Neil Robertson faces uphill battle at Championship League snooker as Matthew Selt sets pace

Neil Robertson lost all three matches in Championship League Group Six at Leicester’s Morningside Arena on Thursday evening as Matthew Selt continued his fine form at the non-ranking event in Leicester.

Selt – who has been competing in the tournament since Group One before Christmas – hit the highest two breaks of the day with 128 against McGill and 126 in his win over Xiao.

He was joined on three points at the top of the section alongside Zhou Yuelong, who completed victories over Robert Milkins (3-2), Xiao (3-2) and Robertson (3-2) with a 3-0 loss to Anthony McGill his only reverse.

Zhou hit two centuries (118 and 113) in his win against Milkins, who finished the day on one point from three fixtures alongside Joe Perry. Perry defends his Welsh Open title in Llandudno next week.

Robertson lost 3-0 to McGill before suffering two 3-2 defeats to Milkins and Zhou respectively to leave him pointless and realistically chasing three wins to keep alive his prospects of reaching the semi-finals on Friday night.

John Higgins, Stuart Bingham, Jack Lisowski, Kyren Wilson and Judd Trump have already qualified for the winners’ group (1-2 March). The champion will earn a spot in the 2023 Champion of Champions.

Thursday’s Championship League results

• Anthony McGill 3-0 Neil Robertson
• Zhou Yuelong 3-2 Xiao Guodong
• Joe Perry 0-3 Matthew Selt
• Anthony McGill 1-3 Xiao Guodong
• Zhou Yuelong 3-2 Neil Robertson
• Xiao Guodong 1-3 Matthew Selt
• Anthony McGill 3-0 Zhou Yuelong
• Joe Perry 3-2 Robert Milkins
• Zhou Yuelong 3-2 Robert Milkins
• Neil Robertson 2-3 Robert Milkins
• Joe Perry 0-3 Xiao Guodong
• Anthony McGill 2-3 Matthew Selt

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