‘The workmen are out’ – Drill interrupts play as work done to fix Robertson’s chair
Video credit: TNT Sports
After coming out from the first mid-session interval of his quarter-final clash with John Higgins, Neil Robertson found his chair had – in the words of Dave Hendon on TNT Sports commentary – ”come away from its moorings”.
It did not look to present any imminent danger to Robertson’s well-being, as he had a tinker with it, and it remained in the position chairs are meant to be in – namely seat facing upwards.
Robertson was not in need of his chair for the remainder of the fifth frame, as he made his way to the table and picked off a break of 70 to edge in front in the World Championship match.
While Robertson’s break was taking place, referee Peggy Li was in communication with officials behind the scenes about ‘Chairgate’.
After wrapping up the frame, Robertson had another tinker with his seat while, at the same time, a team of possibly Sheffield’s finest chair fitters sprang into action.
With Robertson a keen observer from a few feet away, the team got to work.
‘Maybe it needs to be nailed down’ – Robertson suffers Crucible chair trouble
Video credit: TNT Sports
Moments after Li made the call of ”quiet as possible, please”, acutely aware Wu Yize and Hossein Vafaei were doing battle on the other table, a noise came from a drill.
“This is a first,” said Hendon. “We have the workmen out.
“Neil Robertson is going to go out and wait for them, John Higgins has also left.
“It was a bit wobbly. I don’t think it was any imminent threat, but I suppose they feel they need to sort it out.”
Alongside Hendon in the commentary both, Neal Foulds added: “Health and safety, Dave.”
A huge roar came from the drill, to which Hendon said: “They say to be quiet, now the guy is drilling.”
Foulds added: “They are trying to do the drilling between shots, which is OK, I suppose.
“It is an extraordinary business.”
A short while later, the work was completed.
“Everything looks like it has been nailed down, and we are ready to go again,” Hendon said. “It is a new one at the Crucible, but we have been here 50 years, so it’s finding new ways to surprise us.”
Upon the resumption of play, Higgins took the sixth frame, but Robertson took the final two of the session – including a torturous eighth that lasted 52 minutes – as the Australian secured a 5-3 overnight lead.
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