Sunday 6 December 2015

2015 UK Championship Final

Neil Robertson 10-5 Liang Wenbo

Neil Robertson became the first player to make a maximum 147 break in a UK Championship final on his way to beating Liang Wenbo 10-5.

The Australian made the perfect break in the sixth frame of the match in York - the third 147 of his career.

The pair traded century breaks in the first session leaving Robertson with a 5-3 advantage at the interval.

The next four frames were shared to make it 7-5, but Robertson won three in a row to take the title.

'It was about digging in'

"As a kid, you always want to make a 147 on the BBC so it was a dream come true," Robertson, who claimed the 11th ranking title of his career and second UK triumph, told BBC Sport.

"In the end, it was about digging in and nicking frames."

The final featured two left-handers with contrasting personalities; the measured world number three Robertson and his eccentric Chinese opponent, who frequently played to the crowd and often slapped himself in the face.

Surprise finalist Liang, who moved into the top 16 by reaching the final, added: "There was pressure and I don't know why, I didn't concentrate. The pressure shots I didn't play very well."

The magnificent maximum

Having seen Thailand's Thepchaiya Un-Nooh miss the final black on a maximum effort earlier in the tournament, Robertson went one better.

He needed to disturb a cluster of three reds to keep the break going and then kept his cool to pot the pink with the rest, before punching the air as he sunk the final black.

Four-time UK champion Steve Davis described the break as "absolutely fantastic".

"It was a clinical break early on, he picked the balls off nicely," added Davis. "Doing it in a big final is a marvellous achievement."

How the match unfolded

World number three Robertson took the first two frames but Liang soon settled in the match with a 110. The pair traded frames as the Aussie led 3-2, before compiling his brilliant 147 break.

The 2013 UK champion also took the next frame, but Liang hit back with a composed 86 to trail 5-3 after the first session.

The man from China reduced the deficit further with an 82 but Robertson responded with a break of 78 and also took the next to lead 7-4.


Liang showed his battling qualities to take the 12th frame, but it was all Robertson from then on.



Neil Robertson 5-3 Liang Wenbo

Neil Robertson has become the first player to make a maximum 147 break in the final of the UK Championship.

The Australian, who leads China's Liang Wenbo 5-3 in the best-of-19 final, made the maximum in the sixth frame in York.

Thailand's Thepchaiya Un-Nooh almost made a maximum earlier in the tournament, but missed the final black.

It is the 115th 147 break in snooker history, and the third of Robertson's career as he looks to win the UK title for a second time.

The Australian's break began after Liang failed to escape from a tricky snooker. That gave Robertson four points and an open table, and he ended the frame with 151 points.

Four-time UK champion Steve Davis described the break as "absolutely fantastic".

"It was a clinical break early on, he picked the balls off nicely," added Davis. "He held himself together really well especially after coming the wrong side of the final blue.

"Un-Nooh missed his chance earlier in the tournament and that will have been at the back of his mind, 'please don't do it again'.

"He took a big breath before he played the final shot and there is nothing quite like the feeling of that. Also, doing it in a big final, a marvellous achievement."

Robertson's break was the first maximum of the snooker season which started in June and earns him at least £44,000, as long as opponent Liang does not make a maximum of his own.

In the 2013 UK Championship, world number one Mark Selby compiled the 100th maximum break.

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