Masters Snooker: Neil Robertson scrapes past Mark Allen 6-5 at Alexandra Palace
Neil Robertson won a dramatic final-frame decider to knock Mark Allen out of the Masters at Alexandra Palace.
Last Updated: 15/01/14 11:49pm
The Australian repeated last year's 6-5 win over his fellow left-hander, who he also knocked out in 2012.
The match was not of the highest quality but Robertson showed great resolve to come from behind five times before taking the deciding frame.
The pre-interval frames were shared, Allen taking the opener with a 114 break before play turned scrappy and the players asked for the cue ball to be changed.
Allen won a messy first frame back with a 38 break to the blue, having earlier missed the simplest of reds, but Robertson levelled with a marvellous 101 break before falling behind once more.
Response
Robertson won the next with the help of a 41 and though Allen responded with 52 to lead 5-4, the world number one set up a decider.
He was in first with only 13 but Allen's response, sparked by a superb long green, reached only 30 before a foul.
Robertson survived a huge kick on a blue to clear with 59 to the pink for victory but admitted afterwards he had struggled with conditions.
"It was similar to the UK (Championship)," said Robertson, who last month labelled the second table at York's Barbican Centre "unplayable" and "garbage".
"When the arena is so hot the balls just spray off all over the place," he added. "We had to get the white changed because it was playing like a ping-pong ball.
"After the interval it got a bit better but it was hard work. But I'm really happy with that clearance there, especially with that kick off the blue.
"I feel for Mark, it's similar to last year and how he went out 6-5 to me."
Robertson next faces Stephen Maguire, who beat Joe Perry 6-4 on Monday.
There was more final-frame drama in the late game as Ricky Walden hit back from three frames down to beat Barry Hawkins 6-5.
Hawkins looked be in total control as he surged ahead, making a break of 132 along the way, but Walden scrapped his way back into it and eventually edged a contest to set up a quarter-final clash with Ronnie O'Sullivan.