Robertson narrowly behind against Fu

The Bexhill cueman trails Hong Kong star Marco Fu 5-4 following the opening nine frames this morning (Saturday). The second session will take place from 10am tomorrow.

The opening session at The Crucible in Sheffield was a see-saw affair in which both players produced some brilliant pots only to miss some simple ones.

Robertson - making his second appearance in the main draw at the sport’s blue riband event - didn’t pot a ball during the opening frame, which Fu clinched thanks largely to an opening break of 61.

Both men missed chances in the second before world number 11 Fu raced away with a break of 87 to lead 2-0. Robertson, ranked 42, opened his account by comfortably winning frame three and seemed to settle thereafter.

Frame four was an epic affair in which Robertson eventually won a lengthy safety exchange on the brown and cleared the remaining colours to tie the scores. Despite Robertson’s hard work to get back into it, Fu took the frame on a respotted black to go 3-1 ahead.

Robertson was rejuvenated after the interval, rattling through frame five with a break of 80 and was on course for a maximum when he broke down. He then cleared from green to black to edge frame six and level at 3-3.

Robertson also pinched frame seven to go ahead for the first time and was threatening to take charge of the match when he got in during the next, but Fu hit back to win that with a 56 and then claimed the last of the session with a 66.