This article is about the snooker actor. For the mathematician, see Neil Robertson ( mathematician )
Neil Robertson ( bear 11 February 1982 ) [ 1 ] is an australian professional snooker player who is a early world champion and erstwhile worldly concern number one. The only australian to have won a ranking event, [ 2 ] he is besides the only player from outside the United Kingdom to have completed snooker ‘s Triple Crown, [ 1 ] having won the World Championship in 2010, the Masters in 2012, and the UK Championship in 2013, 2015 and 2020. He has claimed a career total of 21 ranking titles, having won at least one professional tournament every class since 2006. [ 1 ]
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A fecund break-builder, Robertson has compiled more than 800 hundred breaks in professional competition, including four maximum breaks. He is the fourthly actor in professional snooker history to reach the 800-century mark, after Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins, and Judd Trump. In the 2013–14 season, he became the first player to make 100 centuries in a one season, finishing with a commemorate 103 centuries .
Life and career [edit ]
early career [edit ]
Robertson began his snooker career at 14, when he became the youngest player to make a century break in an australian ranking event. [ 3 ] He began his professional career in the 1998/1999 season. [ 4 ] then, when he was 17 years previous, he reached the third base qualifying round of the 1999 World Championship. [ 5 ] In July 2003, Robertson won the World Under-21 Snooker Championship in New Zealand. [ 3 ] This earned him a vital wildcard topographic point on the subsequent WPBSA Main Tour. In 2003, he won the qualify tournament for a wildcard rate at the 2004 Masters, [ 6 ] where he subsequently lost 2–6 to Jimmy White in the beginning polish. In the 2004–05 season, he moved up to the top 32 in the rankings, reaching the final stages of six of the eight tournaments, despite having to play at least two qualifying matches for each one. He qualified for the final stages of the 2005 World Championship, losing 7–10 to Stephen Hendry in the first circle. [ 7 ] In the 2005–06 season, he continued to progress, moving up to the top 16 of the rankings at the end of the season. He reached four quarter-finals in the season, including the 2006 World Championships, in which he fought back from 8–12 down to level at 12–12 against eventual ace Graeme Dott, before losing the final frame by unwittingly potting the final pink, which he needed on the table in his attempts to snooker Dott .
Breakthrough : first ranking title [edit ]
He made his discovery in the 2006–07 season. [ 8 ] After finishing clear of his group at the 2006 Grand Prix ‘s round robin stage ( he lost only one match : his undoer against Nigel Bond by 2–3 ), Robertson then beat Ronnie O’Sullivan 5–1 in the quarter-finals of the event. So he went on to the semi-finals, being lone the fourth australian always to do so in a rate consequence. He beat Alan McManus 6–2 in the semitrailer, to reach his first major final, where he faced a fellow first-time finalist, the unseeded Jamie Cope, whom he beat comfortably by 9–5 to win his first always professional ranking tournament. [ 9 ] The succeed earned Robertson £ 60,000, his highest total of money earned in one tournament. Robertson had early exits in both the UK Championship and the Masters, but found his form again en road to the final of the Welsh Open. He defeated Stephen Hendry 5–3, making a break of 141 in the survive frame, then recovered from 4–3 down to beat Ronnie O’Sullivan 5–4 in the quarter-finals. He beat Steve Davis 6–3 in the semi-finals, and surprise finalist Andrew Higginson 9–8 in the final to take the entitle. He led 6–2 after the inaugural session, then dropped six frames in a rowing to come within one frame of get the better of, but took the remaining three frames to win the match. He reached the second round of the 2007 World Championship, losing 10–13 to Ronnie O’Sullivan despite at one stage winning six frames in a row. [ 10 ] Robertson started the 2007–08 season ill, making early exits in three of the first four ranking events, plus the 2008 Masters [ 11 ] and 2008 Malta Cup. He did reach the quarter-finals of the 2007 Northern Ireland Trophy after wins over Jamie Cope and Ian McCulloch. He finished the season ranked 10th, but outside the top sixteen on the annual list .
