Riga Masters 2016: Neil Robertson takes season opener


Neil Robertson won snooker's first ranking event of the 2016/17 season by beating Michael Holt 5-2 in the final of the Kaspersky Riga Masters.

World number five Robertson came from 2-1 down to win the last four frames of the final in the Latvian capital to get his season off to a flying start. By winning seven matches in all during the event he captured the top prize of 50,000 Euros.

Snooker's most successful ever non-British player, the 34-year-old has now won 12 ranking titles, one more than China's Ding Junhui.

Holt was competing in the final of a full ranking event for the first time and had high hopes of landing the trophy, having beaten Robertson 10-6 in the first round of the World Championship two months ago.

But this time the world number 29 from Nottingham was second best and had to settle for the 25,000 Euro runner-up prize.

The Australian took the opening frame with a top break of 56 before Holt won the second on the colours and dominated the third to lead 2-1. But Robertson won a scrappy fourth then a run of 79 put him 3-2 ahead. The sixth was another fragmented frame but it went to Robertson and he wrapped up the result in the seventh with a top break of 69.

"It's an amazing feeling to win the first ranking event of the season," said Robertson, who won the Champion of Champions and UK Championship last term.

"I have done it a couple of times before and it's a good feeling because you can try to build on it for the remainder of the season. I wasn't too sure what to expect coming here, but as it went on I played really well.

"Michael is one of the most improved players on the circuit, he's worked a lot with Terry Griffiths and you can see that in his game. He's not afraid of the top players any more. The final was really hard work. I had to dig in deep and I potted some really good balls under pressure. I'm looking forward to the World Open in China next month and trying to claim another title."

The Australian had seen off Judd Trump 4-1 in the quarter-finals earlier in the day before romping to a 5-0 win over amateur Darren Morgan, who at 50 became the oldest ranking event semi-finalist since Rex Williams in 1986.

Despite defeat in the final, Holt nevertheless enjoyed a superb tournament having knocked out world champion Mark Selby on Wednesday before ending 2015 Crucible winner Stuart Bingham's campaign in the third round on Thursday.

A 4-0 triumph over Anthony McGill to him to the last four, where he edged past Mark Williams 5-4 in a thriller but he ran out of steam at the final hurdle.

Riga Masters 2016: Daily Results

Wednesday June 22
First-round games (best of seven frames)
Sean O'Sullivan 4-0 Luca Brecel
David Gilbert 4-1 Sam Baird
Jamie Jones 4-3 Gary Wilson
Gareth Allen 0-4 Xiao Guodong
Jack Lisowski 4-2 Ryan Day
Ken Doherty 4-3 Noppon Saengkham
Zhao Xintong 4-3 James Cahill
Adam Stefanow 2-4 Darren Morgan
Hossein Vafaei v Matthew Stevens w/o
Tian Pengfei 4-0 Allan Taylor
Stuart Carrington 4-3 Joe Swail
Michael Georgiou 1-4 Neil Robertson
Christopher Keogan 1-4 Zhou Yuelong
Judd Trump 4-1 Chris Wakelin
Marco Fu 3-4 Graeme Dott
John Higgins 4-1 Mark King
Li Hang w/o v Chen Zhe
Ali Carter 4-1 Zhang Yong
Jak Jones 4-3 Jamie Cope
Mark Williams 4-1 Mark Davis
Dechawat Poomjaeng 0-4 Jimmy Robertson
Martin O'Donnell 4-3 Sam Craigie
Andy Hicks 4-3 Fang Xiongman
John J Astley 4-1 Joe Perry
Zhang Anda v Rory McLeod w/o
Andrew Higginson 2-4 Anthony McGill
Martin Gould 4-0 Tom Ford
Fraser Patrick 1-4 Yan Bingtao
Stuart Bingham 4-2 Lee Walker
Adam Duffy 3-4 Fergal O'Brien
Michael Holt 4-1 Mark Selby
Ian Burns w/o v Kyren Wilson

Thursday June 23
Second-round games (best of seven frames)
Sean O'Sullivan 0-4 David Gilbert
Jamie Jones 2-4 Xiao Guodong
Jack Lisowski 3-4 Ken Doherty
Zhao Xintong 1-4 Darren Morgan
Matthew Stevens 4-3 Tian Pengfei
Stuart Carrington 1-4 Neil Robertson
Zhou Yuelong 1-4 Judd Trump
Graeme Dott 3-4 John Higgins
Li Hang 1-4 Ali Carter 
Jak Jones 0-4 Mark Williams
Jimmy Robertson 4-3 Martin O'Donnell
Andy Hicks 2-4 John J Astley
Rory McLeod 1-4 Anthony McGill
Martin Gould 2-4 Yan Bingtao
Stuart Bingham 4-2 Fergal O'Brien
Michael Holt 4-3 Ian Burns

Third-round games (best of seven frames)
David Gilbert 2-4 Xiao Guodong
Ken Doherty 3-4 Darren Morgan
Matthew Stevens 1-4 Neil Robertson
Judd Trump 4-2 John Higgins
Ali Carter  2-4 Mark Williams
Jimmy Robertson 1-4 John J Astley 
Anthony McGill 4 -0 Yan Bingtao 
Stuart Bingham 3-4 Michael Holt

Friday June 24
Quarter-Finals (best of seven frames)
Xiao Guodong 2-4 Darren Morgan
Neil Robertson 4-1 Judd Trump
Mark Williams 4-1 John J Astley 
Anthony McGill 0-4 Michael Holt

Semi-Finals (best of nine frames)
Neil Robertson 5-0 Darren Morgan
Mark Williams 4-5 Michael Holt

Final (best of nine frames)
Neil Robertson 5-2 Michael Holt 

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