LIKE rules, records are made to be broken.

In the sporting arena, there is something special about seeing achievements reached or surpassed.

Whether it be Usain Bolt shaving yet more time off the 100-metre and 200m records or Sachin Tendulkar making his 100th international century, such things capture the imagination.

The media latch on to it and every time an individual gets close, the spotlight intensifies in the hope of seeing history made.

But with it comes pressure.

There were times when it looked as though Tendulkar, idolised in India, would remain stuck on 99 as the world watched on.

Fellow cricket legend Donald Bradman famously finished his illustrious career with a batting average of 99.94.

Although it did nothing to diminish his reputation in the annals of history, the statistic is forever associated with the Australian.

We are seeing a similar thing now with compatriot Neil Robertson at the World Snooker Championship, a player aiming to become the first player to make 100 century breaks in a season.

To put that into context, he is almost 40 clear of his nearest rival and only 32 players have made more than 100 across their entire careers.

Robertson compiled his 99th during his last 16 match against Mark Allen on Sunday and ever since the pressure has built, with the media charting his every progress.

With each passing frame in the sport's last event of the campaign, so the chance to create history grows smaller - yesterday, he came within one ball of achieving the feat but missed a routine black.

The Aussie will have more opportunities when he plays again today but the longer he waits and the harder he tries, the tougher it will become.

Securing such a milestone can just as easily become a millstone around the neck of an individual.

If Robertson fails having come so close, it will be a tough tag to shake.