Neil Robertson has never found it difficult to act as a role model, but remembers a speech from Ronnie O’Sullivan which left a lasting impact on his behaviour.
The Thunder from Down Under was due to meet the Rocket at the Masters on Wednesday evening, but O’Sullivan withdrew from the tournament last week, citing medical reasons.
Chris Wakelin replaces the eight-time champion in the clash with the Australian, as Robertson bids for a third Masters title.
The 44-year-old is still building on his immense CV which has seen him win 26 ranking titles and become the greatest non-British player ever to play the game.
Robertson has done so with barely a flicker of controversy. It is difficult to remember a table being punched, a salty interview delivered or a clash with an official in all the years he has been on tour, first turning professional as a teenager in 1998.
It is not something he has to work on, feeling he has a naturally relaxed demeanour, but does make sure he doesn’t slip into cliches when talking about the game, like he sees in many other sports.
‘It’s just natural. It’s just my personality, maybe being Australian, that easy-going nature of thinking everything will be all right,’ Robertson told Metro at last week’s Championship League.
‘I think that I’ve never really tried to tell myself to be a role model. I think it’s common sense. If you’re doing an interview, it’s like, well, who’s actually watching this?
‘What I do in interviews is I’m just really honest. I can’t stand watching a sport and someone gives an interview and it’s all full of cliches and it’s like a rehearsal. They know the answers before the questions are even coming. I just find that so boring with sport. I think people I’ve admired the most are the ones who are the most honest and give the most compelling feedback in a match or the reasons why certain things happen, you know?’
Probably the trickiest test of a sportsperson’s speaking skills comes in defeat, especially after losing a big final.
Robertson won the first six ranking finals he played in, so didn’t have to face this situation for some time, but one of those showpieces taught him how to handle a runner-up speech.
‘It’s just respect. It’s not hard.’
The Thunder beat O’Sullivan in the 2010 World Open final in Glasgow and he and his family were struck by the Rocket’s words after the match.
‘He’s world champion and world number one, and he dispatched me like world champions and number ones do,’ said O’Sullivan.
Remembering the occasion, Robertson said: ‘Runner-up speeches are pretty tough, but I beat him in the final and he was so complimentary afterwards and I hadn’t actually lost a final yet but I always remembered, that actually made me feel really good.
‘You’ve seen runner-up speeches in the past and they’ve just done everything possible to make sure that the winner feels terrible when they’re lifting the trophy. We can think of quite a few! And I don’t think that’s right because whoever’s won the tournament, you can you appreciate all the hard work and everything they’ve put in.
‘The family’s watching as well, you need to factor that in. So when Ronnie had that speech, my mum, my dad and [wife] Mille were like, “Oh wow, Ronnie was so nice!” It was good.
‘When I lifted the trophy, it felt better that he’d given me that respect. I think when I lost the Masters final to Shaun [Murphy in 2015], I didn’t turn up, I played terrible, he played really well. I lost 10-2 and it would have been easy for me to be very dismissive of it.
‘But, I said like, “Welcome to the Triple Crown club”. I got texts afterwards saying that was an unbelievable speech. It would have been easy to be bitter in that moment but that would have taken a lot of what Shaun had just achieved away. I think it’s important to do that. It’s just respect. It’s not hard.’
‘I can appreciate what he’s going through’
Robertson has spoken previously about his good relationship with O’Sullivan, with the Rocket offering him advice about the game.
The Aussie feels his wife’s experience of anxiety and depression has helped him understand some of the struggles O’Sullivan has gone through in his life.
‘I think he just always likes me to do well,’ said Robertson. ‘I think that I’ve been someone who’s backed him publicly, I think. Some people have sort of dug their heels in with him and dug their claws in.
‘I think I can understand where he comes from with a lot of things and I’ve got a good understanding of anxiety and depression because when Mille went through a bad time. So I can appreciate what he’s going through.
‘I think a lot of people maybe just don’t. And I think I’ve just always been honest with him as well. No cloak and dagger stuff, just always been honest with him and I think he kind of likes that.’
