Neil Robertson has been tipped to win the Masters title by former world champion Dennis Taylor, despite the Australian only taking his place in the draw on Friday.
Ronnie O’Sullivan withdrew from the Masters just two days before he was due to play, opting out of defending his title at Alexandra Palace on medical grounds.
As Robertson was ranked 17th in the world at the cut-off for Masters qualification it is the Thunder from Down Under who replaces the Rocket and takes on John Higgins in the tournament opener on Sunday afternoon.
It is a very tough first test for the latecomer to the draw, but Taylor can see him capitalising on his piece of luck all the way to getting his hands on the trophy for a third time.
‘He could finish up winning it, Neil,’ Taylor told Metro. ‘It takes me way back to Graham Miles standing in on Pot Black for Fred Davis.
‘Nobody knew Graham but he stood in and won it [in 1974], then won it the following year and got to the final of the World Championship.
‘I think Neil might be in for a good shout, he’s got a tough one against John, but sometimes it happens that way.
‘I’m going to go for Neil, the fact that he wasn’t expecting to be playing then all of a sudden he’s in there with nothing to lose.’
Robertson has had a mixed season so far, winning the English Open in September, which got him back in the top 16 but has since slipped out of the elite group again.
Since that win in Brentwood he has been to just one ranking quarter-final, at the Northern Ireland Open, but did reach the semis of the Champion of Champions in November.
1985 world champion Taylor is also looking forward to seeing his fellow Northern Irishman Mark Allen in action, especially in a tasty first round clash with Chinese talent Si Jiahui.
‘I like the Mark Allen vs Si Jiahui match. I’m looking forward to that one,’ he said. ‘His [Allen’s] game is so suited to these tables, he’s tough and he’s working a lot on the mental side of the game.
‘I think he’s just got to get the balance right when he’s not as slow, his shot time has got to come down a little bit because he’s far better when he’s a bit more fluent. He’s just a wonderful talent.’
Taylor celebrates his 76th birthday later this month and has no intention of hanging up his microphone any time soon as he prepares to cover another Triple Crown event on the BBC.
‘I reckon I can make a century in the commentary box, that would be good, commentate when I’m 100!’ Taylor said.
‘No matter how old or young the players are I can still call every shot they’re going to play. I’ve always enjoyed doing the commentary so hopefully it will continue for a while longer yet, but who knows?
‘I always say, I’ll keep going until they tell me to stop.’
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