Local duo pipped in Germany
St Leonards-based Mark Davis was edged out 4-3 by two-time world champion Mark Williams and Jimmy Robertson, from Bexhill, went down by the same margin to Liang Wenbo in round three of the Ruhr Open in Germany.
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Hide AdWelsh potter Williams took the opening two frames despite Davis making a break of 56 in the second, but Davis claimed the next two with runs of 74 and 62.
World number 18 Williams went 3-2 up thanks to a 65 and although Davis levelled again via another 74, Williams prevailed in the decider aided by a 53.
Davis, ranked 19, saw off former World Championship runner-up Nigel Bond 4-1 in the previous round despite losing the opening frame. The 42-year-old hit back to win the next four with best breaks of 51 and 58.
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Hide AdIt was a similar story in round one as Davis came from behind to sink Ian Burns 4-1 with a performance highlighted by runs of 51, 71 and 53.
Robertson saw a 3-0 lead turn into a 4-3 defeat against Wenbo. Robertson, the world number 47, edged a tight opening frame, a break of 74 gave him the second and he won the third on a respotted black.
But Robertson didn’t score a point in the next two frames as Wenbo, the world number 26 from China, began his comeback with runs of 49 and 64. Wenbo won a long sixth frame to level at 3-3 and Robertson scored just two points in the decider.
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Hide AdIn the previous round, Robertson had won by the same margin against Ryan Day, the world number 22 from Wales. Robertson won the first two frames with a best break of 49 only for Day to reel off the next three thanks largely to runs of 70, 73 and 60. Robertson took a lengthy sixth frame to make it 3-3 before clinching the decider with a 75.
Robertson saw off Welsh amateur Daniel Wells 4-1 in round one. He began the match with a break of 102 and although he lost the second frame, Robertson won the next three with top runs of 96 and 58.
Davis and Robertson are due to begin their UK Championship campaigns in York on Thursday. Davis has a first round tie against Jak Jones and Robertson will take on 16-year-old Chinese prospect Zhou Yuelong.