Yesterday was the last of round 3 at the “Crucible qualifiers”. It’s always a tense day at the EIS, filled with joy for some, and heartbreaks for others. The report by WST – hereafter – focuses on the big/known names.

CRUCIBLE QUALIFYING DAY EIGHT: THUNDER STORMS TO JUDGEMENT DAY SLOT

Neil Robertson brushed Zak Surety aside 10-2 to reach the final round of Cazoo World Championship qualifying at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.

The Australian has fallen down 24^th position in the world rankings this season, meaning he is having to qualify for the World Championship for the first time since 2006. Robertson is now one win away from reaching the Crucible for a 20^th consecutive year.

Despite the enormity of a player of Robertson’s calibre having to qualify, he showed complete reverence to the situation he found himself in today, putting on a ruthless display to ease over the line.

Robertson compiled runs of 74, 60, 103, 76, 134, 90 and 117 on his way to victory. He now faces Jamie Jones in the final round, after the Welshman defeated Alfie Burden 10-5. Despite the loss, Surety clings on to his position on tour via the one year list.

“I think the qualifiers really are to be respected. I didn’t come here thinking I would blitz the two games and qualify. Everyone wants to get to the Crucible. Stephen Maguire did an interview a few days ago saying how much it hurt him not qualifying last year. I don’t want to miss out either.”

Neil Robertson

2010 World Champion

Robertson added: “It doesn’t feel like qualifiers. Last time I had to qualify in Prestatyn in 2006, we had these blue cubicle walls blocking off everything. You couldn’t see any other table and you had a hand full of people watching. This is great and there are good crowds. It doesn’t feel any different to being at a venue.

“I am back to my best. Whether or not that is any good who knows. I need to try and find ways to improve and play in a way that puts my opponents in trouble more often. When I play my best I wipe the floor with most players but you don’t play your best in an isolated situation that often.”

Hossein Vafaei earned a Judgement Day berth for the third consecutive year with a 10-4 defeat of Marco Fu.

Vafaei made century breaks of 121 and 116 on his way to victory. He now faces Jiang Jun in the final round of qualifying. After today’s win he admitted to being emotional at the kind words from Fu at the conclusion of their game.

Vafaei said: “He gave me some advice and I nearly cried. I love Marco. He is in my heart and he is one of my heroes. I have to say in front of everyone, thank you for the advice you gave me. I love you so much.

“It is a massive day for everyone (the final round). Everyone wants to qualify but I have been passing that now. It isn’t as big for me. I just want to stay in the tournament for as long as I can. I want to produce a good game. I like to enjoy my snooker. If I perform like that then everyone is going to be easy!”

Noppon Saengkham fired in a stunning 147 during his 10-5 defeat of Andy Hicks. The break puts Thai number one Saengkham in line for a £25,000 payout.

Next up for Saengkham is Welshman Jackson Page, who scored a 10-5 win against 2006 World Champion Graeme Dott.

Noppon’s 147 was the second of his career and amusingly his 147th professional century.

The above report, as so often, focuses on the “known names” … yet yesterday a number of young players, most notably from outside the UK, gave it all and, IMO, deserve a mention other than “en passant”.

There was an extraordinary tense match between 21 years old Si Jiahui from China and 19 years old Ben Mertens from Belgium. The match was won in the 19th and deciding frame by Si. Ben had actually potted match ball in the previous frame: at 9-8 and 69-0 ahead with only 67 left. Si got a snooker to force the decider.

The 18 years old Jian Jung deserves more than being mentioned as Hossein Vafaei next opponent. The lad is in his first year as a pro and he will now play for a spot at the Crucible! Yesterday he beat Sam Craigie by 10-8, having beaten Fan Zhengyi by the same score in the previous round.

Wu Yize from is only 20 years old, in his third year as a pro. He’s already ranked 42. He will face Si Jiahui on “Judgement Days”. He beat the vastly experienced Tian Pengfei by 10-8 yesterday.

Pang Junxu, 24 years old, put an end to Oliver Brown’s stunt as a pro, for now at least, as beat him by 10-7 yesterday. He too will face another Chinese player on Judgements day … Cao Yupeng.

He Guoqiang, 23 years old, is another young Chinese player who does extremely well as a rookie: he will face Dominic Dale on Judgements Days. He beat Ross Muir and Antony McGill to get this far.

All results are on snooker.org.

The two young Belgians, Julien Leclercq and Ben Mertens, didn’t manage to get to the top 64 after two years on tour but both will get a new two years tour card via the one year list.

Corrigendum … Ben could still possibly be relegated but for that to happen, He Guoqiang needs to reach the last 16 at the Crucible. He would then push Lilley out of the top 64 and Lilley is ahead in the season list.

Worth mentioning as well is the fact that the four players rescued through “one year list” are now known: other than Julien and Ben, Oliver Lines and Zak Surety will get a fresh tour card via that route.

Finally … you can find how how to watch the last two days of the qualifiers here.

As for today … as much as I like Ricky Walden – and I really do like him – I would love to see “Dark Mavis” at the Crucible. A pro since 1991, 51 years old, a great servant of his sport … yes, that would be great!

Also, I’d love to see Jenson Kendrick win today. Again nothing at all against Lyu Haotian, but Jenson who nobody rated much during his two seasons on tour, has produced such a colossal effort to get this far, under the highest of pressure, knowing that he needs to get to the Crucible to stay on tour, that, yes, I’d love to see him succeed!