Snooker duo could face each other

Local snooker aces Jimmy Robertson and Mark Davis could see themselves pitted together in the World Snooker Championship qualifiers.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Apr 2013, 14:28 BST
Mark Davis is having to qualify for the World Snooker Championship following Ronnie O'Sullivan's decision to return to the sportMark Davis is having to qualify for the World Snooker Championship following Ronnie O'Sullivan's decision to return to the sport
Mark Davis is having to qualify for the World Snooker Championship following Ronnie O'Sullivan's decision to return to the sport

Robertson, the world number 51 from Bexhill, must make his way through two rounds, though, if he is to face St Leonards-based world number 16 Davis for a place at The Crucible in Sheffield.

The first round of qualifiers will begin at Sheffield’s English Institute of Sport this Thursday (April 4), with Robertson keeping an eye on the contest between Robbie Williams and Li Yan on Saturday.

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If the Bexhill cueman can beat the winner of that tie on Monday April 8, he will face Chinese world number 34 Liang Wenbo next with Davis waiting in the final qualification round on Saturday April 13.

Davis has been unlucky to miss out on automatic qualification for the sport’s blue riband. As one of the top 16 ranked players, the 40-year-old would usually be among the seeds and therefore not have to qualify.

But the decision of reiging champion Ronnie O’Sullivan to return to the sport after taking a break for much of the season has meant that’s not the case. Although outside the top 16, O’Sullivan is the number one seed by virtue of winning the event last year.

Davis has played at The Crucible on several occasions in the past, albeit never as a seeded player, while Robertson made it two years ago after defeating former champion Ken Doherty in the final round of the qualifiers.

Related topics:BexhillSheffieldSt Leonards