The 42-year-old Australian snooker player claimed the Crucible crown in 2010, but has struggled in recent years and fallen down the world rankings. As a result, he was required to qualify for this year’s tournament, something he hadn’t done since 2006. In the final round of qualifying at Sheffield’s Institute of Sport, he lost 10-9 to Welshman Jamie Jones, who made a strong start and led 5-4 after the first session.
Robertson rallied, taking a commanding 8-5 lead, only for Jones to mount a comeback, forcing a decider which he ultimately won. Robertson expressed his disappointment on social media, acknowledging Jones’ strong performance and expressing the need for some time off. Meanwhile, Jones expressed his delight at the tournament’s format suiting his style of play.
In other qualifying matches, 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham secured his place in the tournament with a tense 10-8 win, while Jak Jones and Dominic Dale also emerged victorious in their respective matches.
