'They are Federer, Nadal and Djokovic of snooker' – Neil Robertson hails O'Sullivan, Higgins, Williams

Neil Robertson will play his first ranking event of the season at the Northern Ireland Open on Sunday feeling blessed the sport's holy trinity are still top of the pots. The 2010 world champion faced six-time world champion Steve Davis and seven-time Crucible winner Stephen Hendry in the death throes of their competitive career, but continues to confront Class of '92 icons Ronnie O'Sullivan, John Higgins and Mark Williams in their prime.

Ad The Masters holder held off Williams 5-3 in the last eight of the Hong Kong Masters quarter-finals before witnessing world champion O'Sullivan win five straight frames from 4-1 behind in a 6-4 victory in an engrossing semi-final on Saturday. SnookerExclusive: Ronnie's SPOTY claim — 'I would have won it seven times if I played golf or tennis'2 HOURS AGO O'Sullivan's rousing recovery came after Robertson rolled in three straight centuries at a teeming Hong Kong Coliseum filled by more than 7,000 fans.

The world No. 1 progressed to secure the title with another 6-4 triumph over Marco Fu in Sunday's final witnessed by a world record snooker audience of 9,000 fans.

With 14 world titles between them, including eight in the past 15 years, Robertson feels there is a natural comparison between the tennis world's big three with 63 Grand Slams gobbled up since Federer first won Wimbledon in 2003, the same year Williams claimed his second Crucible title. «I'm very lucky that we have people like Ronnie and John still playing the game and still playing fantastic snooker,» said the 23-time ranking event winner, who faces Fraser Patrick at the Waterfront Hall in his Belfast opener live on Eurosport.

«Having two legends who turned professional in 1992 yet are still top of their game is remarkable. We