NEIL ROBERTSON added another century to his remarkable season’s tally as he reached the last 32 of the World Open in Haikou on Monday.
World no.1 Robertson is closing in on an unprecedented century of centuries this season and his 100 in the fifth frame against Jamie Jones carried the total to 89.
Robertson looked set for another ton in the next frame but broke down on 84, and shook his head in disappointment despite wrapping up a 5-1 victory.
“It’s great to make centuries but the most important thing is to win matches,” said Robertson, who has won the Wuxi Classic and UK Championship this season.
“The last couple of tournaments haven’t gone as well as they could so I’m determined to have a good run building up to the World Championship.”
Snooker legend Steve Davis’s hopes of retaining his professional status for a 37th successive season took a knock when the 56 year-old was beaten 5-3 by Stuart Bingham.
Davis was 63rd on the prize money ranking list – with the top 64 staying on for next season – when he headed to Haikou and his hopes may now rest on the World Championship qualifiers next month.
Pankaj Advani let slip a 4-2 lead over Xiao Guodong, this season’s Shanghai Masters runner-up, but played a confident decider. Advani suffered a kick on 39 which meant he lost position for black but got in again and finished off with a stylish 80.
India’s other professional, Aditya Mehta, is on the way home though having lost 5-3 to Michael White.
Another Welshman, Ryan Day, overturned a 4-1 deficit to beat Gloucester’s Michael Wasley 5-4.
Photographs by Monique Limbos.