Robertson Trumped At First Hurdle
The 2011 Betfred.com world snooker championship broke off in style at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre and already has lost its defending champion, Neil Robertson who fell at the first hurdle at losing ten-frames-to-eight against Judd Trump in Sheffield.
The Curse of the Crucible struck once again as the Australian joins the likes of Terry Griffiths, Steve Davis, Dennis Taylor, and Graeme Dott in losing their first match twelve months after lifting the trophy.
No player has ever successfully defended the title after winning it for the first time.
Both players were in fine form and shared the first four frames before the mid-session interval.
When they returned they exchanged century breaks to go 3-3 before the 21-year-old moved opened a two frame lead for the first time in the match.
Robertson responded with his second century of the match and finish just one behind the newly crowned China Open champion.
In the night, Robertson won three of the first four frames to go 7-6 ahead and start to look like he might be able to exploit Trump’s lack of Crucible experience.
After the mid-session interval it was Trump who showed why he is many people’s outside tip to walk away with the prize this time around.
He won frames 14,15 and 16 to move within one of victory and although Robbo took the next, a break of 83 saw Trump over the line and into round two where he will face either Marco Fu or Martin Gould.
Elsewhere, 'Pretty In Pink' Andrew Pagett made a shaky start to his Crucible debut, by miss-timing his opening break off shot and crashing into the pack of reds.
Fortunately for the Welhsman, Jamie Cope butchered a red to the middle pocket and allowed Pagett to settle with a 48 break before Shotgun cleared to take the frame.
28-year-old Pagett looked like a meerkat in headlights though as he surprisingly took a 4-2 lead with his opponent struggling badly.
Pagett eventually began to show the kind of form which has helped him win just one match in major ranking events this season ahead of the world championship and ended the session 5-4 down.
Shaun Murphy fired a warning to those who have ignored his title chances by producing a magical opening session. The 2005 champion is on course to dish out only the second Crucible whitewash in history as he took all nine frames against Marcus Campbell.
The All-Welsh battle between Williams and Day ended 6-3, with Williams posting the highest break so far, of 137 and threatening at one stage to run away with the match. Day will consider himself to have done well, to stay within three and have a chance of getting a result on day two.
Allister Carter is on course for a comfortable landing in round two after winning the opening session of his match against Dave Harold. Sunday could be the biggest day of the Stoke potters life, if he could turn around his 8-1 deficit and see his beloved Stoke City reach the FA Cup final.
