Neil Robertson dumped out by Liam Highfield in second round of 2023 Wuhan Open, Mark Selby also out
Neil Robertson was dumped out of the Wuhan Open as Liam Highfield recorded a 5-3 victory in the second round.
This will go down as one of the standout victories of Highfield’s career after coming from behind to beat the world No. 6.
Robertson made a promising start to the contest as a red-pink-red combination served him well, before cleaning up to the green to take a break of 61.
Highfield’s response was impressive though, and he levelled things up with a break of 66, leaving two reds on the table.
But Robertson hit back again at the end of an attritional frame after knocking a red down over the middle right pocket, and potted up to the pink to restore his lead.
The writing looked on the wall for Highfield when Robertson extended his advantage with a sensational clearance of 140, after brilliantly utilising a series of red-black combinations to start off the frame very nicely.
He built up the break further with a pink to the middle left and blue to the middle right, as part of a fine break, leaving it hard to see a way back for Highfield.
Highfield emphatically found a way back into the match though, and claimed a superb break of 95 as he narrowly failed to pot a blue into the bottom left, reducing the deficit to 3-2.
He moved level after potting the final red to the left corner and brilliantly clearing up the colours with a break of 80.
Highfield moved within touching distance of a famous victory with a fine red-black-red combination, and a miss on a long green counted for little in the end as he moved back in front ahead of the eighth frame.
‘Back to his very best!’ – Robertson makes 140 break against Highfield in Wuhan
The 32-year-old completed a memorable win over the Australian, whose foul on the green sealed a famous victory for the Englishman.
Highfield will now face Zhou Yuelong in round three.
Mark Selby also suffered a surprise exit as he was beaten 5-4 by Xu Si, who made a 125 break to close out the win.
Barry Hawkins won 5-2 against Sanderson Lam and Ali Carter made a joint-tournament-high 145 break in a 5-1 win over Jamie Clarke.
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