Neil Robertson v Judd Trump, 2014 Snooker: World Championship

Hello again. History was in the making in a 2014 Crucible

quarterfinal between two left-handers, Australia's Neil

Robertson and England's Judd Trump. Robertson was in the form of his

life that season, having won the UK Championship and Classic in

Sheffield. He was on the cusp of something remarkable and very

special, he was one tonne away from a century of centuries, but the

magnitude of that potential achievement was beginning to

distract him. Trump, who had already been to a Crucible final himself,

three years earlier, in 2011, was in the mood to attack. There was a

special atmosphere. Everyone knows they are there for the biggest

tournament and there is just - it is just such an enjoyable experience. I

think a record is showed that I really enjoyed playing there,

compared to most other tournaments. I have been consistent there. He

started off the final like a train, taking a 3-1 lead as we pick them up

in Frame 5. If you can avoid the red behind it

on the way down. He played for the kiss. He didn't get the pot. Not

happy at all out there heavy contact.

I don't know what he played for then. He wouldn't have been on any

other colour. Only he knows. Trump looking down at that register

above the black, if at some stage he can get on that. Maybe train it this

time, I don't know. No, he is just playing for the red in the centre.

He will hold for the blue if he can and you see him looking at it now.

If that red goes past the black into the right corner, he will be on it

straightaway. And he does. We heard the black doesn't pot, so

if he is not on the red above We heard the black doesn't pot, so

black, he may have to try an alternative to try to get onto the

pink. The red he's looking at looks very

tight. Those two together on the end.

He is playing the red past the black. He knew he had to get it in

right. He is on the black, but he would like that black to be a few

inches further out. It is not just the black is a lot thinner than you

wanted for the cut. Holding the cue ball as well comes into it. He plays

those shots well. APPLAUSE

He held the cue ball with some backspin with a gentle push through

the cue. Natural instincts, is that. There is no technical book to tell

you how to play those shots, really. They've had some problems out there

in this session. A few shots that the spin didn't seem to take on the

white and a few kicks. I don't think they've had many bounces off the

cushion, which is something that you get in a dampner atmosphere.

I think the table is really damp. Another example, there is no pace

off the cushion there. That is his aspirations of getting off the black

with this red gone, unless he plays the screw off the pack.

This is a great chance, isn't it, to make sure you are going into the

session, which is tomorrow, no worse than all square and obviously he

would like to kick on from the possible 4-1 lead he is going to

have in a few moments? He's just overdone that slightly. He would

have liked a slight angle on this red to get closer to the black. He

seems to pot them wherever the cue ball stops anyway.

He's got the perfect angle to stun up those two reds available in the

opposite corner pocket. It will be interesting how the white reacts off

this. He will have to cow down on this and if the table is damp, he

will have to hit a bit harder. He didn't get the desired result again,

but he is still reasonably OK. APPLAUSE

Another good pot. After playing that shot you expect to get it easier on

the black or pink. When you hit a shot like that you kind of think,

"Well, it went down." Just played it as it was. Didn't worry about it.

Amazing enough, Judd is yet to make a century in this attorney: We've

already had 38 centuries and this is a chance of another one.

APPLAUSE He will try to bring the red over to

the corner pocket. He's got second prize.

Good shot. APPLAUSE

That is Judd's highest break of the tournament, amazing enough. Having

won two matches, you would expect that to be a lot higher. He didn't

quite get into to that properly. It needs a good cut on the red.

APPLAUSE He will have to take the pink.

APPLAUSE Anything but straight is OK. If it

is straight, well -- Just off straight. Once again, he just powers

those in. A brilliant shot. The guaranteed position is pink into

the middle and then the righthand corner, but he wants to make sure of

the century. A fabulous century of Judd Trump, his first of the

tournament. The 38th of the tournament in total. No position on

the yellow. Or has it, through the gap? That is

amazing, isn't it? APPLAUSE

LAUGHS . Anyway, he got on the green.

He just pots some balls, this man. APPLAUSE

Unfortunately he bounced that one, but the break of 127 takes him three

frames clear at 3-1. Trump was bidding for back-to-back appearances

in the one-table set-up and has extended his advantage with a break

of 60 to go 5-1 in front. It was locking very, very good, indeed.

Robertson won a tight seventh-to-just about stay in touch,

as we -- seventh to just about seventh-to-just about stay in touch,

in touch as we head into the next seventh-to-just about stay in touch,

frame. Settle down, please! Now, this is a Neil Robertson

special. He is normally very good at these shots, coming back for blue.

Wow! APPLAUSE

I like to see the speed that red went into the pocket. Amazing. He is

coughing againment Idon't think he is right, but a tremendous shot that

was. He wouldn't have been as confident

as he was of getting down having pinched the previous frame.

He is still behind, though. If you win two sessions you have 5, 3. It

is a big lead. That is when you have to earn your money as a coach,

Terry. When your player thinks he should be further in front, but he

would have taken 5-3 before the ball was

There are a few things happening out there. Things that you don't expect.

