Robertson books World Championship place

Snooker star Jimmy Robertson has booked his place in the 2018 Betfred World Championship.
Jimmy Robertson has qualified for the Betfred World Snooker Championship.Jimmy Robertson has qualified for the Betfred World Snooker Championship.
Jimmy Robertson has qualified for the Betfred World Snooker Championship.

The Bexhill cueman will compete in the venue stage of the sport’s blue riband event for the fourth time following a 10-7 victory over Michael White in the final round of the qualifiers.

World number 34 Robertson won the last four frames for a terrific win over 31st-ranked Welsh potter White, who compiled six half-century breaks to Robertson’s four.

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Robertson took the opening frame, but didn’t score a point in the next two as White knocked in runs of 68 and 76. Breaks of 90 and 54 then gave Robertson a 3-2 lead.

White reeled off the next three frames, aided by runs of 62 and 69, before Robertson clinched frame nine with the help of a 54 break to trail 5-4 after yesterday’s (Tuesday’s) first session.

Robertson eased through the opening frame of today’s second session and edged the next by a point to lead 6-5. Back came White with runs of 95 and 56 in the next two frames to go 7-6 up.

It was Robertson all the way thereafter, though, as he comfortably claimed frames 14, 15 and 16, hitting a 96 break along the way, before edging frame 17 65-56 to seal victory.

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Robertson and the other 15 qualifiers will join the world’s top 16 ranked players in the event proper at The Crucible in Sheffield. The action draw will be made at 10am tomorrow and the action will start on Saturday.

Robertson will be aiming for his first victory on the sport’s biggest stage having lost in the first round on his three previous appearances.

St Leonards-based Mark Davis narrowly failed to make it to The Crucible after losing 10-7 to Joe Perry in the final round of the qualifiers.

World number 43 Davis was left to rue losing the first five frames against 22nd-ranked Perry. He won the next two, aided by a break of 109, before losing the two after that to end yesterday’s first session trailing 7-2.

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Davis made a superb start to today’s second session, hitting runs of 136 and 120 to make it 7-4. Although Davis made a 79 in frame 13, Perry won two of the next three frames to lead 9-5.

The 45-year-old Davis responded by winning the 15th and 16th frames, helped by a 57 break in the latter, before Perry closed out the match with a run of 66 in the next.

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