Snooker:Steve Davis gave the Crucible crowd a classic century to savour but was heading for a heavy defeat tonight as Neil Robertson closed in on the semi-finals. Prospects of the veteran making further progress in the World Championship were ebbing away as Robertson swept into a 10-2 lead at the mid-session interval.
It was a familiar scoreline for Davis against the Melbourne potter, who thrashed him by the same margin in the first round last year. With four frames remaining of the night’s play, the Australian was three away from winning with a session to spare, which would equate to a humiliation.
Davis has the consolation of having comfortably exceeded expectations, his own included, and after a barren season he has made a couple of centuries in Sheffield. There was a treat for his legions of followers as he gunned in a break of 128 to win frame 11, the third of the session.
It was classic Davis, reminiscent of the form which saw him dominate the World Championship through the 1980s. But it could not last. The 52-year-old world number 23 was unable to muster any of the consistency he showed when knocking out last year’s champion John Higgins in the second round.
Robertson was merciless, determined to make the most of his second chance in this year’s tournament, having packed his bags and cancelled his accommodation when he trailed 11-5 to Martin Gould in the second round.
Robertson won the final session of that tussle with Gould 8-1 to edge through 13-12, and carried that form into his clash with Davis as he opened up a 7-1 morning lead. Tonight he swiftly moved 9-1 in front, taking advantage of the openings Davis left him and scoring two breaks of 53.
The commanding lead meant the 28-year-old could even enjoy Davis’ century from his armchair.
Davis briefly carried that form into the next frame and led 46-0, but he broke down and runs of 30 and 39 reopened the eight-frame lead.