Ronnie O'Sullivan’s face told the full story as opponent Neil Robertson pulled off an audacious trick shot during the Saudi Arabia Masters snooker final. The Australian got off to a better start than O'Sullivan in the final, taking a 6-2 lead heading into the interval. 

O'Sullivan found himself up against it throughout the first session of the final, with Robertson establishing a lead in the third frame and keeping his nose out in front from that point on. But it was a move in the opening frame that raised O'Sullivan’s eyebrows, as Robertson somehow wriggled his way out of a snooker to sink a red.

Robertson was leading 97-0 in the first frame, when the final red ball on the table was tucked just behind a pink towards the bottom right-hand side of the table. Not only did Robertson somehow manage to make a connection with the ball, he also managed to pot the ball as well.

Just after his rival had sunk it, the camera immediately panned to O’Sullivan who couldn’t help but offer a subtle nod towards his opponent, while his eyes opened up with amazement. It was a sign of things to come, given Robertson went on to secure a comprehensive lead heading into the evening session.

O’Sullivan had impressed the day before, hitting not one, but two 147 breaks in the same match. Even O’Sullivan himself was surprised with his efforts, saying afterwards: "I have never played that well, I think, in a match before. I don't know where it came from.”

It marked the 16th and 17th 147 breaks of his career, with O’Sullivan banking a whopping £147,000 as a result. "I heard it was 50 grand for a 147, so I thought that was worth going for. Then I'm thinking: 'If I get another one...let's get another one'.”

Understandably, O’Sullivan was praised for his exploits, with Ken Doherty saying: "I think it is the greatest exhibition in a best of-11 match, and possibly ever. The breaks, the two 147s, the 142...I mean, that was just incredible.

Quote marks need opening here: "It was just magical wasn't it? He's just such a genius. Just the way he did it, with consummate ease. It's almost like he's in the practice room there and just like not really bothered. It made me smile, it was really nice, lovely for the crowd and lovely for us.”