A record seventh Dafabet Masters title is still on for Ronnie O’Sullivan after a 6-3 victory over Neil Robertson, but the Rocket is simply happy to have overcome a winter virus.

The reigning Masters champion beat Liang Wenbo 6-5 in the first round on Sunday despite feeling under the weather, but was fully recovered as he saw off Robertson in their quarter-final.

Four breaks of 47-plus helped the 41-year-old take four frames in succession to come from 3-2 down to seal his semi-final spot, where he will play Marco Fu or Mark Allen on Saturday.

And while O’Sullivan conceded he was far from his fluent best at London’s Alexandra Palace on Thursday afternoon he was relieved to be in a record 13th Masters semi-final.

“I’ve felt so ill for so long it was just nice to feel normal again so I felt like I could give it a good go and try my hardest and if I won great and if I didn't there was no excuses,” he said.

“Physically I’m a million times better, I’m happy just for that.

“I’m a fierce competitor and I think that’s what got me through today and I’ll always be that but it wasn’t a great performance.

“I don’t care about luck, you win the match. I’ve had a lot of matches that I’ve won and not had any luck, I’m too old to start worrying about that. I’m just in the next round.”

Like in the first round, O’Sullivan’s highest break, 68, came in the frame that saw him get over the line as he looks to defend his Dafabet Masters title.

And while O’Sullivan has 28 ranking titles to his name already, he believes he only has another two or three years left where winning tournaments is a realistic ambition.

“Hopefully at some point I can play a bit better hopefully I’ll get to a final and win a tournament, I think I have two or three years being realistic of having decent opportunities to win tournaments,” he added.

“But if I’m not I’ve just got to accept that I’m not as clinical or as sharp or something happens to you that I'm not the player I maybe was the last four or five years.

“I’m going to try and drag out as much as I can, what else would I be doing on a Thursday afternoon?”