There are a few things happening out I am sure Neil Robertson also

doesn't expect them. APPLAUSE

A good pot. He's got the red into play and he's got enough of the cue

balls far enough off the cushion to put some sort of stun and deviate

the cue ball for the next red. We don't really know if Neil

Robertson is not feeling well here, but the truth of it is, the way the

championship is now, you play every day so you haven't really got any

chance to recover. It hit two shots then and didn't really get the

contact that he wanted. The spin. Yes, especially the previous one,

the red to blue he was expected to be top side of the blue. That one he

hit purposely, a little bit harder, to make sure he got around the two

cushions to get onto these reds. If he gets nicely on the black now, you

would expect him him to score heavily.

When he is playing to screw top side of the blue, it is an angle where

there is no problem. You expect to get the 9-10, but you see there,

he's left it short. This is a little bit short as well. He may have to

play a little cannon to slow the cue ball down. If he is not hampered, he

should still be OK. There is a red available in the middle to get onto

the black or the pink. Judd Trump sees the shot very early,

doesn't he? He is down there and he is very quick. He must be a

difficult opponent to play against. When he is at his best, he is very

destructive. He can pot them from everywhere. It is just nice to see

him playing reasonably again, Terry, because he's gone through a spell

this season where we have only seen just flashes of his briggient. There

has been no consuss tenancy at all in Judd's game this season. We know

what a fabulous talent he is. To do it at the biggest stage that is what

I is all about, everybody strives to do it here at Sheffield. Maybe he is

saving his best for the next two weeks or the next week that is

remaining. The kick is not the too bad, but

just taken the cue ball slightly out of position.

Just about hold for this round of dead weight for the black. Another

contribution of the 50. It is fourth of the afternoon session, as well as

breaks of 46, 67 as well. A glance at the scoreboard tells him he is 42

in front. The black, 49 so two more reds and colours to be absolutely

certain. He doesn't really want to play for the one behind the black

there. He would rather play the one on the side cushion because he is

left-handed and the one along the side cushion is easier than the one

along the black cushion. He is going to play the one along the back

cushion. One more red after this one. He will go 6-2 overnight. If

that been any harder, it would have football clubbed it in. Just look at

this red. It went right in off the far jaw.

Didn't risk going into them. I thought he would, but he played it

absolutely to the inch. This is inch-per inspect.

CHEERING -- inch-perfect.

CHEERING APPLAUSE

That is the important red. Pot the black as well. It will be the end of

session. Still went for the big split on the last few reds, though.

APPLAUSE He lines to entertain, Judd Trump.

Let's check the score. He is 65 in front with just 51 left.

Neil Robertson obviously resigned to the fact now he will be 6-2 behind.

He has got it to do now, hasn't he? He was one of the favourites of this

tournament. He has to win the next session to get back into the match.

But this is really nice to see Judd Trump playing like we know that he

can. He has been the most impressive out

of the two today. I am sure you were all thinking at

the start of this clash it would be a cracker and go all the way. It may

still do, but neither expected a 6-2 result for either player.

APPLAUSE A few exhibition shots here now.

Those in the front row better watch out .

Not quite, but it has been a wonderful pot in and exercise here

from Judd Trump. He leads Neil Robertson overnight by six frames to

two. The first session I was just concentrating, just get a century.

Just get the century out of the way. 100 centuries then you can sort of

really get on with the match and he sort of - he played very well in the

first session. He led 6-2 and then I was thinking, "God, have I blown it

to make 100 centuries?" The pre-emptive thought was making that

milestone but the century didn't come as he took the next few frames,

milestone but the century didn't although he was moving ever closer

to Trump, 4 lf 6 behind now as we move into Frame 11. -- 4-6 behind

now, as we move into Frame 11. The shot frame over 30 seconds. It

is unheard of. Yeah, he nearly potted the red there, Judd or split

the pack m for Judd, he just needs to get a sizeable break when the

frame can quickly get involved with his hand on the table. If you do

that, it won't matter how long your opponent has taken, Robertson's

average shot time 37 seconds and Judd 22. I would be looking to try

and make a break. He's nod hat an easy opportunity to get his hand on

the table where everything is set, John. Even though the reds are find,

you can see the position he finished on the blue, he's always got an

awkward yellow or green and when you are in the position that he is at

the moment, if he had won the first two frames, it would be a certainty.

It is not a certainty now. He's lost the first two.

But excellent risk player. What an excellent positional shot this is.

Well done. APPLAUSE

He is thinking that is a bit awkward, isn't it?

He just can't get out of the woods at the moment. He finished straight

on the black. There is a slight angle, maybe to push it around two

cushions, but doing that, there is no visible red that is a certainty

to get up. APPLAUSE

Just playing for the one at the back of the pack. But, it is still not

certain to get onto a pillar noisily. -- nicely. This is what you

have to do sometimes - you have to work until you get perfect. Maybe

another mobile phone just went off. Just answer it and tell them you are

coming If he is straight on the red to the

this time? Not quite. If he is straight on the red to the

left of the pink spot, this is the first time he's had the balls in a

position where you would expect him to get nicely onto his next colour.

A good shot that. Stand up, red at the back of the cluster here. A run

through. Back of the black. This is a very decent response at the minute

from Judd. More or less frozen out the first two frames to have any

decent chances. We have seen the score board chienge if 6-2 to 6-4.

How careless is that shot on the red as Neil looks on. He's pushed that

into a position on the black where he will struggle to get on the next

red. Got to finish half ball on that black.

