Neil Robertson beat Ronnie O'Sullivan to reach the final in Llandudno
Neil Robertson made a superb comeback from 9-4 down to beat John Higgins 10-9 and retain the Tour Championship title in Llandudno.
Robertson won a tense decider with a break of 72 to claim the £150,000 first prize and secure a 23rd ranking title.
"Considering the opposition, it has to be the best comeback of my career," said the Australian.
"John only started missing balls in the last few frames. I just kept digging in."
After Higgins took a 3-0 lead with breaks of 136 and 126, Robertson came close to making a maximum break in the sixth frame, but missed the last blue as he levelled the match at 3-3.
The Scot won six of the next seven frames but Robertson regained the initiative with a remarkable recovery.
The loss was the third time Higgins has been beaten in a ranking final this season after needing only one frame to win.
In both the English Open final against Robertson in November and the Northern Ireland Open final against Mark Allen in October the four-time world champion led 8-6 but was beaten 9-8.
"It's a tough one to take but there are worse things happening in the world. I've lost a snooker game and Neil is an incredible player" said Higgins.
Robertson, the 2010 World Champion, will now set his sights on winning a second world title.
"That's given me a huge amount of belief. Even if I'd lost 10-9 I would have had massive belief because I had come back so well. Every tournament I enter, I fancy winning it if I can play well."
Meanwhile, Ronnie O'Sullivan has returned to the top of the world rankings after reaching the tournament's last four, replacing Mark Selby who did not play in the event.
It is the fifth time O'Sullivan has occupied the top of the rankings, but Selby remains top seed for the World Championship as defending champion.
The World Championship starts at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield on 16 April.
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