Northern Ireland Open: Mark Allen impresses in first-round win
Neil Robertson began his bid to become the first player to win all four Home Nations series events when he edged out Scotland’s Graeme Dott 4-3 in a repeat of the 2010 World Championship final.
Robertson won the opening frame before Dott replied to secure the second with a break of 94.
The Australian looked to be in control of the third but broke down on 58 when he missed a simple red, allowing his Scottish opponent to snatch the frame with a 52 clearance.
Robertson only had a 16-point lead in frame four when he let Dott in, but the 2006 world champion was unable to take advantage and the Australian’s run of 54 levelled the match.
The players were tied at 40 points each in the fifth, in which Robertson ultimately prevailed, with Dott taking the next with a 76 break, before the English Open champion got over the line.
Meanwhile Anthony McGill beat Stephen Maguire 4-1 in an all-Scottish battle, with Barry Hawkins getting the better of fellow former world finalist Matthew Stevens 4-2.
In other first-round matches on Monday, Elliot Slessor beat Joe O’Connor 4-2, while Tom Ford defeated Rory Thor, Tian Pengfei saw off Si Jiahui and Jimmy Robertson beat Xiao Guodong by the same scoreline.
Martin O’Donnell was a 4-3 victor over Zhang Anda while 62-year-old Jimmy White rolled back the years, beating Iran’s Hossein Vafaei 4-2.
