Snooker star breaks silence on controversial match and tells rival to 'say the full story'

 

Jimmy Robertson has spoken out on his controversial defeat to Matthew Selt.

Jimmy Robertson has responded to Matthew Selt's remarks

Snooker star Jimmy Robertson has spoken out after his controversial exit from the World Championships. The 38-year-old blasted his opponent Matthew Selt following his 10-9 defeat, throwing their off-table friendship into jeopardy.

Robertson cruised into a 9-6 lead over his childhood friend and looked destined to qualify to compete in the Crucible main event later this week. However, he quickly began to lose his cool and the game headed to a deciding leg.

Selt then completed a remarkable comeback to set up a first-round tie against Xiao Guodong later this week. However, it soon became clear that the gloss had been taken off of the victory with how both players responded to the result.

Selt went on to reveal that Robertson had accused him of ‘distracting’ him mid-game, for which he publicly apologised about before going on to speak about being unsure how he had done so.

Matthew Selt apologised after his victory 

Robertson has now hit back at the confusion though, calling for his rival – who he has been friends with since he was a child – to tell the 'whole story’. He explained to the Metro: “Been mates with Matt for over 25 years. Very disappointed in him is all I want to say.

"I’ve heard everything [he said] through people calling me. All I will say is ask Matt again to say the full story and not half."

During Selt’s post-match interview with the World Snooker Tour, he admitted that his commentary of his own shots may have been a cause of Robertson’s frustrations. He said: “I do what I do all the time, commentate on my shots. If a ball is going towards the hole, which it did on numerous occasions in this match, I’d say 'Oh there’s another one.'

"I never said anything after the balls came to rest, not deliberately trying to put him off. I show my emotions. I’m not doing it to my opponent, especially someone who I’ve classed as a really good friend since the age of 13. I don’t know how he’s going to feel, but I feel pretty c***.

"I’ve not done anything when Jimmy’s at the table or anything like that. Maybe I can rein it in a little bit, but then again I didn’t really want to. That’s how I play and that’s how I am.”