Neil Robertson Misses Out on World Snooker Championship Qualification for First Time in 20 Years

Welsh snooker player Jamie Jones caused a major upset by defeating former world champion Neil Robertson in the final qualifying round for the 2024 World Snooker Championship. Robertson, the 2010 winner, led 8-5 but Jones staged a remarkable comeback, winning five of the next six frames to secure a 10-9 victory and book his place at the prestigious Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

Another Welshman, Jackson Page, also emerged victorious in a final-frame shootout, defeating Thailand’s Noppon Saengkham 10-9. The success for Wales continued as world number 18 Ryan Day also won 10-9, beating Scotland’s Scott Donaldson.

Jones, currently ranked 41st in the world, expressed his delight at qualifying for the World Championship for the fifth time, stating, “I don’t know what it is about this tournament, it just brings the best out of me.” He credited his never-give-up attitude for the impressive comeback against Robertson.

In other qualifying matches, England’s David Gilbert and China’s Si Jiahui secured their spots in the main event with victories. Joe O’Connor also qualified for the first time, becoming the only debutant at this year’s competition after defeating Matthew Selt in an all-English clash.

The draw for the first round of the World Snooker Championship will take place on Thursday, with the tournament set to kick off on Saturday, 20 April. The top 16 in the world rankings will be joined by 16 qualifiers in what promises to be an exciting and highly competitive event. Stay tuned for more updates on the BBC Sport website and app.