Relentless Robbo hammers Ding - 21/10/2010

Neil Robertson 6 – 0 Ding Junhui 120 (120) – 0, 74 – 33, 72 (46) - 44 (43), 97 (42) – 12, 87 (87) – 7, 73(51) -25

WORLD CHAMPION Neil Robertson, in desperate need of his first PartyCasino.com Premier League win of the 2010 season, did just that in devastating style as he white-washed UK Champion Ding Junhui 6-0 at the Spiceball Leisure Centre, Banbury.

Ding was never really at the races as his mistakes were pounced on by his opponent and Robertson also enjoyed the run of the table at critical moments.

Robertson’s decision to smash open the pack when potting the first red paid off as he took a difficult long blue to the top corner and proceeded to run in a break of 120, missing the final black, to take the early lead.

Both players had visits in the second and made mistakes but it was the Australian World Champion who came off better as he cashed in on a poor Ding safety in the latter stages.

Ding though missed an angled red into the corner pocket on 43 when jacking up his cue and
Robertson looked set but ran out of position unexpectedly and broke down on 46.

Propping up the table at the start and needing at least a win at the start, the Aussie potted a sensational red to set up a frame winning break of 26 to take the frame and take at least a point at 3-0.

That became two points in the fifth session as a tentative Ding allowed Robertson sufficient opportunity and a break of 42 clinched the frame for a 4-0 lead.

It was one-way traffic as the fluent looking Robertson ran in another big break, this time an 87, to leave Ding needing to win the final frame of the match or go home potless.

A break of 51 from Robertson though was enough to complete the white-wash as he ran out a superb 6-0 winner to move up the table and into the top four, earning £7,000 in the process.

“I think the very first shot I played went into pack and I knocked in a great blue and made a 120. It was a great start and probably the best I’ve played in the Premier League,” said Robertson.

“I got here nice and early and practiced. Normally I just rock up and play so that’s something I may be doing more of.

“When I made the 120 though, I thought I was playing quite well and if I got chances I would score. When you’re 2-0 up, you think the worst result could be a draw and at 3-0 you know all you need is to win another frame for the two points,” he added.