Cao Yupeng missed a match-ball black that might haunt him for years to come as Neil Robertson took the Scottish Open title.
The Chinese 27-year-old, who is ranked only 67th in the world, led 8-4 in the biggest match of his professional career but saw the experienced Robertson reel him in to take a 9-8 victory.
Anyone who watched the snooker tonight witnessed a thriller! 🎱
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) December 17, 2017
🏆 Neil Robertson is the Scottish Open champion after winning a deciding frame against Cao Yupeng pic.twitter.com/L8l2dQltu4
The key ball came at the end of the 16th frame when Cao had black for the title and missed it, leaving it over the pocket for Australian Robertson to sink and force a decider.
The pot was difficult but one Cao expected to make, and disappointment was etched across his face as the black ball clattered the jaws of the pocket and stayed out.
Robertson made a 59 break in the decider as he clinched the title and a £70,000 reward, consolation for the 2010 world champion after a recent slump which means he has missed out on a place in next month's Masters.
