This match shares opening billing along with the encounter between Higgins and Stevens and it is hard to offer you any reason to choose to watch this match instead of that one unless either player is a close friend or a distant relative. Pyrotechnics in this match are likely to be few and far between.

Nonetheless, I will be interested to see how Robertson performs in this match. A year ago, the 24 year old Australian had enjoyed his best season in the game having recorded two ranking tournament successes and ending the campaign with the snooker writers’ award of Player of the Year.

This has been the stereotypical difficult second season however as Robertson has failed to get beyond a quarter-final in any tournament and whereas last season he was regarded as one of the favourites, this year very little focus is on him.

This lack of fanfare could well work in the world number six’s favour. Recent renewals of this tournament often point to likely winners being players who have not had vintage campaigns.

None of the past three winners, Higgins, Dott and Murphy had won a tournament during the course of the season before the Crucible. Robertson’s early exit from the China Open will have also given him extra preparation time to hone his famed long potting skills.

An opening match against Nigel Bond will not be a bad test to ease Robertson into the tournament. The 43 year old from Derbyshire is the second oldest player in the competition and reached the final back in 1995 when losing to Stephen Hendry.

Bond’s greatest moment since came here two years ago when he recorded a deciding frame victory against the same player in the first round, courtesy of a respotted black.

Bond is an obdurate player who can be a frustrating player to play against due to his considered approach and his adeptness in safety exchanges.

How Robertson copes with this will determine whether he gets through. He tends to be a player who prefers to get on with things and so if Bond tries to slow him down, he could get under his skin.

I have a hunch, however, that Neil Robertson is going to go a long way in this tournament and so that being the case, he needs to be able to see off players like Nigel Bond with some authority to lay down a marker.

I expect Robertson to pot his way to victory here, but do not expect a thriller. Prediction: Robertson 10-6 Bond

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