It is all his own fault. If he is on one in the middle, he is very

fortunate. Yeah, a tricky little shot. Well

negotiated. APPLAUSE

He was a little bit fortunate in his last position shot. He redeemed it.

That is better. He played that nicely.

APPLAUSE Just had to miss that rd on the

cushion. He is bound to be on two reds. He decided to go for the blue

this time. He had a glance at this red last

time, but he decided to play the other red.

APPLAUSE Tight, isn't it? I don't know if he

feels it is a an easy shot after this pot. He has played for the

choice of two reds. This is a good effort. It is his first real

opportunity to score in the opening 2.5 frames and he's taken these

quite well so far. He's been out of position on a couple of occasions.

He can definitely see the middle of the pocket, can't he? If he was dead

straight bee hind it, but he's got a slight angle on this red so he is

taking the other one. APPLAUSE

MIT 57 in front. Red killer red. He

would like to stretch for this because using the rest it is a hard

shot. A pot for 10 points and he never had

the cue ball in control in the whole break of 57 there.

The first shot he's missed in this match. He is usually proficient with

it and he will be glad to see it safe as well. A good effort, 57.

He's been sitting in his chair for most of this afternoon's session. So

a good response. It has left Neil with a problem. Idon't blame him

taking a bit of time on this one. A clever shot. He tried to put the

red on the black, which would have made it more difficult for Neil, if

he should get a chance. The next couple of safety shots, should he

get one, he will definitely be trying to push a red safe as well.

It looks easy to play safe off the two reds. That is his choice.

Chance of a red that is just below the pink spot here. I am wondering

if that left over the -- the red over the left-hand middle would be

OK if he didn't get it down over the baulk area. A great shot.

APPLAUSE Wow! Well, he didn't deserve that to

go in. A great pot. It always looked like it was going

to be close. He had his heart in his mouth there. It looked like it was

going in. There is now, anyway. -- it is now anyway. Yes, it is a good

job it went in, of course. He misjudged the cue back to the baulk

and that would have left the blue over the middle. As it is now, this

red to make absolutely sure of this frame.

I am very impressed with Judd in this frame. A couple of frames where

he hasn't really had a good chance. An excellent shot there, just

flicking the red out. This is a good response just to let his opponent

know. Know heart how you are playing, what you are doing, I am

still here and I am -- no matter how you are playing, what you are doing,

I am still here and I am still playing well.

He can't help himself, can he? He just loves to play naughty snooker.

Have a look at this one when it hits the cushion. It fizzes around the

back of the brown. Unlucky. LAUGHS

. Well, it took him two visits, a

break of 57 and 34, but Judd Trump has really got a foot hold in this

session now. He goes clear again at 7 frames to 4. Quickly Robertson

reduced his arrears by winning his 12th frame. He is 5 frames behind

now and it is the Aussie to play again in the next.

Sitting in his chair looking a little bit forlorn at the moment. It

just hasn't happened for him this afternoon. It is not that he is

playing bad, but every time he seems to get in, it is awkward. It will be

awkward his next shot as well. Very good. Very good. Very hard to

judge with that slope. That is an attacking safety shot, if

ever there was one. He needs that green to come to his rescue and it

hasn't. Renowned as one of the best long Potters in the game, Neil

Robertson. He needs another one here. The way that these balls are

spread, if he knocks it in, it lands on a colour. This is a great chance.

A good pot and these really are very nice, indeed.

Well, he didn't get into the white at all there. That cue ball should

have been at least a foot further in the table and obviously a lot closer

to this red. He felt he had a bad contact. Three points in front and

if he gets on this next colour, you would expect him to win the frame at

this visit. Maybe just rescue back for the pink in the same pocket. If

not, he can run through for pink in the middle or black in the corner.

APPLAUSE His facial expression tells us it is

not the way he played that shot, but he will be pretty happy if this goes

in. He is almost certain to be on the black or the pink. Now it looks

to be plain sailing. But it never is at this stage of a match when you

are playing catch-up. It has been workman-like this

afternoon, Neil Robertson. He hasn't been his normal fluent self. It

looks like he will win four of the five frames.

He's taking these well here, but Judd definitely has hid chances in

this frame. He missed the red in the corner here, 20-odd points and

really, for someone of his capabilities, that is a very bad

miss. He's already got a 40-point lead

here. Just knock this red in and that will definitely win him the

frame. Neil Robertson slowly, but surely, getting his way back into

this. He will only be one frame behind, 7-6.

Very fluent here. He is such a better player when he plays at this

tempo. The best break of this match for

Neil Robertson. He's won six frames so it just shows you given the

chance... Oh, no clearance. This is a very,

very big comeback from Neil Robertson. He's won four of the

first five frames, but still trails by 7-6. Two frames on the spin then

and Robertson was getting closer. One behind now, but every time he

seemed to get within touching distance, Trump would respond. He

won the next to go 8-6 ahead. Let's rejoin it.

This is not an easy safety shot. Well, that is - I didn't really have

a look at that before he played the shot.