After a disappoint start to the 2008–09 season, Robertson reached the final of the 2008 Bahrain Championship, where he played Matthew Stevens. The equal lasted about six hours in total, with the australian edging it 9–7. During the 2009 Masters, Robertson and opponent Stephen Maguire set a record of five straight hundred breaks. Robertson made two centuries, and Maguire made three, with his third base sealing a 6–3 gain over the australian. At the 2009 World Championship, Robertson defeated Steve Davis, Ali Carter and Stephen Maguire to reach the semi-finals of the World Championship for the first fourth dimension, before losing to Shaun Murphy 14–17 ( after at one stagecoach recovering from 7–14 behind to level at 14–14 ). In October 2009, Robertson clinched the 2009 Grand Prix trophy in Glasgow with a 9–4 gain over China ‘s Ding Junhui in the final. His semi-final match with defending champion John Higgins was won on the final black of the decide frame. Robertson ‘s fourthly championship made him the most successful player from outside the UK and Ireland in ranking tournaments, although Ding Junhui equalled his sum at that season ‘s UK Championship. [ 12 ] He achieved his hundredth career hundred during the 2009 Grand Prix. [ 13 ] On 1 April 2010, Robertson made the first official maximum break of his career in his second circle match in the 2010 China Open against Peter Ebdon. At the 2010 World Championship, Robertson defeated Fergal O’Brien 10–5 in the first round. In his second polish couple against Martin Gould, Robertson trailed 0–6 and 5–11 before recovering to win the match 13–12. He defeated Steve Davis 13–5 in the quarter-finals. He faced Ali Carter in the semi-finals, winning 17–12 to reach the concluding. There he defeated 2006 champion Graeme Dott 18–13 to become merely the third base actor from outside the UK ( and only the second base from outside the UK and Ireland ), and the first australian, to become universe champion in the modern era of the game. [ 14 ] The winnings took him to a career-high rank of populace number two in the following season. Although the record books show australian Horace Lindrum triumphed in 1952, that was the year when the mutant ‘s head players staged a boycott therefore Lindrum has not been wide regarded as a credible world champion. [ 15 ]
Robertson started the raw season by losing in the first attack of the 2010 Shanghai Masters to Peter Ebdon. however, at the World Open Robertson was drawn in the death 64 against Graeme Dott in a repeat of their earth final examination, Robertson won 3–1 and went on to beat David Morris, Andrew Higginson, Ricky Walden and Mark Williams before producing an assured expose to beat Ronnie O’Sullivan 5–1 in the final, to confirm his position as the eighth world count one in snooker. [ 16 ] Robertson was invited to the Premier League Snooker, where he reached the semi-final. He lost 1–5 against O’Sullivan. [ 17 ] Robertson reached the quarter-final of the UK Championship, where he lost 7–9 against Shaun Murphy. [ 18 ] Robertson reached the quarter-final of the Masters, but lost 4–6 against Mark Allen. [ 19 ] Robertson lost in the first round of the german Masters 4–5. [ 20 ] At the adjacent two rank tournaments Robertson lost in the second round, 1–4 against Graeme Dott at the Welsh Open and 1–5 against Peter Ebdon at the China Open. [ 21 ] [ 22 ] Robertson could not defend his World Snooker Championship trophy, as he lost 8–10 in the first attack against eventual finalist Judd Trump. [ 23 ]
Robertson winning the Masters trophy in 2012 Robertson ‘s temper started in a disappointing manner as he lost 4–5 to Dominic Dale in the last 16 of his home tournament – the australian Goldfields Open. [ 24 ] however, his form soon improved and at the future universe ranking event, the Shanghai Masters, he dismissed Liang Wenbo, Michael Holt and John Higgins, before losing 5–6 to Mark Williams in a tightly contested semi-final. [ 25 ] His first silverware of the season came in Warsaw at the PTC Event 6, where he beat Ricky Walden 4–1 in the final. [ 26 ] This success was cursorily followed up by another PTC title in Event 8 where he again won by a 4–1 scoreline, this fourth dimension against Judd Trump. [ 27 ] Victory ensured that Robertson maintained his record of never having lost in a rank event final. He would by and by finish one-third in the order of Merit and therefore qualify for the 2012 PTC Finals. [ 28 ] His fine shape continued into the UK Championship in York, where he beat Tom Ford, Graeme Dott and Ding Junhui en