Neil Robertson completed one of his best ever fight-backs as he recovered a 5-1 deficit to beat John Higgins 6-5 in the first round of the Johnstone’s Paint Masters.
Robertson was a late entry into the draw when Ronnie O’Sullivan pulled out on Friday morning, and the Australian insisted he could be “very dangerous” with the sense of having nothing to lose. He was frozen out in the early stages today, but then played tremendous snooker to reel off five frames in a row and set up a quarter-final with Shaun Murphy or Gary Wilson on Thursday.
Higgins was making a record-extending 31st consecutive appearance in this elite event but has now lost 16 times in the opening round. Today’s turnaround will bring back painful memories for the Scot as his previous meeting with Robertson was the 2022 Tour Championship final when he let slip a 9-4 advantage and lost 10-9. Two-time Masters champion Higgins, who turns 50 in May, has now lost nine of the 11 deciders he has played in this tournament.
It’s only the sixth time in Masters history that a player has come from 5-1 down to win 6-5. Ironically, the previous occasion was in 2020 when Robertson himself lost the last five frames against Stephen Maguire. World number 20 Robertson has already lifted a trophy this season, at the BetVictor English Open in September, and the 42-year-old will hope that today’s momentum could launch him towards a third Masters crown having won it in 2012 and 2022.
Robertson took the opening frame with a 48 clearance, but registered just 16 points in the next five as Higgins took control with breaks of 54, 78, 59, 86, 54 and 66 to lead 5-1. The Wishaw potter had a chance to turn the screw in frame seven, but missed a short range red to a centre pocket and Robertson finally got a rhythm going with a break of 63 to pull one back.
Higgins trailed 45-21 in the eighth when he over-cut a difficult red to a top corner, and again his opponent punished him to close to 5-3. Just 20 minutes later it was 5-5 as Robertson rattled in runs of 118 and 80. A superb long red set Higgins up for first chance in the decider, but on 35 a tough red to centre hit the far jaw. Robertson replied with 57 before running out of position, but then got the better of a safety exchange on the penultimate red and added the points he needed.
“I don’t think I could have hoped for better, it was a brilliant atmosphere and to be a part of that match was an amazing feeling,” said Robertson. “John didn’t do that much wrong from 5-1. Once it got to 5-3 the crowd were getting behind me. What makes this tournament so great is the fans.
“I will try to maintain this mindset and try to find the flowing state as soon as I can in a match. Hopefully this lays down a marker. I won’t get too excited or think too far ahead because every match here is against a great player.”
Higgins, who is 14th in the rankings and will hope to make it 32 consecutive appearances next year, said: “It’s a tough one to take. My concentration went a little bit at 5-1 up when I missed that red over the middle trying to play down for the black. I have no complaints. It’s fine margins. Neil played tremendously well to come back. He really put the pressure on me. I maybe played the wrong shot when I went into the pack in the last frame. But Neil played great to come back. You’ve got to hold your hands up sometimes.”
Shaun Murphy reached the quarter-finals of the Johnstone’s Paint Masters for the 14th time with a 6-3 victory over Gary Wilson and predicts it will be a “delight” to meet Neil Robertson next.
Murphy, champion here in 2015, eased into a 4-0 lead tonight then fended off a Wilson comeback to take the last two frames and set up a tie with Robertson on Thursday. The pair have met twice in the final at Alexandra Palace, Robertson winning the title in 2012 and Murphy gaining revenge three years later.
So far this season, Murphy has enjoyed several deep runs, notably reaching the final of the Shanghai Masters and the semi-finals of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. He will hope that this week he can go all the way to the £350,000 top prize and join the group of just 11 players to have won the Masters on multiple occasions.
Wilson had chances in all four frames before the interval, but couldn’t take them and Murphy punished him, compiling runs of 69, 56 and 64 as he built a 4-0 advantage. After the break, the momentum changed as Wilson fired runs of 101 and 92, then took frame seven on the colours to close to 4-3.
The Tyneside cueman also had a clear scoring opportunity in frame eight but missed a straight-forward red to a top corner leading 20-1, and Murphy punished him with a break of 103. And another error from Wilson in the ninth, failing to pot the pink to corner when he trailed 45-24, ended his hopes.
“It was a match of momentum,” said world number seven Murphy. “I knew I had the advantage of more experience at this venue and I used that in the first four frames, I was pleased to be clinical with my chances. I was expecting Gary to make a run after that and when it got to 4-3 it wasn’t red alert, but it was yellow alert. So I was pleased to make a good break for 5-3. My game is in good shape.