I looked at some stats and apparently he did look at that shot

so an excellent shot. Now he is in a great position to score a few points

here and possibly take a 3-frame lead going into the final session

tonight. He would be delighted with the way that the session has gone to

win three frames. Yeah, the big thing, of course, winning the last

two frames of the session. You have pegged back to 7-6, but you can go

on and finish this 9-6. He will be delighted with that score line.

He can hold for pink or black here. Which ever he decides.

He can hold for pink or black here. far. It is the first time I have

seen a bit of a quick view action there. Certainly wasn't smooth

seen a bit of a quick view action through the ball. A little bit of a

jab at that one and he's enned up in no-man's land. So here comes a big

blue. Looks like he is getting lined up for it.

APPLAUSE Match time just goes to five hours

now. Well, he is not Match time just goes to five hours

blue. He is stretching on the black. Hmm. If he plays the blue, you fancy

him potting it, if he plays the black or the pink, it is missable.

him potting it, if he plays the As he knows it is the last frame of

the session, surely - is this a bit risky taking a pot on, John? Would

you not just play a safety shot? Yeah. Tough decision.

Where the blue is, if I was Judd I think I would be playing the blue.

If he can hold that and not get the cue ball on the spot on the blue, he

has got a red next to him that is perfect. Tricky pink instead. Oh, it

looked high for the moment. Once you take a shot like that, you deserve

to get on a red. As you can see from here, he probably isn't on one. He

is desperately unlucky if he is not. He played a superb shot there. Well,

is it available? Oh, that is brilliant. I didn't think he was on

one, but that was an absolute cracker. He has showed some bottle

here, John, in the last two shots he's played. He has been out of this

session totally, really. Like you said earlier on, if he wins the last

two frames to go 3 clear again, this is a big feather in his cap.

It was not in it spot there. I am sure he noticed that. Sometimes you

just get down and play the shot and realise it is not reds. I think he

is OK on the angle. This was the opening plan that he

looked at. He took a little bit of time in looking at it and knowing

that he was going to have a cue ball. As you can see, he got the

plant perfectly. This is what has come of it - 57 and counting.

Wow, a tough shot. An excellent 57. APPLAUSE

What a chance this is. It is a big ask, one on the top cushion and one

on the side. He has been threaten a lifeline in this frame.

That really is a massive frame in the context of this match.

We need that cue ball to go a little more. Looks like he has got the

angle and he should be able to stun down on this blue. The two next to

the black. A terrible kick there. A real big bounce that was.

It is always encouraging when you pot a ball and have a kick.

Obviously you have to put disappointment to the back of your

find and when you are faced with a shot from under the cushion, it is

not easy, but played that very well. They'll need the rest on that one

under his hand at the moment in a couple of shots time. Does he play

on the red or nudge it forward? There is your answer. Yeah and these

are the shots the boys will be practising for hours on end that you

can't simulate the position he is in here, The Crucible. Final frame of

this session. APPLAUSE

A massive shot. Beautifully cued. But, of course, he

can't get near the red now. As it is such a good long pot you

would think he would try to stun past the pocket to use it with his

cue. That would be a good shout. He would want to know if the red is

tight on that cushion. It would make the pot a little bit easier. It is -

it is very close. I think sometimes it is so much harder when they are

just that little bit off the cushion. A little surprised he is

going leave himself for the rest. A stun just past the middle pocket, he

would have been able to deliver the cue a little bit straighter with his

own cue than the rest. As if this isn't tough enough. He is going to

be leaving himself a very difficult one with the next. I don't like

these at pace. He is going to hit the jaws and come out. What a shot

that is! APPLAUSE

That really is very good. Here is another one required and this has

got loads of pressure on it. Oh, this one shot could spell 9-6 or

8-7. That is what John talked about, the pressure on that shot was

immense. Thank you. Sitting down, please. What a point that could be

in this session. The context of this match.

Judd Trump will think it is his birthday, having been left three

little stun shots on the trot to win the frame.

Neil Robertson one pot away from probably making it 8-7. In it goes!

That is the last frame of this session. Judd Trump knows he is in

front going into the final session this evening. Make sure you don't

miss it. Judd Trump 9, Neil Robertson 6. Going into the last

session I thought just keep my lead. Be patient and you should be OK.

Trump, former UK champion by this point, was hoping to make quick

gains, 19 points ahead here. Will he or won't he? No, he's player

for the also red. Once again, hasn't got into the cue ball. They have

been struggling with this white ball today. He is OK on this, but he

would liked to have been a bit lower. Very well played. A bit

unfortunate where the black has gone. He is on it, but he will have

to go around the houses unless he can just hold it. He has got the

angle there so he is on this red after the black respotted.

These two players are both very, very proficient at going into the

pack twlan are very, very tight. You need a lot -- when they are very,

very tight. You need a lot of cue power. He would like to ark it

around the front red and come into the side of the pack. Those blessed

with cue power just need to miss that first red. That is what he has

dope, but he didn't ark it quick enough. He missed the first red,

which he wanted to do. Watch the cue ball here. He didn't want to hit the

first one, he wanted to arc it in. If he had caught it full ball they

would have spread all over the play. He just caught it half ball.

With Judd Trump, he's got so many cue power. Just playing for the one

in the centre. Crucial after this to cut a nice angle. He can come from

pink or black to go into the reds if needs be. You just don't know what

he will do next. You get criticising sometimes for being too open play.

