ROBERTSON IS FIRST INTO WINNERS’ GROUP

THE FINAL
Neil Robertson 3-0 Jack Lisowski
74-53, 110-0 (Robertson 110), 115-22 (Robertson 115)
SEMI-FINALS
Neil Robertson 3-0 Anthony Hamilton
53-16, 128-1 (Robertson 128), 70-0 (Robertson 70)

Jack Lisowski 3-1 Ricky Walden
0-75, 89-7 (Lisowski 87), 65-40 (Lisowski 59), 78-0 (Lisowski 78)

Neil Robertson is the first player through to the 2019 Championship League Snooker Winners’ Group after he defeated Jack Lisowski 3-0 in the Group One final at Ricoh Arena, Coventry.

Robertson, who made two century breaks in the final, topped the round robin group stage with four wins from his six fixtures before he defeated Anthony Hamilton 3-0 in his semi-final. Lisowski also won four group phase matches and then beat Ricky Walden 3-1 in his play-off match.

“From the semis onwards I played some really good stuff and beat some top players,” said Robertson, who has reached Winners’ Group for the first time in seven years.

“When I was asked which group I wanted to go in I was quite slow to choose and by the time I did the only group left before The Masters was group one, and I’d rather come in at the start than group six or seven. I wouldn’t usually be playing at this time but it has forced me to play, which is good and I have come into some really good form. I feel really good and it’s a really nice confidence boost going into The Masters.

“I haven’t been in Winners’ Group for a long time, so it will be nice. I’ve done well at Championship League without making it to the Winners’ Group so it will be nice this time to be there.”

Robertson will now take up the first spot in Winners’ Group, which takes place at Barnsley Metrodome on March 13th and 14th. He will be joined by the winners of the next six groups.

Having finished fifth on the round robin group table, Jimmy Robertson will return to compete in Group Seven along with Lisowski, Walden and Hamilton. They will be joined by Judd Trump, Luca Brecel and Kyren Wilson.

Championship League Snooker is a venture between Matchroom Sport and Perform where 25 of the game’s elite players compete with matches broadcast on a host of betting websites. Each group features seven players with each man playing the other six once in a round-robin basis. Every match is the best of five and the winner gains one point with the loser getting zero.

At the end of the league phase the top four advances to that group’s semi-finals before the two winners meet in the final and the group champion advances to the Winners’ Group in March. The losing finalist, two losing semi-finalists and player finishing fifth move into the next group where they are joined by three new players and the process is repeated.

Group Two commences at 11am on Thursday January 3rd . Live scoring can be found at www.worldsnooker.com. Group fixtures and results can be found at https://championshipleaguesnooker.co.uk/