Robertson sets up Trump meeting at UK Championship

By BBC (Sports) | Created at 2024-11-21 22:59:42 | Updated at 2024-11-22 05:31:11 6 hours ago

Neil Robertson will play world number one Judd Trump in the first round of the UK Championship after advancing past Matthew Stevens 6-2 in the final qualifier in Leicester.

Their encounter will be a repeat of their epic 2020 final, won by the Australian, who also got the better of the Englishman earlier this month at the Champion of Champions.

Robertson, who has won all three of snooker’s Triple crown events, opened with a superb break of 136 against the 2003 winner Stevens, who levelled at 1-1.

However, Robertson then took the next three, including the pivotal fourth frame, which the Welshman had looked on course to win, before sealing the victory.

The 42-year-old's meeting with Trump is arguably the tie of round one despite there being several other mouthwatering encounters to kick off the televised stages.

Defending champion Ronnie O’Sullivan and Barry Hawkins will reprise their meetings from the World Championship and Masters finals of 2013 and 2016.

Zhao Xintong, who won the tournament in 2021, will face former world champion Shaun Murphy, after returning from a ban for his involvement in snooker's biggest match-fixing scandal.

Jack Lisowski, who ended the qualifying run of women's world champion Bai Yulu, has been drawn to face Mark Selby, with Champion of Champions winner Mark Williams taking on a fellow former Crucible winner in Stuart Bingham.

Zhao’s return to the big stage on Saturday afternoon comes after he won four qualifying matches for the loss of just nine frames.

During that run he has also compiled a wonderful 146, the highest break of the tournament so far.

And despite trailing 2-0 to Ricky Walden, the 27-year-old was able to reel off six consecutive frames that included two half centuries and a break of 126.

Meanwhile, David Gilbert thrashed Julien Leclercq 6-1 and Matthew Selt claimed an impressive 6-3 win over Zhou Yuelong.

Lei Peifan knocked in breaks of 129 and 131 as he defeated Ben Woollaston 6-2 and Michael Holt and Robert Milkins overcame Liu Hongyu and Xu Si by the same scoreline.

Ronnie O'Sullivan v Barry Hawkins

Xiao Guodong v David Gilbert

Shaun Murphy v Zhao Xintong

Ding Junhui v Robert Milkins

Mark Selby v Jack Lisowski

Ali Carter v Ryan Day

Si Jiahui v Wu Yize

Mark Allen v Jackson Page

Judd Trump v Neil Robertson

John Higgins v He Guoqiang or Stan Moody

Zhang Anda v Lei Peifan

Mark Williams v Stuart Bingham