It doesn't bother me. I love watching him playing. I think he is

very, very popular with the people who come to watch snooker. Dedicated

pro now. He attends all of the tournaments and he practices very

hard. He is maturing very quickly in his profession. This time he needs

to catch that red full otherwise he will glance off into baulk. You see

him glancing off. If he is on it, it is a good shot. He can see this red.

Just looking to see if the red above the pack will pot in the same

pocket. It played slow into the pack. He

knew it was a bad pack. There is a five-ball plant there that would

push that red up. The key shot. Whether he can screw into the punch

from the pink. It will be pushing the red that is loose over to the

corner pocket if he gets this right. It will go no the side of the pack

and he is almost bound to push that over the corner. Unless he plays for

it and it is developing in the middle. That was careless. Boy, that

was careless. There is enough angle in the pink Terry to rescue back in

the pack? Obviously not. This 52-point lead could disappear

very, very quickly. Saving grace of course, the blue is on the side

cushion, which will just about possibly need. He will certainly get

right back into the frame. Not happy once again with the contact.

An excellent shot. That brings every red into play now. In a couple of

shots time, he pot the pink and get that on its spot. The blue is Judd

Trump's only saig ball here, I think. Already Neil will be trying

to get on that half-ball green and in 10 shots time, half-ball green,

bring the blue into play, bring on the brown.

He hasn't quit come high enough for this red. He has to try and flick

the reds or stay on the black or nudge the pink towards the centre,

but with that red being on the left of the table, they block the pocket.

It has, I think. It is very tight to go in. End of break. I didn't think

there was any chance he couldn't get those four. The mood he's in, he

might take the yellow on. He is going to bring the blue into

play. Can't blame him for that. Trump will be breathing a big sigh

of relief here because it looked for all money that Neil would clear the

reds. He brought the blue off one cushion

and put it on another but it is slightly better. If he gets the

opportunity to clear up again, that is one good chance gone for Neil.

Judd Trump is looking at this long pot. He finds it so difficult the

turn them down because he pots so many of them, but at this stage you

feel that maybe better option to play a good safety here. 31 points

in front. God blimey! A great pot. In this

case the pink is on nothing. He might roll up to the pink, as we see

this excellent pot. He just played to go past the pink and beyond the

black, but the fact that the pink has gone touching ball, there didn't

appear to be a problem. Just roll up to the pink. OK, Robertson will have

no problem hitting the ball off the side cushion, but can he get it

safe? The same as he doesn't want to hit the pink too hard and put the

two reds together. That would be an easy target and a bit of roll up to

them. He has put them together. He is looking down the line. He hopes

there is no plant on there. Amazing. The plant is on, Terry. The only

problem is, because they are absolutely dead in line for the

pocket, if he kisses the first half-half ball, it would make it

what they call a reverse plant. The only way he will get this plant if

it is hit full ball. Of course he will be playing it hard. He has got

to hit it full ball, though. There the two reds are absolutely

smack in line. He could make a reverse plant and he could miss it.

It is one of those - you have the play it hard and hope for the best.

You need to hit it full ball. He's done it! Well played. Very well

played. CHEERING

He did put the two plays together. It is amazing how they have lined

themselves up. APPLAUSE

Here we see the plant again. Right in the centre and the other looked

as if it was going in, but just went to the corner and stayed on. Just 24

points behind now. That blue is still there and it is on the wrong

side of the table for Neil Robertson, as a left-hander.

Once again, didn't quite get the amount of spin that he wanted. He

does pot well, doesn't he? He just had to play the pace right as well.

He's played it almost to perfection. The reason I say that is he is going

to be the wrong side of the brown. Rescue over to the left-hand side so

the brown the blue is a little bit easier to get on, but it will need a

hell of a positional shot to get onto the blue.

Now will he play to move it or drop on the cushion to give him possibly

three or four pockets to get on? If he can guarantee getting the pace

right, he will play to get on the cushion because it gives him the

bottom pockets, the middle pockets. He has brought it into play. What an

absolutely tremendous shot. There was so much risk involved in that.

If he didn't get the kiss from inside it, he would have been on

nothing. A brave shot and APPLAUSE

Let's remember Judd Trump led by 50-odd points in this frame. This

one will hurt. Just the black then and what a steal

it would be for Neil Robertson . CHEERING

He stayed down on the shot as well. He's won the frame from well behind.

Now just one difference, 9-8 to Judd Trump.

He has hit it good. If it doesn't go off, it is a great shot. Very, very

good. APPLAUSE

A very thin curtain. He is in a worse position now. It is a

free-ball, but it will not make any difference. That is going to play

from where the cue ball has stopped. These days, when you have a foul it

is very difficult, really, because there are so many options. The ref

ree can give a miss. You can play when the ball lies itself. You can

ask the other player to play the ball and get a free-ball. You can

get punished a lot of times. That is the one you would like to

get to. He's picked all of the angles out and he is pretty close.