path to his first semi-final in the event. [ 29 ] He played Judd Trump and lost in an highly fast meeting, 7–9, with there never being more than two frames between the players throughout the meet. [ 30 ] Robertson won the 2012 Masters by defeating Shaun Murphy 10–6 in the final examination. He beat Mark Allen and Mark Williams in the open two rounds, before facing Judd Trump in the semi-finals for the second consecutive major tournament. [ 31 ] He exacted retaliation for his get the better of in York a calendar month in the first place by winning 6–3 and said after the peer that he had been spurred on by fans cheering when Trump fluked shots. [ 32 ] Such was Robertson ‘s feeling that he lacked documentation from the local crowd, he offered to buy a pint of beer for anyone attending his matches in an australian hat or shirt, [ 33 ] but only one person heeded this name in his semi-final match against Mark Williams. In his beginning Masters final he opened up a 5–3 lead over Murphy in the first school term and, although he lost the first frame upon the resumption of maneuver, won four frames in a rowing to stand on the edge of the title. Despite a brief fightback from the Englishman, Robertson secured the frame he needed with a transgress of 70 to become the fourthly man from outside the United Kingdom to win the event. [ 34 ] Robertson did not advance beyond the second polish in any of his adjacent three ranking events and then saw his run of telecast finals without defeat ultimately come to an end when he was beaten 4–0 by Stephen Lee in the PTC Finals. [ 35 ] [ 36 ] He lost in the quarter-finals of the China Open 3–5 to Peter Ebdon, before drawing 1997 supporter Ken Doherty in the first round of the World Championship. [ 35 ] Robertson won the match 10–4 and then beat qualifier David Gilbert 13–9 to set up a quarter-final clash with Ronnie O’Sullivan. [ 37 ] Robertson was 5–3 ahead after the beginning session, but his opponent produced a match defining run of six frames in a row and went on to win 13–10. [ 38 ] Robertson finished the season ranked world phone number seven. [ 39 ]
Robertson began the season ailing once more as he lost in the first round of the Wuxi Classic and the second orotund of the australian Goldfields Open and the Shanghai Masters. [ 40 ] He returned to form at the minor-ranking Gdynia Open in Poland by defeating Jamie Burnett 4–3 in the final examination. [ 41 ] At the inaugural International Championship in Chengdu, China, Robertson saw off Ryan Day, Matthew Stevens, Lü Haotian and Shaun Murphy 9–5 in the semi-finals to reach the concluding. [ 40 ] There he led Judd Trump 8–6 but lost four consecutive frames to succumb to an 8–10 defeat. [ 42 ] He enjoyed a comfortable enactment into the quarter-finals of the UK Championship with 6–1 and 6–2 wins over Tom Ford and Barry Hawkins respectively to face Mark Selby. [ 40 ] Robertson squandered a 4–0 go to lose 4–6 in a match which finished after midnight. [ 43 ]
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Robertson started 2013 by attempting to defend his Masters title. He produced a comeback in the first round against Ding Junhui by taking the final three frames in a 6–5 wallow, shouting “ You beauty ! ” when he potted the clinch crimson. [ 44 ] Another decide frame followed in the following round against Mark Allen, with Robertson making a 105 break in it to progress to the semi-finals and a more comfortable 6–2 winnings against Shaun Murphy. [ 45 ] Robertson won three frames from 3–8 down to Mark Selby in the final, before Selby held off the fightback by taking the two frames he required to win 10–6. [ 46 ] Robertson was beaten in the semi-finals of both the german Masters ( 2–6 to Ali Carter ) and the World Open ( 5–6 to Matthew Stevens ). [ 40 ] Robertson ‘s victory in the Gdynia Open earlier in the season helped him finish fifth on the PTC Order of Merit to qualify for the Finals. [ 47 ] Wins over Jamie Burnett, Barry Hawkins, Xiao Guodong and Tom Ford saw him reach the concluding. [ 40 ] He faced Ding Junhui and from 3–0 ahead went on to lose 3–4, meaning that Robertson had now lost his concluding three ranking finals, having won his first six. [ citation needed ] Robertson returned to form at the China Open by winning his seventh career ranking event. He advanced to the final by defeating Jimmy Robertson 5–0, Mark Allen 5–1, Marcus Campbell 5–2 and Stephen Maguire 6–5 ( after fighting back from 2–4 down ). [ 40 ] He exacted retaliation over Mark Selby for his 10–6 loss in the concluding of the Masters in January by beating the Englishman by the same scoreline, moving to populace number two in the process. [ 48 ] Despite therefore appearing to be in acme form for the World Championship he lost to Robert Milkins 8–10 in the beginning round, saying afterwards that he should have gone out to win the pit quite than getting besides involved in safety. [ 49 ] Robertson finished the season ranked global number two for the second time in his career. [ 50 ]
