Neil Robertson’s Crucible doubts make for wide open World Snooker Championships

A total of 32 men with cues turn up at the Crucible Theatre this year with the hope of becoming world snooker champion and, unusually, a significant number of them have a real chance of potting the top prize.

Rarely a wild and unruly sport, results this season could be labelled as such. Some rogue clearly got their hands on the form book back in August, tore it up and stuck it through a shredder for good measure.

So unpredictable have been the ranking event winners that three haven’t even made it to the Crucible. Fan Zhengyi, Joe Perry and Rob Milkins lifted their trophies out of the blue and quickly returned to the azure from whence they came.

There have been first ranking titles for Zhao Xintong, Dave Gilbert and Hossein Vafaei as well, all of whom won tournaments at lengthy odds and have added to the chaotic nature of the campaign.

It has been a far cry from the last couple of seasons when Judd Trump was mopping up so many titles it is a surprise he wasn’t sponsored by Vileda.

The last year has been a nightmare to predict and while the World Championship trophy more than most ends up in the hands of the very elite players, there is a sense that someone could leap from the lower rungs of the ladder and get their paws on the top prize.

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The man who wants to see no surprises at all in Sheffield, the tournament favourite and the calmest boat on stormy seas this season is Neil Robertson. The almost unnervingly confident Australian has triumphed at the Masters, Tour