Oh! Incredible! They are all clapping,

but that is so unlucky. What a tremendous escape it was. He looked

at how on earth he would go around the back of it. If we get a chance

to show you that get some time, how he's gone around the back of that

red, I don't know. Any room to go around the back of

that and he's mained to do. That he's come out nicely for the pink,

though. 16-point lead. Still not perfect. Because of the

closeness of the red and black, he may decide to play for the pink here

rather than the black. We will wait to see what he decides to do. No, he

decided to play for the black. Those two reds on the right-hand side are

easily accessible and he has got a perfect angle on the black to get to

those two. The pink will make it 44 in front.

So every chance he is going to go two clear again.

APPLAUSE The blue is there as well. He can

get onto the black as well, if he wants. He has got a slight angle.

Holding himself together as you would expect from a former world No.

1 #. No big breaks but a job well done.

He is ahead again this time by two frames. Well, the next two frames

were shared. Trump now 11-9 in front and he's only two frames away from

reaching the semifinal. Robertson, meanwhile, is running out of time if

he is going to make this historic 100th century of the season.

I suppose if he catches it cushion first, it is a big pocket, isn't it?

It could go in off the other red. What he almost tried to do. Is there

a gap anywhere now? At first glance, no.

Safety again. Not sure if he tried to plant there, but there are balls

moving all over the place. Pink does go around the corner on the left

middle. Until it gets on the pink and clears a few reds away. It is

not a great chance. He can flick into the red and that will make it

flick into the top right-hand pocket. If this goes right he will

have availability on all four major pockets. Just trying to get the pink

out of the way and he's done that. Now this is a good chance to get

seven or eight pinks at least. Taking a more difficult shot on a

longer cushion to He is a very positive player. The

safety has been taken more time than usual in this match, but you can't

blame him with Trump following him. Always awkward when all of the reds

are one side of the table. Oh, he didn't get a good contact

there. Be careful of the green there. He is

having a good look at it. It is Be careful of the green there. He is

quite a way away from the green. A pink 36 he's had so far. 35 points

in front. Slightly more difficult now.

He has had options which reds play on, but he is going to be able to

get tight positional control after this red.

A good response from Neil. At time he was four frames behind this

match. If he wins this, he black into play here. There is a

perfect handling on the red in the corner pocket, but

perfect handling on the red in the didn't win the frame just taking

pinks. Another four reds, four pinks will be enough.

55 in front. Two more reds, two pinks and he should close within

one. An angle to stun over for the two

reds. It looks pretty straight from here. The only hope is to rescue

back for the red into the middle and you can see that is a really tight

angle. Absolute ly gun-barrel straight. He needs to rescue back 18

ins so he's got the red in the middle.

He only screwed back 14. This will be tricky, this red. It is frame

ball. No heroics here. He will just try to drop it in.

Making it a little bit more difficult stunning it in. Very well

played. 64. Very well played. Now he is going to take a chance of

bringing the two reds into play near the black, if he wants. He is on 64.

He needs to play this pacey, though, if he goes into the black.

He might as well try to cut it in the middle, I suppose.

Oh, what a shame but what a great effort. He gets even closer now and

trails by one at 11-10. APPLAUSE

This time he is sure to get the key ball on the cushion. Judd might be

tempted at one here. The one in the right-hand looks like

it is a very thin cut and Judd's position is in the lap of the Gods.

He looked at the other red, but it is so thin, I think it probably

would hit the red that is below it on the way down. He is taking the

more positive shot. Red into the left corner.

If he holds for the brown, it may be worth taking on. How is it looking?

How is it looking? Boy, how has that not gone in.

At that pace, how has that not gone in? Oh, I thought it was there. So

did Judd. I don't any there is any way out

here. He will have to play an aggressive shot. Maybe a long shot

into the righthand top pot as we look. He can get onto the pink or

black from that. Well he could pot and move the red off the corner with

another red, but the problem is that red on the centre pocket all the

time. If he doesn't get the cue ball to the right-hand side of the table,

he would be leaving it on. I mean, they cut down the cushion,

the one nearest the middle pocket on the left-hand side, he could play

that red onto the other red and still get a good white, but he is

still in trouble here. He is looking at the shot now. He really has got

to get into the cue ball to miss the cannon on the blue and green when he

plays this shot because he will need to get loads of screw inside to miss

that blue and green. I think he will have to play this

long pot in this right-hand corner. Stephen Hendry used to say, "If I

loss the frame through playing a safety shot than a pot, I would

never forgive myself." Can he miss the blue and green?

APPLAUSE Fabulous. It is always going to be

difficult to miss the blue and green, but luckily for him, it went

in. Yes, he had to cut the red quit

thing to get this angle. That is why he caught the blue and green.

Doesn't matter if the red goes in, though.

APPLAUSE This is the first time for the last

four or five rounds everything is in open play. Look at the balls now.

What a time this would be to make a sizeable break.

If this was early in the match he should be saying he should win the

frames from here where the bulls are, but at this stage where the

pressure is on, anything is missable. A bit of noise in the

crowd when he jumped above the shot, but no problem.

At the moment he's invested in these small colours waiting to get up to

the big stuff, pink and black. Just emptying the previous frame. --

pre-empting the previous frame. He would be feeling very confident. He

is just about OK. It looked difficult to make a mess

of that shot, didn't it? But he has. He has hampered cueing.

Onward positional shot. He needs to get up on these reds and blacks.

Judd Trump hasn't potted a ball for over 26 minutes. That is a long time

out there when you get into the business end of the match.

