Snooker star faces future brother in law

World number 49 Robertson came up against leading amateur Leo Fernandez at European Tour event six, the Kay Suzanne Memorial Cup, in Gloucester.

Fernandez, who is engaged to and has a two-year-old daughter with Robertson’s sister, opened the first round match with a break of 38 only for Robertson to reply with an 82 for a 1-0 lead.

Robertson also won the next with a top break of 39, but a 51 got Fernandez on the scoreboard in the third. Robertson went 3-1 up thanks to a 69 in the fourth, yet Fernandez edged the next via a 44 clearance.

Frame six was also tight, but it was Robertson who scraped over the line on the black courtesy of a 22 clearance to complete a 4-2 victory.

Robertson couldn’t progress any further, though, as he was pipped 4-3 by 68th-ranked Barry Pinches in round two. Runs of 86 and 99 put Robertson 2-1 up, but Pinches rallied to lead 3-2. A 42 helped Robertson take the sixth frame on the pink and he was 34 points ahead in the decider only for Pinches to prevail.

Fernandez, who was on and off the professional circuit earlier in his career, won three matches in the qualifiers to join the professionals in the event proper. He beat Shane Castle 4-2, Ashley Beal 4-0 and Rhys Clark 4-2.

Robertson, like Fernandez a former world amateur champion, lies 16th on the Players Tour Championship (PTC) order of merit with the top 24 set to qualify for the Grand Finals.

He is one place above St Leonards-based world number 13 Mark Davis, who suffered a surprise 4-3 second round defeat in Gloucester against 112th-ranked Chris Wakelin. Davis had previously seen off 62nd-ranked Thai cueman Dechawat Poomjaeng with breaks of 122, 83 and 75.