World champion Neil Robertson thumps Ding Junhui in Premier League
Reigning world champion Neil Robertson whitewashed Ding Junhui 6-0 in the snooker Premier League to gain his first win, while Mark Williams and Marco Fu could only draw.
Robertson found himself at the bottom of the league after only playing two games, losing one and drawing the other. The Australian knew he couldn’t lose another game, and he came out all guns blazing to blow the UK champion away.
Robertson seized the initiative in the first frame after potting a red and opting to smash into the pack, opening them up and going on to make a break of 120, immediately pocketing the £1,000 bonus for a century break. Both players made mistakes in the second frame, but it was Robertson who managed to double his lead.
Ding hardly had any table time and was unable to capitalise, missing a red on a run of 43 in the third. Robertson replied with a break of 46 but ran out of position. However, Ding’s poor safety shot enabled Robertson to take a 3-0 lead.
Ding has a history of looking fed up when he’s not playing well, and once again he sat in his chair and was desperate to get out of the arena as Robertson made a break of 42 to race into a 4-0 lead and secure the win.
The world No.1 was not holding back, and he knocked in a fluid break of 87, refusing to let Ding have an opening. Robertson completed the rout by making another half-century break, this time a 51, and climbed up to fourth in the table.
Ding clearly wasn’t at his best and had no answer to what Robertson threw at him. Robertson was delighted with his performance. “I think the very first shot I played went into the pack and I knocked in a great blue and made a 120. It was a great start and probably the best I’ve played in the Premier League,” he said.
“I got here nice and early and practiced. Normally I just rock up and play so that’s something I may be doing more of.
“When I made the 120 though, I thought I was playing quite well and if I got chances I would score. When you’re 2-0 up, you think the worst result could be a draw and at 3-0 you know all you need is to win another frame for the two points,” Robertson added.
In the other match of the evening, two-time world champion Williams maintained his unbeaten record and went to the top of the Premier League table after sharing the points with Fu.
Williams and Ronnie O’Sullivan are the only two players still unbeaten in the competition, but Williams’ record was under threat as Fu played well in a tight encounter.
Knowing that a win for either player would take them to first spot, it was Fu who got off the mark first, despite Williams making a break of 43. Both players had a difficult time in the second frame, with pink and black out of commission. Fu managed to get some points, but when he missed a red, Williams was able to level the tie.
The third frame was more like the Williams of old, as the Welshman knocked in a 104 to grab an extra £1,000 and go 2-1 in front. The next frame followed the pattern of the first two, but it was the man from Hong-Kong who made a 51 and make the score 2-2.
Runs of 43 and 78 in the next frame ensured Fu would get a point and favourite to take the maximum points, but when he broke off in the final frame, it was to be his last shot as Williams potted a fantastic opening red and went on to make his second century of the evening, a 122, to take a point and go top of the table.
While Williams finds himself at the top of the table, O’Sullivan surprisingly finds himself at the bottom, and when the Rocket plays next week, he has a cracking match against Williams awaiting him.
Tags: