UK Snooker Championship: Unpredictable test for Neil Robertson (From York Press)

UK Snooker Championship: Unpredictable test for Neil Robertson

9:48am Friday 9th December 2011 in Snooker By Steve Carroll, Sports reporter

NEIL ROBERTSON won’t spend much time looking at the table when he meets “unpredictable” Judd Trump in today’s williamhill.com UK Championship semi-final.

The Australian says he will need to “stay calm” when Trump is attempting the “crazy” pots which have made him snooker’s newest sensation.

Robertson beat two-time UK champ Ding Junhui 6-2 to set up the exciting last-four clash and says Trump’s unpredictability makes him frightening to play.

“The difference between someone like Ding and Judd is that Judd is unpredictable so you don’t know what’s going to happen when you sit in your chair,” he said.

“With Ding, you know every single shot he is going to play. I used to be more comfortable playing Ronnie O’Sullivan than I did Stephen Maguire. I felt he was more of a threat.

“Judd’s a little bit different, he’s not quite as consistent as Maguire at his best but you don’t know what he’s going to do.

“You are almost better off not looking at the table when he is going to take on a crazy red because it’s not nice watching low percentage shots fly in and he makes hundreds.

“You just have to stay calm and keep playing the right shots. You know what certain players are going to do and you get comfortable. There’s a pattern in each frame and a few safeties.

“With Judd it’s like ‘is there a plant on?’, ‘is there a double?’ You are always on your toes.”

Trump, meanwhile, believes his lack of big tournament experience – despite reaching the World Championship final in May – means Robertson will be the favourite for the match.

“He’s been there, done that. I’m still quite new to it,” he explained. “It will be tough.

“My long potting has let me down this week and, every time I look over and see Neil, he is launching them in.

“He creates a lot of chances on his own, you have to play good safety against him and, at the moment, if I keep playing the safety I am I will probably get beaten.”