Robertson calls for rule change after McGill row
SNOOKER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
SNOOKER debates are raging after Anthony McGill’s baize bust-up with Jamie Clarke and former world champion Neil Robertson feels the flashpoint calls for a rule change.
Temperatures have been through the roof in Sheffield and the Glaswegian got hot and bothered when Clarke was standing in his eye-line while taking a shot.
The pair had to be separated by referee Jan Verhaas in ugly scenes that 2010 world champion Robertson claims calls for a re-think.
“It never happens when top players play each other because they know the etiquette,” said Robertson, 38.
“Some of the other guys do look for an advantage, but I won’t say that was the case with Jamie because it’s so tight for space at the Crucible.
“It’s tricky and they’re things that you learn.
“Players have got to do their best to be in the chair, not drinking their water, not playing with their towel, just staying still.
“It’s really important, because if you’re playing a shot and your peripheral vision picks up a player moving, if your vision goes from the object ball, you could miss the shot by several inches.
“There needs to be a flat rule where if you’re not playing a shot you’re in the chair, and referees need to be a bit sterner with how they apply that rule.”
McGill trailed 8-7 heading into the final session of the heated match, but a half-century in the first frame saw him on level terms.
Clarke responded with 57 as the pair traded blows as the Welshman fought hard on his Crucible debut.
The winner will face Kurt Maflin – who dumped out John Higgins in the second round – in the quarter-finals.
The heat is on at the Crucible and so is the air conditioning with Robertson among those to raise the impact of temperature control on cloth, pockets and ball movement.
It didn’t look like it affected the Australian, who romped to an eighth World Championship quarter-final by beating Barry Hawkins 13-9. just
But the world No.2 has been taking a leaf out of Ronnie O’Sullivan’s book and embracing an attacking play to shorten sessions.
Robertson said: “The air con creates a lot of dampness in the cloth and the balls, makes the pockets a little bit tighter and makes it harder to move the white around. I tried a few of Ronnie’s tactics to prevent the frames going on for too long.”
Robertson will face threetime champion Mark Selby in the quarter-finals, with Kyren Wilson beating Martin Gould 13-9 to set up a mouthwatering tie with Judd Trump.
The pair are far from best mates after reigning world champion Trump openly questioned his opponent’s credentials after defeat in the final of the 2018 Shanghai Masters.
Wilson, who has beaten Trump in seven of their 15 meetings on the tour, admitted the pair’s relationship is somewhat frosty ahead of their quarter-final tussle.
“Judd and I won’t ever be best friends,” said Wilson.
“That’s going to be really good for both of us going forward – you obviously want to get the better of the other player and we’re very competitive.
“Judd obviously wasn’t keen on losing at the Shanghai Masters – I wouldn’t be – and you hold on to those losses and want to get your own back.”
O’Sullivan was at his imperious best in clinching a 13-10 win over Ding Junhui to set up a quarter-final meeting with Mark Williams.