Neil Robertson forced to dig deep to overcome Liang Wenbo and Oliver Lines in 2022 Gibraltar Open
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Updated 24/03/2022 at 20:07 GMT
Neil Robertson was made to work hard for wins at the Gibraltar Open on Thursday. The 2010 world champion first held off Liang Wenbo and then Oliver Lines. Robertson faces Rory McLeod next in the last 32. Stream all of the enthralling action from the Gibraltar Open live and on-demand on discovery+
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Neil Robertson added the scalp of Oliver Lines to an earlier win against Liang Wenbo to progress to the third round of the Gibraltar Open, winning both matches 4-2.
Having seen off a Liang fightback earlier on Thursday, the 2010 world champion put together runs of 61, 67, 61 and 112 to beat world number 67 Lines.
Robertson led 1-0 and 2-1 but a tenacious Lines, who was in round two after a walkover against Dave Gilbert, levelled at 2-2.
However, the pendulum swung back again in favour of the 40-year-old Melburnian in the fifth frame.
The world number four sealed a hard-fought frame with a run of 63 despite Lines putting together his biggest run of the match – a 53.
And the 2010 world champion showed his class in the sixth, making a 112.
Earlier, Robertson got the better of Liang to move into the second round.
Robertson took the first three frames to leave himself in sight of the finish line but a spirited fightback from Liang gave the Australian work to do before eventually coming through.
A scrappy first frame saw mistakes aplenty with Robertson finally closing it out 64-52 after what felt like an age.
The second frame was another tight affair although played at a far quicker pace, and turned when Liang called a foul on himself and allowed his opponent to capitalise for 2-0.
Now in his element, Robertson breezed through the third as Liang failed to get on the board.
Just as a whitewash looked inevitable when Robertson hit a break of 42, his opponent found something in reserve to clean up and reduce the deficit.
Bouyed by this, Liang took charge of the fifth with some confident potting until a miss on the blue allowed Robertson the chance of victory.
Robertson was unable to see it out, however, and the frame became something of a slugfest with neither man able to take control.
The frame went down to the blue and pink and it was Liang who took advantage to move within one of Robertson.
However, the Australian kept his head in the sixth and after another scrappy frame, Robertson sealed victory to advance to the last 64.
Elsewhere, Kyren Wilson won eight frames on the bounce with wins against Lukas Kleckers and Andy Hicks to make the third round.
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