Crucible goes wild as Neil Robertson pulls off 'probably the shot of the tournament' against John Higgins at World Championship

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Neil Robertson and John Higgins were locked in a tense tactical battle in their World Championship quarter-final at the Crucible when the former pulled off a moment of magic.

'So, so clever' - Robertson pots amazing red off another ball

Video credit: TNT Sports

For the second frame in a row, the clock ticked well beyond half an hour as two greats of the game refused to give an inch in the battle for a spot in the semi-finals.

There looked like no sign of a break in the safety battle when Robertson spotted something unorthodox.

The reds were grouped together on the bottom cushion, while the yellow was hovering over the right middle.

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Robertson went round to have a look at the possibility of potting a red off the yellow, which was spotted by Joe Johnson on commentary for TNT Sports.

”Have you seen the shot that he is contemplating here, red in off the yellow?” Johnson said.

Robertson got down, took aim and pulled off a moment of brilliance that lit up the Crucible.

”What a shot, what a marvellous shot to spot," Johnson said. "Probably the shot of the tournament. An unbelievable shot.”

Alongside Johnson in the TNT Sports commentary box, Phil Yates added: "So, so clever, and it was all about, as Joe said, spotting it."

Robertson’s effort lit up a bitty passage of play and prompted a huge ovation from those inside the Crucible.

'So, so clever' - Robertson pots amazing red off another ball

Video credit: TNT Sports

After viewing a replay of Robertson’s moment of magic, Johnson added: ”It is worth another look. This was very special.”

As special as the shot was, it did not break the impasse as a further passage of safety play ensued as Higgins refused to wilt.

And the Scot dealt a huge blow to Robertson when he pulled off a brilliant shot of his own with the rest, which Yates said was also in the running for shot of the championship, as he snatched the frame to move 12-10 ahead in the race to 13.

Robertson went from high to low in a matter of minutes, and he appeared deflated as he played a poor safety shot in the following frame.

Higgins stepped in and picked off a run of 53, despite the interruption of a mobile phone in the middle of his break, but in a match full of drama there was another twist as Higgins missed a red with the winning post in sight.

Robertson attempted a counter but failed to get a clean run of the balls and Higgins got in again to pick off the pots he needed to set up a meeting with Shaun Murphy in the semi-finals.

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