Just have a look if that pink pots. If it doesn't, he is in trouble.

There may be a slight chance of getting the gap through the reds to

get onto the black but the pink is close to being unpotable. I think it

play pot. He needs to pot this and cannon the red to the left of it.

Now he has a chance. APPLAUSE

A big chance. There looked to be an opportunity to

play on the black, but he prefers the pink, obviously.

There is likely to be an inch or two down on the cue bull. It is OK. It

is not too thing to hole the cue ball, but it makes things a little

more difficult. Just one got pot away from being in

perfect position. Now he's got a chance as long as he's not straight

on the black. It is good to see him walking around

the table when he is making breaks. I think it suits his style more.

Although he is taking longer on the safety shots, but you can understand

he is keeping an eye on them. He just can't get pinpoint at the

moment, can he? It has been hard work for 38. I don't know what the

colour sequence has been, but it has been a few low ones. You can sequel

lows, greens, browns, blues. No blues. Pinks and blacks. Everything

but a blue. This could be good. A red at the top

of the pack is available. What a lovely shot that was. A lovely shot,

Terry. APPLAUSE

A wonderful shot. He deserves what he gets from this now and hopefully

if he does go onto win the frame it will be his century.

What kind of angle is there on this red? Can he pot another and public

another red into play? I think he could, Terry. He could bring another

three reds into play here. Now then. APPLAUSE

Now then, the century is a definite possibility.

A little bit careless there. He didn't quite get the desired angle

but he is OK to run through for the black there.

The difficult red on the side cushion is the one that will be a

really big problem. To make the 100, it will need four reds and four

blacks, wouldn't he? It depends what he does with his next four reds

because that red to get onto any other colour could be a problem. Now

you have won the frame, Neil, you deserve the 100 strings. Yes, would

it affect him for the next few frames? It is hard to say really.

Trump is looking a bit forlorn. He's lost the last few frames on the

trot. He hasn't done a lot wrong. It is not like he has been missing pots

or anything like that. I just wonder whether he will risk getting on the

difficult red now? There is your answer - he's risked it.

APPLAUSE Not guaranteed to get perfect on

this red. I wouldther him play for a baulk colour here, I really would,

and make the 100 a certainty. APPLAUSE

A nice angle. Surely now he is going to

Two pots from an unbelievable record that might never ever get beaten

again. CHEERING

If this green goes in, he should be congratulated.

CHEERING ! Absolutely unbelievable! There is

a standing ovation. He certainly deserves that! He has been

absolutely brilliant. At this stage in the game to produce that

fantastic break is quite incredible. Congratulations to Neil Robertson,

not only on the century but to have levelled the match 11-all. You would

think he had won the World Championship. What a fantastic

experience. I set myself pretty early in the season. After three

events I was on 20-odd centuries and obviously the opportunity was there

to go for 100 centuries so a lot of my focus was on trying to get the

100 centuries, to be the first player to make 100 centuries. Who

knows if someone else would do it again in others might do it again

but I wanted to be the first. People always remember the first guy to do

it. It was a real goal of mine and I was absolutely over the moon. I have

never felt so relieved in my life before.

Judd looking at the plant here. Those two below the pink.

Attention. He is going to have a go at this. I Sacred Heart Church

tension because if it didn't go in, we knew this was going to happen. --

I said attention because if it didn't go in, we knew this was going

to happen. He is independent guaranteed to win the frame at this

visit. It will be very, very tough to get onto a colour. -- not

guaranteed to win the frame at this visit. It will be very, very tough

to get onto the colour. He could roll through and play the pink in

the middle. The angle is not very noise. But, as you can see, the pink

is tricky. A quick pot again. This is just

amazing, isn't it? APPLAUSE

Right in the middle of the pocket. Judd is still 8 # and he hasn't had

a shot for three frames. -- 8 # and he hasn't had a shot for three

frames. It is part of that 90%. This is the first time the white

could run loose. He has to play this very slowly. Once again, in the

middle of the pocket. Perfect position. Pink on. Three reds, three

colours. He is one away from victory.

That young man is now going to have to dig deeper than he ever has had

to in his life. Somehow he is going to have to make something happen.

But at the minute it has just been flawless snooker. It is hard to

explain how you feel in the chair when you are kept out of a match.

You don't feel part of the match somehow.

Such a big audience here watching this match, enjoying every minute

and Judd Trump is there thinking that he is the only one in the room,

he feels so lonely there. Is the middle red of those five pot in the

righthand corner? If it does, he doesn't have to play the cannon.

Just coming around to have a look now. It is really, really tight. It

probably goes just - he doesn't feel it does. That is why he's played for

the slightly more difficult red. Once again, he is absolutely

inch-perfect. He played three frames against Mark

Allen to win the match when he was leading 10-7 or

Allen to win the match when he was and played three frames on the trot

where he never missed a ball. This I think is even better

APPLAUSE Well, Judd has decided not to

continue playing snookers so 68-nil. Robertson takes the lead for the

first time in the match at 12-11. It definitely goes in off the

right-hand jaw, but can he hit it hard enough to bring black into

play? Surely Neil checked that before he played his safety shot?

