“When I potted the pink I was thinking how mad it would be if I missed a final black after one was missed against me”.
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Grace said: “I’m just absolutely in shock, I can not believe I managed to turn it round”.
Robertson will take along his United Kingdom trophy to that match, and the 33-year-old world number three is ready to show it off to the Chelsea stars if they need a reminder of how it feels to land silverware.
“I’ve got to keep my foot down and work hard over Christmas”.
Both players were nervy as the final got under way with Robertson missing a routine yellow off its spot before getting the first frame on the board by dropping it into the middle with a precision pot.
Robertson will now be a heavy favourite heading into Sunday’s showpiece where he faces world No. 29 Liang Wenbo – who did not look impressive in edging past David Grace 6-4 in his semi-final. For a player who ran out of clean shirts during his extended stay in York – he had to return to his Bradford home and fiancee Gemma for clean laundry – Grace’s rise from obscurity was truly unbelievable.
In an interview with The Yorkshire Post, he joked how his fiancee wanted a honeymoon a little more exotic than Barnsley for the China Open qualifiers.
“I was really looking forward to watching Match of the Day but maybe not so much now”.
“But obviously the way that’s (the semi-final) gone, I’m gutted”. He said: “When you’re on the tour as long as I have been and had one last 32 ever coming into this season, it’s not a career, is it?”
“I won quite a few close frames from behind but I’m sure the next final Liang plays in he will be more experienced. I think next time I will be much better”.
After a 6-0 victory over Selby on Saturday evening, Robertson said he would play computer games into the early hours before bedding down for the night. It is something I have not done before, winning two major big, big tournaments.
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Judd Trump and Marco Fu have been among Liang’s victims, but he looked out of sorts as he drifted 3-1 behind Grace at the interval, only to rouse himself with a break of 110 in the fifth frame.
