Robertson's ready for Crucible push

Neil Robertson will be going to this year's World Championship in winning form.

The Aussie wrapped up the China Open title today with a 10-6 win against Mark Selby – and it was a big victory in every way.

This is Robertson's first major ranking event success of the season and, more notably, the first big trophy he's lifted since the World Open back in October 2010. This is long overdue for a player of his class, but hasn't caused too much concern because he's come close so many times.

Robertson has been playing very well this season, regularly in the shake-up for major honours and showing he can beat anyone on his day.

Victory in Beijing means he has finally secured the title that has been evading him. With the Crucible being the next and final venue on the snooker calendar, his timing could hardly be better either.

But beating Selby will be even extra sweet. The world number one has inflicted two significant defeats on Robertson this season. The first was a dramatic comeback in the quarter-finals of the UK Championship. The second was in the Masters final.

These losses will have troubled Robertson. Selby has found a way in both of these big matches of stifling Robertson, getting on top of him at the crucial moments, sapping his confidence and scoring the killer wins.

Robertson and Selby is fast-becoming one of the most intense rivalries at the top of the sport. But this isn't fun if you aren't getting your fair share of wins.

Robertson has hit back well today in an important final and even staved off threats of another miracle comeback from Selby. This will be a morale-boosting triumph for Robertson against one of his fellow favourites to win the World Championship.

Winning matches breeds great confidence. Selby has done enough this week to show he will be well in the mix in Sheffield as he goes in search of a famous triple crown, but Robertson is really riding high.

He goes to the biggest event of the campaign as the most recent title winner. His belief to win the one that really matters will be at its peak.

Robertson let loose when he got over the line against Selby. This was a big and satisfying win for him. He is a great snooker professional and now goes about his business of trying to become one of a only a very select list of multiple Crucible winners.

The Aussie should enjoy this great win and use it to his advantage ahead of the big one.