Ronnie O’Sullivan produced a stunning comeback from 3-0 down in yesterday’s second-round Masters match against Neil Robertson to seal his place in the quarter-finals.

The Rocket was up against the in-form Australian, who enjoyed the best of the opening frames and appeared to be cruising towards a surprise win. However, O’Sullivan hit back in spectacular fashion in the fourth frame – displaying some of the vintage snooker which has fired him to stardom over the last two decades – found his best form and eventually won the match by six frames to four.

Looking overjoyed with his 3-0 lead, Robertson walked out of Wembley Arena for a brief interval having just punched the air in delight after amassing a seemingly unassailable advantage against a below-par O’Sullivan.

Perhaps the Australian took his foot off the gas, but a far more likely explanation for his eventual defeat was the resurrection of arguably the greatest player to have ever played the game.

Against any other competitor, Robertson would have expected to have seen this match off after the opening three frames.

But this was O’Sullivan; and a brilliant 114 roused the expectant crowd as the World No. 1 began to exert his dominance and take control of this second-round match.

Looking like an entirely different player, O’Sullivan’s brilliance soon began to unnerve his opponent, as the comeback looked increasingly inevitable with every passing shot.

The four-time Masters champion levelled the match in the sixth frame after an effortless 87, while a safety shot from Robertson failed to pay off in the seventh as O’Sullivan duly capitalised to take a 4-3 lead.

Many players would have been resigned to their fate at this stage, but Robertson must be commended for his never-say-die attitude, and sensationally hit back in the eighth frame with the highest break of the tournament so far – a wonderful 140 total clearance – to leave the game on a knife-edge.

With nothing to separate the two players at 4-4, it was impossible to call a favourite.

But O’Sullivan hasn’t earned the coveted, universal reputation as the best player of all time for no reason. And in what proved the penultimate round, another century – 106, this time – allowed the Rocket to place one foot inside the last eight of the tournament.

With victory in sight, the last frame saw O’Sullivan hit top gear, and his faultless potting and cue ball placing delighted the crowds and he stormed to a 80-8 tenth frame win.

Everyone packed inside Wembley had been treated to a masterclass from the three-time World Champion. The comeback was complete, and O’Sullivan will now face Peter Ebdon in the first quarter-final tomorrow afternoon.

In the aftermath of his comeback, the self-critical O’Sullivan played down the manner of his win, and revealed that he wasn’t surprised or particularly happy with the final result.

“I don’t want to have to rely on the occasion of being 3-0 down in front of a big crowd to salvage some pride. I can’t pot a ball in practice,” the Rocket admitted.

“My attitude will be the same in my next match – I won’t be surprised if I win or lose.”

O’Sullivan also revealed his concerns with his long potting and that he wouldn’t have been overly disappointed had he been eliminated from the tournament.

“I made just two out of 10 long pots, and I think Neil will be disappointed to have beaten someone making just two of 10 long pots.

“I’d give my long potting two out of 10. It’s hard to get excited.

“To make two or three centuries in a match is not a big deal, that’s how the modern game is. I would have accepted winning or losing today.”

Even if the man himself wasn’t in jovial mood after pulling the match back from the brink, everyone else with even a passing interest in the sport will be eagerly-anticipating another classic performance from the Magician tomorrow afternoon.

Rob Swan