Sporting Life
Neil Robertson says his best form isn't far away
Neil Robertson has missed out on the Crucible

World Snooker Championship qualifiers: Neil Robertson crashes out as Jack Lisowski, Stuart Bingham and Dominic Dale among players to reach the Crucible

By Sporting Life
Snooker
Thu April 18, 2024 · 7M ago

A review of the final round of qualifying for the World Snooker Championship, as Neil Robertson failed to qualify for the Crucible for the first time in 20 years.

Judgement Day Part Two: Wednesday April 17

Former world champion Neil Robertson will miss out on the Crucible for the first time in 20 years after losing in the final round of World Championship qualifying.

The 42-year-old Australian, who won the title in 2010, was beaten 10-9 by Welshman Jamie Jones, whose break of 60 in the decider was enough to take him through for the sixth time.

Robertson last missed out on the Crucible in 2004 but a desperate season, in which he has reached just one tour semi-final, sent him out of the world’s top 16 and into the qualifying stages.

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Robertson had looked set to pull away and book his place in Thursday’s first-round draw after winning four frames in a row to lead 8-5.

But Jones responded by reeling off the next three and went on to claim his first win over Robertson after heavy defeats in all seven of their previous meetings.

Jones said: “Neil has buried me every time I’ve played him, so I haven’t got good memories of playing him before but I stuck with him.

“I don’t know what it is about this tournament but there is something that just brings out the best in me.”

Last year’s surprise semi-finalist Si Jiahui will be one to avoid in Thursday’s first-round draw after he beat Chinese compatriot Wu Yize 10-4.

Another former semi-finalist, Dave Gilbert, beat Xiao Guodong 10-6 and Hossein Vafaei beat China’s Jiang Jun 10-5.

Judgement Day Part One: Tuesday April 16

Jack Lisowski booked his place back at the Crucible with a 10-3 win over two-time former finalist Matthew Stevens in the final qualifying round of the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield.

Lisowski, who reached the quarter-finals in 2022, has been an ever-present in the final stages since 2018 but dropped out of the top 16 after a relatively disappointing current campaign.

The 32-year-old Lisowski had too much for Stevens, making two centuries and five breaks over 50 to seal his place in Thursday morning’s first-round draw.

Lisowski said: “This is the best I have played all season, I have practised really hard for it and it’s a relief to get through.

“I have been to the Crucible for six years in a row and I want to do well this time. I know Ding got to the final (in 2016) having come through the qualifiers, and my plan was to turn a negative into a positive.”

Veteran Dominic Dale is back at the Crucible after a 10-year absence thanks to a 10-8 victory over He Guoqiang. At 52, Dale is the oldest qualifier since Steve Davis in 2010.

"I couldn't dream at my age that I could play well enough to get to the Crucible," admitted Dale, who has reached two ranking quarter-finals this season. "I am astonished. It has been so long since I played a match of that magnitude. My new girlfriend Anne has made a big difference to my life because her dad Jean, who lives in France, loves watching snooker on Eurosport. Before she met me, Anne wouldn't have known what a snooker ball was but now she knows all about it. Between them they have convinced me to practise harder and I have done that this season, and had more focus in matches."

Former world champion Stuart Bingham booked his place after winning the last three frames to sink Liam Heathcote 10-8, and Stephen Maguire fired three centuries as he recorded a 10-6 win over China’s Yuan Sijun.

Ricky Walden was never ahead of Mark Davis until he took a tense decider to win 10-9 while Jak Jones, who reached the quarter-finals on his debut last year, booked his return with a 10-4 defeat of Zhou Yuelong, his top break 126. Lyu Haotian will join the Chinese contingent at the Crucible thanks to a 10-7 success against Jenson Kendrick. Breaks of 121 and 117 helped Lyu to book a fourth appearance. Robbie Williams made an excellent break of 78 in the decider to beat Chris Wakelin 10-9.

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