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Former champion Neil Robertson will be absent from the World Snooker Championship for the first time in 20 years after losing in the final round qualifying on Wednesday.
Robertson, who won the world title in 2010, was beaten 10-9 by Wales’ Jamie Jones, whose break of 60 in the decider was enough to seal his shock victory.
The 42-year-old Australian last missed out on the prestigious tournament at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre in 2004.
But he has endured a dismal campaign in which he has reached just one tour semi-final.
That forced him out of the world’s top 16 and into the World Championship qualifying stages.
Robertson had looked set to pull away and book his place in Thursday’s first-round draw after winning four frames in a row to lead 8-5.
But Jones responded by reeling off the next three and went on to claim his first win over Robertson after heavy defeats in all seven of their previous meetings.
“Neil has buried me every time I’ve played him, so I haven’t got good memories of playing him before but I stuck with him,” Jones said.
“I don’t know what it is about this tournament but there is something that just brings out the best in me.”
smg/dj
