Neil Robertson forgot when he was supposed to be playing. (Image: Getty.)
has opened up on forgetting which day he was playing and accidentally failing to turn up for a World Open qualifier.
Due to play against Michael Holt for a place in the China event, where the tournament victor is rewarded with a cool £175,000, his opponent waited at the Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in Sheffield, but Robertson was nowhere to be found.
Holt recalled a phone call with the tournament official when he was told that , giving the world No. 83 a walkover and a place in the World Open.
It was an early Christmas present for Holt, as Robertson has since revealed that the festive period left him completely confused over dates and it was too late to travel to the venue.
“For the World Open qualifiers, I got my dates completely messed up with Christmas,” Robertson admitted to . “I was a day out of synch.
“It was not until Saturday night that Joe Perry sent me a message, wishing me good luck for the qualifier. Why has Joe done that? I’m playing tomorrow. I am playing Sunday, aren’t I?
Neil Robertson has been sent plenty of jokes about when he is playing at the Masters. (Image: Getty)
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“I went on the World website and said, ‘Oh my God, I’m playing in like 27 minutes. I’m in Cambridge and the qualifier is in Sheffield!’ I told officials: ‘I’m really sorry, I have got my dates completely messed up in my head.’
“I sent Michael Holt a text message just minutes after he found out I wasn’t coming. I said ‘Merry Christmas’ with a lot of funny emojis.
“I added: ‘Maybe it’s a sacrificial thing for the Snooker Gods and they will repay me somehow.’ He said: ‘They always do for you.’ And here we are. Now all of a sudden, I’m in the . I think I owe him a nice case of wine!”
Robertson was a late addition to the Masters, called up , and is set to face in the tournament’s opening match on Sunday afternoon.
The Aussie laughed and said that jokes “have started flying in” from friends informing him exactly what time and where he needs to be for the Triple Crown event.
A few years ago Robertson drove to the wrong venue after putting the ‘wrong Barnsley’ into his sat-nav, heading to a Gloucestershire town with the same name as the town in south Yorkshire, but would not miss a chance to face Higgins at Alexandra Palace.
“It’s nice to start the calendar year involved in this one,” Robertson added. “John Higgins is one of the best that has ever played snooker. I have played at the Masters and but not John – so it will be a great occasion.”