World Open
Venue: SECC, Glasgow Dates: 18-26 September
Coverage: Watch live on BBC TV, Red Button and BBC Sport website (UK only); Listen on BBC Radio 5 live for regular updates; Comprehensive reports on the BBC Sport website & mobiles Click here for the full draw for the last 16  Robertson won last year's now-defunct Grand Prix in Glasgow |
World champion Neil Robertson booked his place in the World Open last 16 with a 3-1 win over David Morris. Robertson won the first frame with a 72 then Morris took the second before a 62 and 40 handed the Australian victory. He now faces either Marco Fu or Andrew Higginson, but the tie of the last 16 sees Stephen Hendry up against either Ronnie O'Sullivan or Jimmy White. O'Sullivan and White, who lost to Hendry in six world finals, play each other at 1230 BST on Thursday. The Australian Robertson has made taking the world number one spot from John Higgins one of his main priorities. "The way the rankings are, I'm in a good position to get to number one," the 28-year-old told BBC Sport.  | 606: DEBATE |
"I think I am handling the pressure pretty well. I didn't win the World Championship out of nowhere, I won five ranking events over the past five years so I am used to being one of the winners on the circuit. "I'm used to the pressures of defending tournaments." After easing to the first frame, Robertson seemed to take his foot off the gas and missed a handful of relatively easy pots in the second, allowing the qualifier from Kilkenny to take the frame. "I didn't play great and there were a few sloppy shots, but I took some chances under pressure when I had to," the Australian added. Barry Hawkins also progressed to the last 16 with a 3-1 win over 1997 world champion Ken Doherty. The in-form left-hander from Kent, ranked 21 in the world, took the first two frames before the Irishman got into the match, but a break of 53 in the fourth sealed victory. "I felt quite comfortable out there," said Hawkins, who beat Mark Selby in the previous round. "I am cueing quite well and pleased with the way I am playing." Hawkins will now face two-time world champion Mark Williams, who beat Ali Carter. Chester-born Ricky Walden booked a last-16 tie against Jamie Cope after recording a 3-0 win over qualifier James McBain. Walden took the first two frames comfortably with breaks of 48 and 102. Glaswegian McBain did not pot a ball until the third frame but then made a bold attempt to cut down Walden's seemingly unassailable lead. But after gaining the snookers he needed to draw level with the last four colours remaining, he snookered himself and then miscued a safety shot on the brown to allow Walden to complete victory. Stephen Maguire made a break of 132 in his 3-2 home-town victory over young Bristolian Judd Trump and will meet his fellow Scot Alan McManus in the last 16. Maguire hits 132 against Trump Maguire took the first frame, but Trump levelled before making his superb break to take the third. But it all went wrong for the Glaswegian in the fourth when he conceded the frame after jumping a brown off the table when just 15 points adrift of Trump. After being warned by referee Jan Verhaas for early conceding, Maguire regained his composure in the decider to pounce on a mistake by his 21-year-old opponent and take the match. In the final match in Wednesday's session, Londoner Martin Gould beat Matthew Couch 3-0 with a top break of 89 to set up a contest with Stephen Lee. "I played very well and felt at ease," said Gould after the match.
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