Snooker stars set for Shanghai

It will be the first time that the local duo have appeared together in the venue stage of a full ranking event.

World number 17 Davis, from St Leonards, continued his terrific early season form with a 5-0 whitewash of David Gilbert in the final round of the qualifiers.

Davis, the Six Red World Champion, fashioned a top break of 65 at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield yesterday (Friday) afternoon.

Robertson won four of the last five frames to see off world number 36 Anthony Hamilton 5-3 in his final qualifying round tie yesterday evening.

Bexhill-based Robertson, ranked 55th, in fact won three matches in as many days to reach the venue stage of a full ranking event for the third time.

Robertson, 26, pulled off a splendid 5-1 victory over 40th-ranked Jack Lisowski on Thursday evening having previously edged out 66th-ranked Tian Pengfei 5-4.

Both will face former world champions at the event proper from September 17-23. Davis will take on Mark Williams in round one and Robertson will face Graeme Dott.

See next week’s Observers for more.