The Albany Gazette - Robertson and Selby chase rare Home Nations sweep in Belfast

Neil Robertson and Mark Selby will try to complete victories at all four Home Nations tournaments when the Northern Ireland Open begins in Belfast.

Neil Robertson and Mark Selby have the chance to create some snooker history at the Northern Ireland Open, with the opportunity to become the first player to complete the Home Nations set.

Both the Australian and the Englishman have won the Welsh Open, Scottish Open and English Open, but are yet to lift the Alex Higgins Trophy.

The Home Nations series was created in 2016 and Judd Trump has been the most successful player in it, winning six titles, but four of those came in the Northern Ireland Open and two in the English Open, so he needs Scottish and Welsh success to complete the set.

Mark Allen is closing in on the quartet, having won the English, Scottish and in Northern Ireland twice, so he just needs Welsh glory.

The only other two players to have won multiple Home Nations titles are Gary Wilson, with two Scottish Opens and a Welsh, while Stuart Bingham has landed an English and a Welsh.

Of course, the Welsh Open predates the Home Nations series, with John Higgins winning it five times and Ronnie O’Sullivan on four occasions, but they don’t get the credit for that here.

The Northern Ireland Open begins in Belfast on Sunday, with Selby getting his campaign underway against Louis Heathcote in the afternoon and Robertson against Ricky Walden in the evening.

The Thunder from Down Under is a big fan of the Waterfront Hall event and would love to get his names in the record books there.

‘It’s always one of the first tournaments I think of whenever I come into a new season,’ Robertson told Metro. ‘I’d love to get this one to complete the set.

‘It’s a really beautiful city, we don’t always get treated to the best weather out there, but the fans and the venue is brilliant. It’s one of the best venues we play in. So it’s always nice to do well in that one.

‘The closest I got is the semi-finals, lost to Mark Allen. It’s a great event, so hopefully do well.’

Robertson did win the Alex Higgins International Trophy back in 2011, which was one of the old PTCs held in Killarney, beating Judd Trump in the final.

‘I’ve got a really nice crystal trophy at home with Alex Higgins on it, but not this iteration of the event. So I really want to complete the set in Belfast.’

Completing the Home Nations set this month would be very good timing for the Aussie, who is without a ranking title since August last year.

Robertson won the big-money Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters last season, but has not been to a ranking final since then.

Selby has been in more impressive form of late, winning the China Open in August and reaching the British Open final in September.

Ronnie O’Sullivan is in the draw and due to take on Cheung Ka Wai on Monday, in what would be his first professional event in the UK since the World Championship.

Mark Allen is also scheduled to return, having not played since the Crucible, due to play close pal Jordan Brown on Tuesday afternoon.

(O.Robinson--TAG)