Snooker: Davis Crucible run comes to an end

Neil Robertson wrapped up victory over Steve Davis this afternoon to clinch a place in the Betfred.com World Championship semi-finals.

The Australian had done the hard work yesterday, building up a 12-4 lead to leave him one frame from victory.

By winning the 15th and 16th frames, Davis had avoided the embarrassment of losing with a session to spare.

It frustrated Robertson that he had to return today, but he was not worried and and had no cause to be.

Davis delayed the inevitable by winning the first frame of the afternoon with a break of 59.

But Robertson took the next with a brilliant break of 107 to seal a 13-5 triumph over the six-times former world champion.

Twenty-one years after his last Crucible title, Davis caused the shock of this tournament by knocking out last year's winner John Higgins in the second round.

That delighted Davis, but Robertson approached their match on a similar high after fighting back from 11-5 behind to oust Martin Gould 13-12.

And he goes forward to a last-four clash with either Ali Carter or Shaun Murphy.

The afternoon session had started in bizarre fashion when master of ceremonies Rob Walker, welcoming the players into the arena, introduced Davis as Dennis Taylor.

Walker was embarrassed but Davis took it in good humour, locating a pair of glasses and putting them on upside down, striving for the look made famous by Taylor, his 1985 final conqueror.

Before play began, Mark Selby on the other table put down a glass by his chair and it shattered.

Selby was resuming his battle with Ronnie O'Sullivan, who fired in breaks of 92 and 89 in the opening two frames to move 6-4 ahead.