Judd Trump stages stirring recovery to see off Neil Robertson in York
The world number one looked distinctly out of sorts in the opening stages as he fell 3-1 behind.
Judd Trump staged a stirring recovery as he reeled off five frames in a row to sink Neil Robertson 6-3 and seal his place in the last 16 of the UK Championship in York.
The world number one looked distinctly out of sorts in the opening stages as he fell 3-1 behind and looked set to extend his poor record in the tournament, which he has not won since 2011.
But Trump pounced after a pivotal moment in the fifth frame when Robertson missed a simple red on the cusp of extending his advantage, letting Trump in to claw back the deficit to 3-2.
From that point it proved one-way traffic, as Robertson’s strong if tentative form began to desert him, and consecutive breaks of 73, 126 and 67 thrust Trump to the verge of a last-16 clash with John Higgins.
Australian Robertson, now ranked just outside the top 16, came through qualifying in Leicester to make a return to the Triple Crown event he has won three times – the last being in 2020 against Trump on the pink in a last-frame decider.
The 42-year-old, world champion in 2010, took the opening frame before the referee signalled for the players to go off after someone in the crowd at the Barbican needed assistance.
Shortly afterwards, fans were told to make their way out, as the person received treatment. Following a delay of around 15 minutes, the action resumed, with Robertson extending his lead, then sealing the last frame before the interval with a fine 107 clearance.
On the other table, veteran Higgins rolled back the years as he completed a 6-0 whitewash of China’s He Guoqiang, who was making his Barbican debut.
Scotsman Higgins, a four-time world champion, signalled his intent with early breaks of 110 and 92 before further extending his advantage into the interval. Two more half-century runs saw the 49-year-old comfortably into the last 16.
“I am very pleased. The first two frames I knew it would be a tough game for him,” Higgins told BBC Sport.
“It is a great atmosphere, I was nervous as well, but I got off to a decent start and I just put the pressure on him.
“When I play like that, I feel like I am a match for anyone.”
