World Snooker is getting in on the fun on social media after Neil Robertson’s comedic travelling mishap last week.
The Australian was scheduled to face Ian Burns in the World Open qualifiers at the Barnsley Metrodome in South Yorkshire on Friday.
But Robertson ridiculously ended up driving the wrong route, heading towards the little known village of Barnsley in Gloucestershire.
By the time the 37 year-old realised his error, it was too late to go back to the real destination and he had to forfeit the match to Burns.
After also being forced to withdraw from his defence of the Riga Masters in the summer, when flight cancellations at Luton Airport hindered a number of players on the tour, and having pulled out of his China Championship encounter through illness, Robertson’s 2019/20 season hasn’t got off to the most ideal of starts.
Commercial arm of the sport, World Snooker saw the funny side and joined in on the banter on Twitter yesterday, providing the Melbourne man with a few tips on how to get to Crawley for next week’s English Open.
🗺️ Final preparations for the #EnglishOpen @nr147 pic.twitter.com/EoHJtiWlpt
— World Snooker (@WorldSnooker) October 7, 2019
A mock letter seemingly addressed to Robertson read: “Dear Neil. Please find below directions from Cambridge to K2 Crawley for the 19.com English Open.”
“Note there are also locations called Crawley in Oxfordshire and Hampshire. The correct one is in Sussex.”
Several replies alluded to the possibility that Robertson, who has been prone to tardiness throughout his career, would never live this particular incident down.
Fellow former world champion Mark Selby started the teasing on Sunday when he provided Robertson with directions to this week’s Championship League opener in his hometown of Leicester.
Hi @nr147 hope you ok just wondering if you need the postcode for tomorrows championship league bud, it’s in Leicester which is classed as East Midlands if any problems let us know #willingtohelp pic.twitter.com/gR1doI04O0
— Mark Selby (@markjesterselby) October 6, 2019
There were some on the circuit who didn’t particularly see the funny side, though.
Mark King, the former Northern Ireland Open champion, said: “I’ve heard it all now, Neil has been to Barnsley many times before.
“Just admit you didn’t want to go and play simples. Pay the fine.”
At any rate, Robertson did indeed make it to Leicester for the first group in this season’s Championship League, winning two out of his opening four round-robin ties on Monday.
Click here to view the draw (Times: CET)
