Giant-killer Ben KO’s world no.3
BUT SELBY AND FORD CRASH OUT AT SECOND ROUND STAGE
NEIL ROBERTSON posed no fear factor and felt like any other player for Leicester’s giant-killer Ben Woollaston, writes Will Jennings of Sportsbeat.
World No.35 Woollaston stunned the world No.3 in his second round clash at the Northern Ireland Open before toppling Liang Wenbo to book his place in Thursday night’s last 16.
Woollaston and Robertson, also the 2010 world champion, used to play together when the Australian first moved to the country in the early 2000s and chose Leicester as the city to initially settle in.
The underdog breezed past the 18-time ranking event winner 4-2 on Wednesday and reckons those days on the baize made things seem like a walk in the park.
“Neil was in Leicester when I was just a kid, and I used to play with him when Neil was 17 or 18,” said Woollaston, 33, who made it two wins on the spin against Robertson after beating him 5-4 in last week’s German Masters qualifiers.
“Even though he’s world No.3, because I’ve grown up with him it’s just like another player. I know him quite well.
“I don’t fear anyone now. I would have in the first few years as a professional – I’d fear the top players, but that’s gone now.
“It was a great win for me. I was confident because I beat him last week – I was a bit edgy at the start and I didn’t get anywhere near him but once it went 1-1, I felt like I could definitely win.
“The [balls I potted in the] second frame gave me the confidence I needed – a really good red in the middle and if I didn’t pot that, I’m 2-0 down and then he might steamroll me.
“As soon as it went 1-1, I felt comfortable in myself.”
Woollaston crafted breaks of 134, 101 and 61 to lower Robertson’s colours before visits of 118 and 61 helped him past world No.30 Liang the following day.
And that booked a last 16 date against world No.19 Ali Carter on Thursday evening, who saw off Dominic Dale 4-2 in his third round match.
Mark Selby was stunned in his second round game on Wednesday as he mustered just 65 points in the whole match against world No.117 Lukas Kleckers.
The three-time world champion made 62 of them in the first frame before the German rattled off four half-century breaks to cap a dramatic evening in Milton Keynes.
Fellow city player Tom Ford also lost his second round match as he went down 4-2 against China’s Yuan Sijun.
Watch the Northern Ireland Open live on Eurosport, Eurosport app, and stream on discovery+