There was relief, cheers and even some sour grapes as an epic four-and-a-half hour Champion of Champions snooker match finally came to an end.
Neil Robertson claimed a 6-4 win over Judd Trump, taking down the world No.1 to reach the semi-finals of the tournament in Bolton.
Having gone a frame down, Robertson took a 3-1 lead before being pegged back at 3-3. The Aussie then took the next two before closing things out in dramatic – but lengthy – scenes.
The eighth frame in particular lasted almost an hour, something Trump alluded to post-match.
“Not a lot to say really,” The Englishman told ITV. “I thought I was really unlucky. Neil knows he didn’t deserve to win like that, but that happens.
“You put in a good spell to go 3-1 up and after that he had a few chances, missed quite a few long balls and got safe every time, just one of those days.
“I love Neil, but there was a lot of slow playing. He’s a much better player when he just gets on with it. Hopefully he gets on with it for the rest of the tournament.
“It would be nice to see him go and win it again, he’s a great player, he just got a bit bogged down out there.”
On his part, Robertson was just impressed with the talent on show.
“Incredible game, Judd showed all his qualities there,” he said. “The great champion he’s been over the past 18 months, his whole career really. His safety play, his discipline, everything was incredible.
“I matched it with him, I stayed with him, kept my discipline as well. That blue is definitely one of the highlight shots of my career, in terms of the pressure and everything that was at stake.”
Robertson will now face Mark Williams on Saturday as he looks to go level with the Welshman on three titles.
Williams booked his spot by overcoming reigning champion Kyren Wilson, a player who’d also drawn some provocative comments from Trump.
When asked if Wilson is the best player on the tour, he replied: “I’ve been the best player by a mile.
“If you look at results over the season, over this season, I’m quite a way clear I think – still.
“Last season it was me against Ronnie [O’Sullivan]. Overall, Ronnie probably got the nod because he won the bigger events.
“This season, I’ve won the bigger events, been in more finals, more semi-finals, more centuries, more ranking points.
“So it doesn’t really add up, I don’t think. I’ve always had great seasons and I feel like I’ve not been given the credit and the same this season. If it was the other way around, he’d clearly be the best.
“But there’s nothing against Kyren, it’s just who people are comparing me against. You can’t keep judging me and saying I don’t win the biggest events when I have won every big event, and still say I’m not the best player this season.
“I enjoy it as well. I enjoy the fighting talk and stuff like that. I’ll keep proving to myself and proving to everyone in the last five to six years I’ve been the best player by a mile, and same again this season.”
