in his career. He won at least one professional tournament every year from 2006 to 2022. He first became a professional player in the 1998–99 season. After a short break, he rejoined the tour in the 2003–04 season. He became the first Australian to win a ranking event at the 2006 Grand Prix. Neil completed the Triple Crown in 2013. He was ranked world number one several times between 2010 and 2015. Even though he dropped out of the top 16 players recently, Neil continues to win. His latest ranking win was at the 2025 World Grand Prix, which helped him get back into the top 16.
Neil is very good at making high scores, called "breaks." He has made over 900 century breaks (scores of 100 or more points) in professional games. He has also made five maximum breaks (a perfect score of 147 points). He is only the fourth player in snooker history to reach 900 centuries. In the 2013–14 season, he was the first player to make 100 centuries in a single season, finishing with a record 103 centuries. Neil Robertson is part of the World Snooker Tour Hall of Fame. He plays snooker left-handed.
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Neil Robertson's Early Life and Career
Neil Robertson started playing snooker when he was 11 years old. He played at the pool club that his family owned. At 14, he won the Australian under-18 snooker championship. Neil left school at 15 to become a professional snooker player. His professional journey began in the 1998–99 season. At 17, he almost qualified for the 1999 World Snooker Championship, but lost to Leo Fernandez.
Moving to the UK
During the 2001–02 season, Neil moved from Melbourne, Australia, to Leicester, England. He felt very homesick there. Neil said he "didn’t enjoy living there at all" because it was so different from Melbourne. He left the main snooker tour and went back to Australia, working in a pub. He kept playing snooker, and in July 2003, he won the World Under-21 Snooker Championship in New Zealand. After this, he moved back to the United Kingdom. This time, he lived in Cambridge with friends and settled in much faster.
In December 2003, he qualified for the 2004 Masters. He lost to Jimmy White in the first round. Neil said playing White felt "like a rabbit in the headlights." He reached his first quarter-final at the 2004 European Open, where he lost to Jimmy White again.
Climbing the Ranks
In the 2004–05 season, Neil reached the quarter-finals at the 2005 Welsh Open. He beat Robert Milkins, Jimmy White, and John Higgins, but then lost to Ronnie O'Sullivan. He also made it to the quarter-finals at the Malta Cup. He beat Mark Williams and Jimmy White, but then lost to John Higgins. At the end of the season, he played in the 2005 World Snooker Championship, losing to Stephen Hendry.
In 2005–06, Neil continued to improve. He reached the top 16 players by the end of the season. He made it to the semi-finals at the 2005 Northern Ireland Trophy, where he lost to Matthew Stevens. Neil also reached the quarter-finals of the 2005 UK Championship, losing to Ding Junhui. At the 2006 World Snooker Championship, he almost made a big comeback against Graeme Dott, but lost the final frame.
Neil Robertson's First Big Wins
The 2006–07 season was a great one for Neil. He won his first major ranking title at the 2006 Grand Prix. He beat Ronnie O'Sullivan and Alan McManus to reach the final. This was the first time an Australian had reached a ranking final since 1990. In the final, he beat Jamie Cope 9–5, becoming the first Australian to win a ranking event.
After some early losses, he found his form again at the Welsh Open. He beat Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O'Sullivan, and Steve Davis. In the final, he won against Andrew Higginson 9–8, coming back from being behind. At the end of the season, he lost to Ronnie O'Sullivan in the 2007 World Snooker Championship.
More Success and World Championship
The 2007–08 season started slowly for Neil. He lost early in several tournaments. At the 2008 World Snooker Championship, he lost to Stephen Maguire. He finished the season ranked tenth in the world.
In the 2008–09 season, Neil reached the final of the 2008 Bahrain Championship. He won against Matthew Stevens in a long match. At the 2009 Masters, he and Stephen Maguire set a record with five century breaks in a row. Neil reached the semi-finals of the World Championship for the first time in 2009, but lost to Shaun Murphy.
In October 2009, Neil won the Grand Prix in Glasgow. He beat Ding Junhui in the final. This was the first time two non-UK players played in a ranking final since 1985. He also made his 100th career century break during this event. Neil's fourth title made him the most successful non-UK or Ireland player in ranking tournaments. At the China Open, he made his first perfect maximum break (147 points).
Neil won the 2010 World Championship. He beat Fergal O'Brien, then came back from far behind to beat Martin Gould. He then defeated Steve Davis and Ali Carter to reach the final. In the final, he beat Graeme Dott 18–13. Neil was the first player from outside the UK and Ireland to win the title since Cliff Thorburn in 1980. This win made him the world number two player.
At the 2010 World Open, Neil beat Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final to become the world number one. He reached the semi-finals of the 2010 Premier League Snooker, but lost to O'Sullivan. He also reached the quarter-finals of the 2010 UK Championship and the 2011 Masters. He could not defend his world title in 2011, losing in the first round. This is sometimes called the "Crucible curse," where first-time winners struggle to defend their title.