In May 2013, Robertson made the second official maximum break dance of his career in the Wuxi Classic qualifiers against Mohamed Khairy. [ 51 ] In the chief stagecoach of the tournament, he defeated John Higgins 10–7 in the concluding to secure his one-eighth ranking consequence title. He came from 2–5 down against Higgins to lead 8–5 before withstanding a fightback to complete the victory and ensure his second consecutive rank event win in China. [ 52 ] In his home tournament, the australian Goldfields Open, he made it past the irregular round for the first time in the three stagings of the event, [ 53 ] before continuing his run by beating Joe Perry 5–2 in the quarter-finals and Mark Selby 6–3 in the semitrailer. [ 54 ] He would have become the first man since Ronnie O’Sullivan in 2003 to win back to back ranking events in the lapp season, but he lost 6–9 to Hong Kong ‘s Marco Fu in the final. [ 55 ] On 8 December 2013, Robertson defeated Mark Selby 10–7 in the final of the UK Championship, becoming the first oversea actor to win all Triple Crown events. [ 56 ]
In the first session I was getting very frustrated. My focus was on the centuries and not the match. I was n’t even thinking about the hundred until there were merely a few balls left and the frame was finished – then I in truth went for it. I would rather make the hundred of centuries here than a 147. I ‘ve made a couple of 147s and it ‘s nowhere near the same accomplishment. cipher will ever achieve 200 centuries – that would be impossible. For me to be the first player to achieve 100 centuries in a single season is a bang-up respect. It may raise the measure for break-building. Stephen Hendry was the one who constantly tried to clear up no matter what, and that was the access that I ‘ve taken all season .
Robertson on making his hundredth hundred of the season at the Crucible [ 57 ]
In January 2014, during the Championship League, Robertson reached sixty-three century breaks in a single professional season, breaking the former phonograph record of 61 centuries held by Judd Trump. [ 58 ] By early February, Robertson had reached 78 centuries, a feat that Ronnie O’Sullivan called “ credibly the most phenomenal seduce in the history of the game. “ [ citation needed ] In February, he made his 88th century of the season while playing Mark Williams in the last 32 of the Welsh Open, but went on to lose 4–3. [ 59 ] At the World Open, he extended his season total to 92 centuries, but lost 5–4 on a re-spotted total darkness against Marco Fu in the last 32. [ 60 ] At the China Open he won a trio of deciding frames before beating Graeme Dott and Ali Carter to reach the final, where he lost 10–5 to Ding Junhui. [ 54 ] [ 61 ] He added one more hundred fault during the consequence and extended the sum to 99 in his beginning two World Championship matches. Robertson besides missed a bootleg on a break of 94 that would have seen him reach the 100 milestone during his win over Mark Allen. [ 62 ] however, in the 22nd inning of his quarter-final clash against Judd Trump, Robertson made his hundredth hundred break of the season, which besides levelled the scores at 11–11. Robertson went on to win the equal 13–11 ( having trailed 6–2 and 11–8 ) to set up a semi-final against Mark Selby. [ 63 ] [ 64 ] Selby, the eventual champion, defeated Robertson 17–15 in a high-quality match that saw Robertson make three more hundred breaks to end his score for the season at 103. [ citation needed ] He ended the campaign as the global count three. [ 65 ]