Television monitor, Neil, just to check to see if it does go. Don't

forget this is not over yet. I don't see how he can kiss the red out of

the way, though. He is going to hit the black which will push the black

to the cushion. Now, there is a slight sense of the he plays it

firm, it could help the pot rather than playing it slow. We will never

know. We will never know. Well, that looked really bad because it caught

the other red early on and the balls were manoeuvring all over the table,

but you can still understand why Judd has gone for the shot because

he just not getting opportunities and he feels he's got to go out

there and grasp it, wrather than wait for them. This will be his last

one, though. APPLAUSE

I have seen a lot of performances over the years, the Stephen Hendries

and the O'Sullivans and the Steve Davis's but from the position he was

in, the last five frames from Neil Robertson, they have been up with

the best I have seen. He has literally played flawless safety.

All of the frames have been scrappy. Pink or black has never been on the

spot. He's had to graft all the time. There was no warning in that

really. He didn't look as if he had it in him to do it. Didn't look

wonderful, but he just turned it around. Cue ball is running loose.

Cue ball is running loose. Just when you thought there was a lifeline.

Thank you. Settle down, please. This is a stat. You won't believe an

hour and 4 minutes at the business end of a match he's been stuck on 11

frames for all of that time. It is normally difficult to stop Judd

Trump at all, even for 5 minutes. He's got a pot on here, though.

Starting to get nearer that point now and one bad shot could cost him

it. Well done. Very well done. APPLAUSE

I think he will have to take the risk. This was an excellent pot. I

was about to say he is about to take the risk of playing the blue into

the pink because he is going to win this frame and get back to 12-12, he

needs to make it happen. Right here, right now. He's missed the pink.

Still OK. APPLAUSE

You can play for a black. It will be a thin cut but he could also go for

the blue. We will see what he thinks of it. Looks like black.

Pot the black. He is bound to be on the other red, but if he misses the

cannon, there is nowhere. He has played the cannon.

APPLAUSE Well played. Free to the reds. Well,

this would be a monumental task having been off the table for all of

that length of to produce a break to get back into the frame. He commits

all the time, doesn't he, when he gets in the balls? That is 2 what

everybody likes about him. He tries to make things happen all the time.

He is very refreshing to watch. Not many like him in the game, really.

On that right-hand side is obviously horrible for a left-handed player as

well. If he has an angle on the next red he may try to bring the red off

the cushion with He may honestly just try and bring

this red off because you don't want to be playing this red on the

cushion with the rest, do you? May be a little too straight to do

that as Neil Robertson looks on. He's played it. Well played!

CHEERING What a fantastic shot! At that stage

of the match, brilliant! That is the stage this player has got to at this

stage of his player. I hope he continues to play that way. If he

runs it in, he's got to produce the pace to perfection.

So unlucky there to have left such a difficult pot. What a shame the

match is possibly going to end like that. Just having a look at the

scoreboard, the green of course - beneath needs that. He was so

concentrating and just drifed past the pink. -- drifted past the pink.

He needs the brown as well, so there may be a bit of life left in this

frame yet. He needs a nice angle on the yell least to pot it into the

corner pocket and to have a nice angle to get on the green. This is a

key shot here now -- yellow to pot it into the corner pocket and to

have a nice angle to get on the green. This is a key shot here now.

From a match that was looking a little pedestrian, it is now looking

like a match of the tournament. Will he get another shot? Somebody is

coughing badly in the back and it is disturbing if Neil. That is awesome.

That is awful. That is enough, please, thank you. -- that is awful,

that is awful. That is enough, please, thank you. I am glad he

thought about that. If he missed it and had been disturbed that would

have been a disaster This is two straight. They can get close to the

brown. If he has to leave the white anywhere in baulk, the brown will be

tricky. He needs to get close to the brown. It obviously is straight

otherwise it would already be down. If he hits it too hard he could miss

the green then. It is not a certainty of power. That is what he

is doing. What a shot that was! CHEERING

That is unbelievable. Honestly! It is unbelievable!

There have been plenty of comebacks at The Crucible over the years, but

this has been up there with the very, very best. Absolutely

brilliant. I feel so sorry for Judd Trump. He has hardly had a shot

until that last frame. Well, Neil Robertson, you have got to take your

hat off to him. Judd Trump shakes his hand. A standing ovation from

this Crucible audience. You have seen something very special this

evening. 100 centuries and also a comeback that is up there with the

very best comebacks of all time. Neil Robertson goes into the

semifinal winning by 13-11. Boy, is he pleased! I felt so confident. I

think wunt I got to 11-8, 11-9 I was sort of in control of the match and

I wasn't really missing anything. I was putting him under a lot of

pressure. At that stage you need to focus on your own game and go about

your business really. You know if you keep it up, you will probably

come out on top. He completely outplayed me the last four frames. I

didn't get a chance. The balls didn't really run for me. It was

just one of those games where everything was set up for him.

Robertson's pulsating finish was worth the entry fee alone for that

Crucible crowd. The Australian went onto make a further three centuries

in the semifinal, although he did lose that match to Mark Selby. So he

finished on 103 tonnes for the campaign. It is just another one of

the many achievements of Robertson, the greatest overseas player

Along with hundreds of other wounded, injured

they've been competing for a place at the Invictus Games