“It will be a delight to play Neil. We turned pro in the same year in 1998 and I have immense respect for him. We take the mickey out of him a bit because he doesn’t know how sat-nav works so isn’t guaranteed to be here. But I’ll be here and hoping to bring my A game. Over the last couple of days people have been saying that Neil is on a freeroll. But he’s a multiple winner, not a wild card who has never been here before.”
Wilson was making his first appearance at Alexandra Palace as his only previous Masters match was behind closed doors in 2021. But he finished the night dejected. “I couldn’t even enjoy the occasion because I’m frustrated with the way I’m playing,” he said. “I have been going through it for a while and it seems to be getting worse.”
There are interviews with Neil and Shaun in the original articles that for some reason I can’t include here
The Robertson vs Higgins match was truly excellent. The first frame was a close affair and Neil won it. Then John embarked in an incredible 5 frames streak: he won them with a break over 50 in each , restricting Neil scoring to only 16 points. And then it all turned and it was Neil who won consecutive five frames, four of them featuring a break over 50, to take the match.
The Murphy v Wilson match was less attractive. Shaun played well but Gary’s frustration was palpable. Frame two was important as it somehow set the match “mood”: Gary scored a break of 62, only for Shaun to steal it with a break of 69. Gary had chances in the next two as well but lost them both. He found himself 3-1 down at the MSI. He came back all guns blazing, winning the next three with breaks of 101, 92 and 52, moving 4-3 up. Shaun restored parity with a great 103. The next frame was a rather low key affair but Shaun won it and that was the end of the match…
Q-Tour Event 6
Zhao Xintong won his fourth consecutive Q-Tour event of the season yesterday in Mons (Belgium) … what can you say? It’s really remarkable. He’s in a league of his own out there, if he keeps that form into next season he will be a menace on the main tour! … The detailed results are available on snooker.org.
World Snooker Tour respond with blunt statement after £10m lawsuit against them launched
Snooker bosses have been hit with a lawsuit on the eve of the Masters.
By JACK MCEACHEN
The World Snooker Tour (WST) have bluntly shut down claims from NST Worldwide that “unlawful and anti-competitive practices” have been used to stop their players “playing in tournaments, events, or matches organised by competitor promoters” in a £10.2million lawsuit.
NST Worldwide, which Ronnie O’Sullivan owns a stake in and Jason Francis and Mayus Karia are directors of, launched their claims in the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
The Rocket’s withdrawal from the Masters, which starts on Sunday, is not thought to be connected to the lawsuit and Francis claims that he pulled out because of his mental health.
An account on X (formerly known as Twitter) ran by Francis announced the news, writing: “I can confirm that my company NST Worldwide Ltd has launched legal proceedings in the Competition Appeal Tribunal (case number 1701/5/7/25) against World Snooker Ltd (WST), it’s holding company World Snooker Holdings Ltd and the WPBSA for abuse of their dominant position contrary to section 18 of the Competition Act 1998 (Chapter II Prohibition) and a further claim that they have engaged in agreements, decisions and/or concerted practices which have as their object of effect the prevention, distortion and restriction of competition, contrary to Section 2 of Competition Act 1998 (Chapter I Prohibition).
“The infringements relate to the setting of unlawful and anti-competitive provisions in the contractual relationships between WSL and professional snooker players, and WSL’s unlawful and anti-competitive practices that have prevented professional snooker players playing in tournaments, events, or matches organised by competitor promoters, including NST (which included broadcasting snooker events on Channel 5 and Channel 4 this depriving snooker fans more chances to watch snooker on free to air TV).
“NST is claiming £10.2m in damages plus interest and declarations from the Court to invalidate terms used by World Snooker Ltd to abuse its dominant position by controlling the players and erecting barriers to entry for competitors such as NST.”
The WST replied with a brief statement to Express Sport which read: “WST rejects the claims and will defend them.“
The lawsuit stems from professional players’ contracts, which state that they are not able to compete in non-WST events while tournaments are being played, unless they are specifically granted permission.
Players do have more freedom than previously, but any potential rivals to the WST are currently restricted solely to dates where WST tournaments are not taking place if they want to attract the sport’s biggest names.
Jason Francis made it clear that Ronnie is NOT involved in that lawsuit.
Jason cites players appearances on Channel 4 and Channel 5. These are the channels that show Jason’s Seniors Snooker events, and 900 events. Recently one of those events overlapped with some qualifiers… but I’m not sure if that is what caused the problem to resurface …
Ronnie O'Sullivan 