Neil's 2011–12 season started with a loss at his home tournament, the 2011 Australian Goldfields Open. However, he improved and reached the semi-finals of the 2011 Shanghai Masters. He won two smaller tournaments, the PTC Event 6 and Event 8. His good form continued at the 2011 UK Championship, where he reached his first semi-final at the event.
Neil won the 2012 Masters by beating Shaun Murphy 10–6. He beat Mark Allen and Mark Williams in earlier rounds. He then faced Judd Trump in the semi-finals and won. Neil became the fourth player from outside the UK to win the Masters.
Later, he lost 0–4 to Stephen Lee in the PTC Finals. At the 2012 World Snooker Championship, Neil beat Ken Doherty and David Gilbert. He then faced Ronnie O'Sullivan in the quarter-finals and lost. Neil finished the season ranked world number seven.
More Titles and Records
Neil started the 2012–13 season with some early losses. But he soon won the minor-ranking Gdynia Open in Poland. At the first International Championship in China, he reached the final but lost to Judd Trump. He also reached the quarter-finals of the 2012 UK Championship.
In 2013, Neil tried to defend his Masters title. He reached the final but lost to Mark Selby. He also reached the final of the Tour Championship Finals, losing to Ding Junhui.
Neil returned to form at the China Open and won his seventh ranking event. He beat Mark Selby in the final, moving to world number two. Despite his good form, he lost in the first round of the 2013 World Snooker Championship. Neil finished the season ranked world number two. In 2013, he was added to the World Snooker Tour Hall of Fame.
Breaking Century Records
In May 2013, Neil made his second official maximum break during the Wuxi Classic qualifiers. In the main tournament, he won his eighth ranking title by beating John Higgins. At his home tournament, the Australian Goldfields Open, he reached the final. He had a chance to win two ranking events in a row, but lost to Marco Fu. In December, Neil beat Mark Selby 10–7 in the final of the 2013 UK Championship. This made him the eighth player to win all three Triple Crown events. He was also the first player from outside the UK to achieve this.
In January 2014, Neil broke the record for most century breaks in a single season. He reached 63 centuries, beating Judd Trump's previous record of 61. By early February, he had 78 centuries. Ronnie O'Sullivan called this "probably the most phenomenal scoring in the history of the game." At the China Open, he reached the final but lost to Ding Junhui, even though he increased his century count to 93.
Neil made his 100th century break of the season in his quarter-final match against Judd Trump at the 2014 World Championship. He ended the season with 103 centuries, a new record. He reached the semi-finals but lost to Mark Selby. He finished the season as world number three.
More Finals and Titles
Neil reached the final of the 2014 Wuxi Classic early in the 2014–15 season. He beat his friend Joe Perry 10–9 in a close match. A week later, he reached the final of the 2014 Australian Goldfields Open again, but lost to Judd Trump. After this, Neil became the world number one again. At the 2014 UK Championship, he lost to Graeme Dott.
Neil reached the final of the 2015 Masters by beating Ronnie O'Sullivan. However, he lost badly to Shaun Murphy in the final. He won his only European Tour event of the year at the Gdynia Open.
Neil had strong wins at the 2015 World Championship. He reached the quarter-finals, where he lost to Barry Hawkins in a very high-scoring match. After the tournament, Neil said he felt he had "underachieved" and needed to work harder.
In November, Neil won his first major title in over a year at the 2015 Champion of Champions. He beat Mark Allen 10–5. At the UK Championship, he made a 145 break and later won the title for the second time, beating Liang Wenbo in the final. Neil also made a 147 break in a Triple Crown final, a first.
At the 2016 Masters, Neil lost to Judd Trump in a match with six centuries. At the Welsh Open, he reached the final but lost to Ronnie O'Sullivan. He then lost in the first round of the 2016 World Snooker Championship.
Neil won his twelfth ranking title at the 2016 Riga Masters, beating Michael Holt. He reached the semi-finals of the 2016 European Masters but lost to O'Sullivan. After a tough season, Neil said he would change his tactics to play "a lot more aggressive and with a lot more freedom."
Recent Years and Continued Success
In July 2017, Neil won the non-ranking 2017 Hong Kong Masters, beating Ronnie O'Sullivan. He reached his first ranking final in over a year at the Scottish Open in December, winning against Cao Yupeng. In March 2018, he lost in the quarter-finals of the Players Championship. He also reached the semi-finals of the China Open but lost to Barry Hawkins. At the 2018 World Championship, he lost in the first round.
At the start of the 2018–19 season, Neil won the Riga Masters for the second time. He also reached the final of the 2018 International Championship, but lost to Mark Allen.
In January 2019, Neil reached the semi-finals of the 2019 Masters, losing to Judd Trump. He then won the Welsh Open, beating Stuart Bingham. This win helped him earn over £4 million in prize money. Neil was runner-up to Ronnie O'Sullivan in both the Players Championship and the Tour Championship. Later, he won the China Open for the second time. This was the first time he won three ranking events in one season. At the 2019 World Championship, he lost in the quarter-finals.
