Jimmy denied Crucible place

The Bexhill cueman was beaten 10-6 by David Gilbert in the final round of the qualifiers yesterday (Tuesday) having won two matches over the past week to reach that stage.

World number 31 Gilbert won the first three frames with breaks of 60, 59 and 64. Although 52nd-ranked Robertson clinched frame four to get himself on the scoreboard, Gilbert took the next two with runs of 48 and 62 to lead 5-1.

Breaks of 50 and 83 gave Robertson frames seven and eight to halve his deficit, but a 57 helped Gilbert claim the final frame of the first session for a healthy 6-3 cushion.

Robertson overturned a similar deficit against 1997 champion Ken Doherty to qualify for the sport’s blue riband event in 2011 and he won three of the first four frames in the second session with top breaks of 97 and 55 to make it 7-6.

That was as close as he got, though, because Gilbert reeled off the next three frames with a best run of 65 to book his place in the event proper, which starts this weekend at The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

Robertson, 27, edged out 43rd-ranked Anthony McGill 10-9 in the penultimate round of the qualifiers on Saturday having defeated Liam Highfield 10-7 in the previous stage last Thursday.