NEIL ROBERTSON is confident he can end a near 20-year hoodoo for UK snooker Championship winners.

No player since Stephen Hendry, in 1996, has been able to hang on to the crown - the second biggest tournament in the sport - and the world number two says he has the "drive" and "ambition" to be the first.

The nine UK competitions held at the York Barbican have seen nine different winners - Robertson the latest after defeating Mark Selby 12 months ago to complete his collection of the triple crown of BBC events.

But Robertson, delighted the championship is once again returning to the Fishergate venue next week, said: "I've got a pretty record in the UK Championship. The last few years I have made the semis, the quarters and then won last year. I really enjoy the event, especially at the Barbican as well. All the players are really happy it got moved back here.

"It's a fantastic venue, really good crowds - for all the matches and especially in the main arena - so it is one the players have no problem getting up for. To come back as defending champion and to try and equal what Stephen Hendry did nearly 20 years ago is something that gives me more ambition and more drive to try and achieve that."

On his achievement last year, which put him in elite company, including Steve Davis, Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan, to have won the game's three most prestigious titles, Robertson added: "It was probably the proudest achievement of my career.

"Obviously there was the World Championship but then you have got to try and go on and win the other major titles as well. I won the Masters 18 months after winning the Worlds and now this is as well.

"To be the first non-British player to break that dominance of the major titles and to win all three was the proudest moment of my career for sure. I have won one of each. The next target for me is to try and win multiple major titles.

"To already be among that group to win the three majors is very special already. To reach the point of multiple majors is another one."

Having defended his Wuxi Classic title, reached the final in Australia and the last four at the Champion of Champions event this season, Robertson is confident his game is in good shape as he awaits Joe O'Connor in the first round next Thursday evening.

"At the start of the season, after five major events, to get to the later stages in three of them is not too bad," he said. "I definitely would have taken that at the start of the season. You can never take tournaments for granted.

"I am very happy with my game at the moment. I played pretty well in the Champion of Champions last week. I am looking forward to taking my game to the next step and playing even better in the UK this year."