Robertson beat Shaun Murphy on the concluding black in the quarter-finals of the 2014 Wuxi Classic to win 5–4 and then beat Barry Hawkins 6–3 to reach the first step ranking event final of the 2014–15 temper. [ 66 ] [ 67 ] He played acquaintance and practice spouse Joe Perry and from 3–0 behind rallied to lead 8–6, before Perry won three frames in a course to be one away from the championship. Robertson then produced breaks of 87 and 78 to win the title 10–9 and paid protection to Perry ‘s influence on his own career after the match. [ 68 ] A week later he comfortably won through to the concluding of his home event, the australian Goldfields Open, without any of his opponents taking more than two frames off him. [ 69 ] Robertson was beaten in the final of the event for the irregular class in a row, this time 9–5 against Judd Trump, but reclaimed the world number one blemish afterwards. [ 70 ] He then had early on exits at the Shanghai Masters and International Championship and was knocked out at the semi-final stage of the Champion of Champions 6–4 by Trump. [ 69 ] Robertson trailed Graeme Dott 5–0 in the fourth round off of the UK Championship, but then made five breaks above 50 which included two centuries to draw floor, before falling short of a large comeback as Dott took the final examination frame to win 6–5. [ 71 ] He produced his best snooker to reach the final of the Masters by defeating Ali Carter 6–1 in the quarter-finals and Ronnie O’Sullivan 6–1 in the semitrailer. [ 72 ] The latter victory marked the first time O’Sullivan had been eliminated at that stage of the event after 10 prior wins and besides ended a run of 15 straight wins in all competitions. [ 73 ] however, in the final Robertson suffered the heaviest get the better of in the Masters since 1988 as Shaun Murphy thrashed him 10–2. [ 74 ] He did not lose a skeletal system in reaching the quarter-finals of the german Masters, but Stephen Maguire got the two snookers he required in the decision making skeleton when Robertson incidentally potted the bootleg and went on to clear the table to win 5–4. [ 75 ] Robertson was forced to concede the fifth skeletal system of his fourthly round match with Gary Wilson at the Welsh Open when he failed to hit a loss three times in a row and lost the next human body to exit the tournament. [ 76 ] Robertson won his only european Tour event this year at the Gdynia Open by beating Mark Williams 4–0, meaning he has now claimed three titles in Poland during his career. [ 77 ]
Robertson photograph shoot, May 2016 Robertson enjoyed comfortable 10–2 and 13–5 wins over Jamie Jones and Ali Carter to face Barry Hawkins in the quarter-finals of the World Championship. It was an extremely high quality meeting as both players compiled four centuries to match a crucible record in a best of 25 ensnare meet, but Robertson would lose 13–12. [ 78 ] He made 11 centuries in the event which included a 143 in the first round, a 145 in the second base and 141 and 142 breaks in the final session of his match with Hawkins. Despite this Robertson, who had won four rank titles since his world style in 2010, stated that he believed he had underachieved in his career. [ 79 ]
Robertson exited in beat one of the first two ranking events in the 2015–16 season and 6–4 to Mark Selby in the quarter-finals of the International Championship. [ 80 ] He then claimed his first major title in over 12 months by beating Mark Allen 10–5 in the final examination of the Champion of Champions. [ 81 ] Thepchaiya Un-Nooh missed the final examination blacken for a 147 in their third round UK Championship couple, before Robertson made a 145 break in the next ensnare and went on to win 6–2. [ 82 ] He saw off Stephen Maguire 6–1 and John Higgins 6–5 and then thrashed Mark Selby 6–0. [ citation needed ] Robertson became the first base musician to make a 147 break in a Triple Crown final in the sixth frame of his match with Liang Wenbo. It was besides the first final in the event not to feature a player from the United Kingdom and Robertson would capture the title for the second clock time in three years with a 10–5 win. [ 83 ] Robertson and Judd Trump set a record of six centuries in a best-of-11 human body match ( four from Trump and two from Robertson ) in the second round of the Masters with Trump progressing 6–5. Robertson proclaimed the catch as the greatest always at the Masters. [ 84 ] Robertson was on the receiving end of a 147 break during his quarter-final pit with Ding Junhui in the Welsh Open but the Australian prevailed 5–2. [ 85 ] He then overcame Mark Allen 6–4 in the semi-finals to set up a final with Ronnie O’Sullivan. [ 86 ] Despite leading 5–2, Robertson lost 9–5 as O’Sullivan produced a comeback by winning seven frames in a rowing. [ 87 ] Following this he ended the temper with three first round defeats. [ 80 ]
