Neil Robertson – Luca Brecel
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BRECEL 2-0 ROBERTSON (78-39)
Eventually the concession comes as a swerve shot by Neil misses the green. Luca should have put that frame to bed a lot earlier, but missing a black on 68 added some angst he could have avoided. He leads 3-0 with one more frame to come before the mid-session interval.
BRECEL 2-0 ROBERTSON (74-39)
Robertson gets two snookers so far as Luca misses yellow, but he drops in a long yellow seconds later to ease the tension. Lead of 35 with 25 left up.
BRECEL 2-0 ROBERTSON (72-35)
This frame should be a done deal. Brecel leads by 37 with 27 left up. Robertson playing on to adapt to the conditions. As much as for snookers.
BRECEL 2-0 ROBERTSON (72-17)
Two dour, languid opening frames, but a break of 68 should be enough for Brecel to see off another frame for a 3-0 lead. Neil chasing snookers to stay alive in the frame.
BRECEL 2-0 ROBERTSON (57-0)
A real bounce in Brecel’s step out there. Luca sensing his opponent is struggling, and this break is much more like it from the world champion as he carries the break beyond 50.
BRECEL 2-0 ROBERTSON (24-0)
Robbo calls a foul on himself after missing a clip off the red. Not going his way so far out there. Doesn’t look comfortable with his surroundings. Brecel suddenly among the balls at the business end of table. Chance to build up a healthy lead in the third frame.
BRECEL 1-0 ROBERTSON (58-51)
First frame was brutal, but this second frame is one for the purists too. Luca doubles the pink, but is faced with a horrid long cut on the black. Length of table with white on baulk cushion. And he misses it. Neil then fails to sink mid-range black, and Luca cuts home black to right middle. Somehow Luca leads 2-0 with neither men finding any sort of form. A shake of the head from Luca as he heads for a comfort break. Conditions seem to be an issue out there.
BRECEL 1-0 ROBERTSON (40-51)
A chance for Luca to get the second frame won, but he can’t clip home a tricky brown to left centre. Robbo then misses the brown ball by miles. All very odd goings on in these two first frames. “Both frames have been strange,” says Neal Foulds in the commentary box. Down to tactics on the final three balls with Neil just needing one of them.
BRECEL 1-0 ROBERTSON (26-51)
Robertson picks out a stunning plant on two reds, but then misses a rolled in brown to the yellow pocket. All a bit of a struggle out there for both men. Robbo looking pensive in his chair.
BRECEL 1-0 ROBERTSON (17-50)
This is a glorious chance for the world No. 6 to level up, but he runs out of position having made 27. Just a safety coming up. Think he is bemused by the reaction of the table when he potted the black. Frame back in the balance.
BRECEL 1-0 ROBERTSON (17-26)
Two attacking players out there, but the balls are not helping this develop into a free-flowing match so far. Robbo then thumps home a long red and is out on the black. Chance to gain the upper hand in this second frame.
BRECEL 1-0 ROBERTSON (5-19)
So Robbo runs to 19, but ends up planting a red off the blue going into the pack. That is never your friend, and the break ends before it really began.
BRECEL 1-0 ROBERTSON (0-3)
Not a vintage first frame, but they all count. Early chance for Robertson to get moving in the right direction in this second frame with easy opener left to yellow pocket.
BRECEL 0-0 ROBERTSON (73-46)
Luca produces a superb safety shot to stick green next to brown. Forces the error from Robertson who leaves both green and brown in open for Luca to snaffle up. From being in trouble, Luca has somehow hit back to claim this frame as he clears up green, brown, blue and pink. A 1-0 lead for the world champion.
BRECEL 0-0 ROBERTSON (55-46)
Attempt to roll in green with rest eludes Luca holding a lead of nine points. Brown welded to the baulk cushion. Has been a war of attrition this opening frame. Brown is basically key to winning the frame.
BRECEL 0-0 ROBERTSON (46-46)
Apparently some water coming from the roof. Hitting the table. Going to take a look at it after the frame. Perhaps air con is playing up. Who knows. Poor safety by Neil and Luca has chance to recover in this opening frame. Levels up heading for the colours.
BRECEL 0-0 ROBERTSON (20-46)
Could there be a re-rack here? Not the most absurd outcome with those five reds forcing a stalemate, and blue near a top bag. Would suit Luca more than Neil, whose lead of 26 points is like money in the bank. But blue has been moved, and looks like we are back to a more conventional frame of play.
BRECEL 0-0 ROBERTSON (20-46)
Luca with a corking pot on a long red, but just the blue to follow. Those reds are quite a tough obstacle to sort out at one visit. Another run back to baulk for the Belgian Bullet.
BRECEL 0-0 ROBERTSON (14-46)
Two great blokes playing today. Always very sporting towards their respective opponents. Luca always happy to acknowledge good shots. Six reds now tied up along the top cushion. Which favours Robbo holding a lead of 32 points. Luca wants to get those balls out in the open at some point you would imagine.
BRECEL 0-0 ROBERTSON (14-31)
Lovely shot by Neil to pot the pink close to a red. Blue and black are now joined together at the business end of the table. So trying to do his work here using reds and pinks. And eventually the break ends with a roll up behind a yellow. This frame not slipping quietly into the night. Or afternoon in Shanghai.
BRECEL 0-0 ROBERTSON (14-7)
Both men just trying to settle into this match. Pink and black tied up so not going anywhere in a hurry in this opening frame. Until Luca has a dart at a long red with deep screw. Well off it. And chance for the Melbourne man to get hand on table.
BRECEL 0-0 ROBERTSON (14-0)
Luca breaks down on 13 after Robbo catches a safety attempt too thin. Not an easy table to tackle and a red along the top cushion doesn’t drop. Back to a few tactical shots.
BRECEL 0-0 ROBERTSON (1-0)
Start as you mean to go on. Brecel punches home a long red to get his day up and running in Shanghai, but just the safety to follow.
ROBERTSON HAS NEVER LOST TO BRECEL
These men have faced each other three times on tour with Robertson winning the lot. They last met at this stage of the 2019 China Open with the Aussie emerging a 10-7 winner by claiming the final three frames. But that will count for little when they confront each other for the first time in four years today.
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GOOD MORNING
And welcome back to another riveting day at the Shanghai Masters where we have world champion Luca Brecel facing Australian icon Neil Robertson for a place in Sunday’s final against defending champion and snooker GOAT Ronnie O’Sullivan. World No. 1 O’Sullivan trailed Mark Selby 7-6 in a taut first semi-final on Friday, but produced a blistering comeback, finishing with two centuries to book his spot in a fourth straight final in Shanghai with a 10-7 triumph.
Who is going to join him today? Should be a terrific few hours ahead. Nine frames to be played this morning, and a possible 10 this afternoon. First man to 10 frames reaches the showpiece match. Grab a cuppa. Boys on the baize at 7am (BST).
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