Jimmy Robertson suggested he never felt his snooker dreams would come true before he defeated Joe Perry in the final of the D88.com European Masters in Lommel.

It was the first ranking title of Robertson’s career, some 16 years after he turned professional. Incredibly, he had never previously been beyond the quarter-finals of a ranking event.

He survived some scares, winning three matches in deciding frames, and defeated the likes of Mark Allen and Mark King before facing Perry in the decider.

He had to work hard after Perry battled back from 5-0 and 7-3 deficits to get to within a frame at 7-6 on Sunday evening, but Robertson was ice-cool and measured in landing the two frames he required to win.

The 32-year-old secured his biggest pay day with the £75,000 winners’ cheque and jumped 10 places in the rankings to a career-high of 26th. He also earned a spot at the Champion of Champions in Coventry next month.

Robertson was in dreamland, though he wasn’t ever convinced he was going to get there. “It is what I’ve dreamed of since I first started playing. I never thought this day would happen and the way my career has gone so far I had never been to the latter stages in tournaments,” he said.

“I always knew I was capable of doing it but actually doing it is a completely different thing.

“I was delighted with how I held myself together. Joe played really well in the evening session, but I am just pleased to have produced some good snooker from 7-6.”

Staying composed in the heat of battle and registering his breakthrough ranking tournament success, with his wife and children looking on, was a moment of joy.

“Winning your first title is massive. You never know if you are going to get over the line and you don’t know how you are going to handle it. To win my first ranking event and have my family here means everything,” Robertson added.

Robertson is 201.00 to add the UK Championship crown this season, with world number one Mark Selby 7.00 and Ronnie O’Sullivan favourite at 4.20.