At the Riga Masters, Robertson did not lose more than one frame in any match as he reached the concluding. He secured his 12th ranking title with a 5–2 win over Michael Holt. [ 88 ] Robertson reached the semi-finals of the World Open, but lost 6–2 to Joe Perry. [ 89 ] He besides played in the semi-finals of the european Masters where he was defeated 6–0 by Ronnie O’Sullivan and lost 6–3 to Peter Lines in the first round of the UK Championship. [ 90 ] [ 91 ] He was beaten 6–3 by O’Sullivan in the quarter-finals of the Masters and was besides knocked out at the lapp degree of the World Grand Prix, Gibraltar Open and Players Championship. [ 92 ] After losing 13–11 to Marco Fu in the second round of the World Championship in a performance he described as garbage, Robertson said that next temper he would be playing with more love and aggression to improve his game and make it more concern for the viewing public. [ 93 ]
Robertson started the season at the 2018 Riga Masters, winning the event for the moment time in three years by defeating Stuart Carrington in the semi-final and then Jack Lisowski 5–2 in the final. [ 94 ] Robertson besides reached the concluding at the 2018 International Championship, but lost against Mark Allen 5–10. He belated won the Welsh Open winning 9–7 over Stuart Bingham, then Robertson became runner-up in the Players Championship and Tour Championship to Ronnie O’Sullivan. Neil besides reached the semi-final of the Masters misplace to eventual achiever Judd Trump 6–3. Robertson won the China Open after defeating Lisowski 11–4 in the final. Robertson ended his season at the World Snooker Championship. He defeated Michael Georgiou 10–1, before defeating Shaun Murphy 13–6 in the second round. Robertson played John Higgins in the quarter-finals, where he lost 10–13 .
Robertson started the season as universe number four. For technical issues linked with the flight, he was not able to defend his championship at the opening ranking tournament of the season, the Riga Masters. A few weeks late, Robertson reached the semi-final at the non-ranking Shanghai Masters, where he was beaten by Ronnie O’Sullivan. In November, Robertson won the invitational Champion of Champions after beating Judd Trump 10–9 in the final examination. however, in the first half of the season he failed to reach the quarter-final stage at any ranking tournament. As global number five, he had qualified for the Masters, but was defeated in the first gear round by Stephen Maguire 5–6 in hurt of leading 5–1. Since the Masters, he produced fabulous phase in reaching three consecutive ranking finals at the european Masters, german Masters and the World Grand Prix. He won the european Masters thrashing Zhou Yuelong 9-0 and the World Grand Prix by defeating former populace champion Graeme Dott 10–8. At the german Masters, he fell short-change to world phone number one Judd Trump with the resultant role 6–9. due to these performances he reached second place in the populace rankings. Robertson was knocked out at the quarter-final stage of the Welsh Open after being whitewashed by Kyren Wilson 0–5 .
personal life [edit ]
Born and raised in Melbourne, Victoria, Robertson attended Norwood Secondary College in Ringwood, Victoria. He is now based in Cambridge, England. [ 95 ] He has previously practised at Willie Thorne ‘s snooker cabaret in Leicester [ 96 ] and Cambridge Snooker Centre, but is now based at WT ‘s Snooker and Sporting Club in Cambridge. [ 97 ] Robertson has two children with his norwegian wife Mille Fjelldal, [ 98 ] whom he met in 2008 and married in August 2021. [ 99 ] Fjelldal had been due to give birth to the pair ‘s first child while Robertson was playing in the 2010 World Championship concluding, [ 100 ] but their son Alexander was not born until eight days former, on 12 May 2010. [ 101 ] Their daughter Penelope was born on 17 March 2019. [ 102 ] Robertson has spoken publicly about supporting his wife through her struggles with anxiety and depression, while besides acknowledging how these issues affected his commitment to professional snooker. [ 103 ]
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Robertson has been a vegan since 2014. [ 104 ] however, he is conscious that his current tournament footwear is not vegan. [ 105 ] He began to pursue a plant-based diet following advice from chap snooker professional Peter Ebdon angstrom well as his admiration for vegan athlete Carl Lewis. [ 106 ] Robertson is a acquaintance of erstwhile England football player John Terry, and is an avid athletic supporter of Chelsea FC. [ 107 ] In June 2016, he became ambassador of electronic snooker simulator app Snooker Live Pro. [ 108 ] He was an avid crippled but gave up the avocation in April 2017, believing he was spending besides much time playing games and it was affecting his snooker imprint. [ 109 ]