The 2019–20 season started with Neil missing a tournament due to flight issues. He reached the semi-finals of the non-ranking 2019 Shanghai Masters. In October 2019, he missed a qualifier because he went to the wrong town! In November, Neil won the invitational Champion of Champions for the second time. He beat Judd Trump in a very exciting final, making five centuries. Neil said it was "the best match I have ever been involved in."
At the 2020 Masters, he lost in the first round. After that, he played very well, reaching three ranking finals in a row. He won the European Masters with a perfect 9–0 win. He also won the World Grand Prix, beating Graeme Dott. He reached second place in the world rankings again. Neil lost in the quarter-finals of the 2020 World Championship.
In the first half of the 2020–21 season, Neil was runner-up at the English Open and the Champion of Champions. In December, he won his third UK Championship title, beating Judd Trump in the final. Neil became the fifth player to win this Triple Crown event at least three times. He also made 13 centuries during the tournament, a new record for the UK Championship. In March 2021, he won the Tour Championship, beating Ronnie O'Sullivan. O'Sullivan praised Neil's performance, saying he had "never seen anyone play as well as that." Neil reached the quarter-finals three other times that season, including at the 2021 World Championship.
2021 to 2025
In November 2021, Neil won the 2021 English Open. This was his third different Home Nations title. Later that month, he lost in the first round of his UK Championship title defense to an amateur player. Neil reached the final of the 2021 World Grand Prix, but lost to Ronnie O'Sullivan.
In the second half of the season, he won the Masters for the second time. He had a very dramatic semi-final win against Mark Williams, needing two snookers to win the final frame. Neil said, "Never give up, never ever give up." He then won the trophy by beating Barry Hawkins. This was his sixth Triple Crown success. Neil, at 39, said his "last box to tick" was to become a multiple world champion. He looked up to NFL player Tom Brady as an inspiration.
Neil then won the 2022 Players Championship, beating Barry Hawkins again. This win moved him to second in the world rankings. In April, he successfully defended his Tour Championship title, coming back from behind to beat John Higgins. At the end of the season, he made his fifth career maximum break at the 2022 World Championship. He lost that match, marking the eighth year in a row he hadn't reached the semi-finals of the World Championship. Neil said, "The season I've had has been the season of absolute dreams." He was named player of the year for the 2021–22 season.
At the start of the 2022–23 season, Neil missed some tournaments. He said he was playing "for fun now" and that his "family is really important" to him. He won the 2022 World Mixed Doubles with Mink Nutcharut.
Neil reached the semi-finals of the 2022 Hong Kong Masters, Northern Ireland Open, Scottish Open, and English Open. He lost in the first round of the 2023 Masters. At the 2023 World Championship, he lost in the second round.
The first half of the 2023–24 season was tough for Neil. He reached the semi-finals of the 2023 Shanghai Masters, but lost. In September, he made his 900th career century break. After the Wuhan Open in October, Neil said he was homesick and would take a break to go to Australia. His streak of winning at least one title each year since 2006 ended with a first-round loss at the 2023 UK Championship.
In the second half of the season, he reached the semi-finals of the 2024 World Open, but lost. This meant he fell out of the top 16 world rankings for the first time since 2006. He then failed to qualify for the 2024 World Championship, missing the event for the first time since 2004.
Neil reached the quarter-finals at the new Saudi Arabia Masters early in the 2024–25 season. He won the English Open in September, securing his first ranking title in over two years and returning to the world's top 16. He lost in the first round of the 2024 UK Championship. Neil did not qualify for the 2025 Masters, but got a spot when another player withdrew. He won his twenty-fifth ranking title at the Grand Prix, beating Stuart Bingham 10–0 in the final. This made him the first player to win two multi-session finals without losing a single frame. This result pushed Neil back into the top 16 world rankings. He had an early exit at the 2025 World Championship.
Neil Robertson's Life Outside Snooker
Neil Robertson was born in Melbourne, Australia. His parents are Ian Robertson and Alison Hunter. He has a younger brother, Marc, who also plays snooker and professional pool. Neil went to Norwood Secondary College in Ringwood. He now lives in Cambridge, England, and practices snooker there.
Neil is married to Mille Fjelldal, who is from Norway. They met in 2008 and got married in August 2021. They have two children. Neil has spoken about supporting his wife through personal challenges, and how this affected his snooker playing.
Neil has been a vegan since 2014. He decided to eat a plant-based diet after getting advice from fellow snooker player Peter Ebdon and doing his own research on vegan athletes.
He used to be a big gamer, but he stopped in 2017. He felt he had a video game addiction and that it was hurting his snooker game. He said he sometimes stayed up all night playing, which made him tired for practice. Neil described himself as "two months sober" from gaming.
Neil is a fan of association football and supports Chelsea. He is friends with former Chelsea footballer John Terry. He also enjoys Australian rules football and supports the Collingwood.
On 26 January 2025, Neil Robertson received the Medal of the Order of Australia.
Images for kids
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Robertson at the 2015 German Masters
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Robertson winning the Masters trophy in 2012
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Robertson photo shoot, May 2016
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Robertson at the final of the 2024 English Open
See also
In Spanish: Neil Robertson para niños
