Masters snooker: Neil Robertson upbeat on title prospects

Image caption, Robertson was world champion in 2010

Neil Robertson is dreaming of winning his first ever Masters title and adding to his "fantastic" season.

The former world champion, 29, has won six ranking titles but never made it past the quarter-finals in the Masters, which features the world's top 16.

"Out of the ranking events this season, so far I'm number one in the world and I'm doing everything right," said the Australian, who is based in Cambridge.

"I'm looking forward to it and it is a tournament everyone dreams of winning."

Robertson, has already won two Players Tour Championship events this season and also reached the semi-finals of the UK Championships, the Shanghai Masters and another PTC competition.

"I've had a fantastic season and won a couple of tournaments already and came very close in major tournaments in China and the UK," he added.

"This year, I'm as well prepared for the Masters as I've ever been so hopefully I can take a lot of the form that I've shown this season into it.

"I was disappointed to lose in the semi-finals of the UK and this is the first time in a long while where I haven't won any of the major titles (in the same season).

"Hopefully I can start a new run of major tournament victories, beginning with the Masters."

Robertson, has already won two Players Tour Championship events this season and also reached the semi-finals of the UK Championships, the Shanghai Masters and another PTC competition.

He begins his Masters campaign against UK Championship runner-up Mark Allen on Tuesday and Robertson believes the Northern Irish player will feel he has something to prove.

"It's one of the toughest draws I could've got," added Robertson, who is fourth in the official two-year world rankings.

"In some ways it's a tougher match than the likes of Judd Trump or Ronnie O'Sullivan as Mark is very hungry.

"He's battling the disappointment of losing in the UK final in December so will target the Masters as an event where he can put things right.

"My opponents (in the Masters) have played incredibly well in the last three or four years against me but I have as good a chance as anyone this year."