Former champion Neil Robertson stunned by qualifier Robert Milkins in first round at World Championship

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Australia's Neil Robertson became the fifth former champion to crash out in the opening round of the Betfred World Championship as he lost to Robert Milkins in Sheffield on Wednesday.

Robertson threatened to stage a comeback when he won the first two frames of the second session at the Crucible Theatre to reduce his deficit to 6-5.

But the off-form left-hander scored just 36 points in the next four frames as Milkins made breaks of 69, 55 and 54 to secure a 10-5 win and book his place in the last 16.

Neil Robertson was erratic with his potting and seemed out of sorts in a largely scrappy match

Milkins, who also beat Robertson in the first round in 2013, told the BBC: 'This is the biggest out of the two.

'I can't remember much about five years ago. I don't think I played brilliant and I think Neil was a bit drained at that time. This time I put in a good performance, especially in the first session.

'There was times out there today in the second session I didn't know what I was doing and I was lucky that I just stepped up the pace a bit. I felt I was playing a bit slow.

'Neil won the first two (frames) and was unlucky in the next when he had a massive kick and it sort of changed after that.'

Robertson joins former champions Mark Selby, Stuart Bingham, Graeme Dott and Shaun Murphy in making an early exit, a fate avoided by two-time winner Mark Williams and John Higgins, the four-time champion.

Mark Williams had little trouble in overcoming Jimmy Robertson in the opening round

Williams produced a total clearance of 140 on his way to a 10-5 win over Jimmy Robertson.

The 43-year-old Welshman held a 7-2 lead after the first session, but saw Robertson win a scrappy opening frame and then steal the next with a 55 clearance after Williams had been first in with a break of 54.

However, Robertson then paid the price for missing a tough opening red along the cushion in frame 12 and Williams took full advantage with a total clearance, before moving within a frame of victory with a break of 100 in the next.

Robertson kept his hopes alive by winning the 14th frame but Williams was not to be denied and secured the victory to set up a last-16 clash with Milkins.

Higgins beat Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 10-7. Higgins took advantage of a nervous start from Thepchaiya to open up a 4-1 lead, before the Thai left-hander found some form, winning three of the first four frames of the evening session with two century breaks to make it 7-6.

Four-time champion and last year's runner-up John Higgins saw off Thepchaiya Un-Nooh

Thepchaiya even had a 147 attempt, but failed with the final red.

However, Higgins kept his composure to see out victory with three wins from the next four frames, including a 54 break in the decisive 17th frame.

The Scot told World Snooker: 'I can play better, but really happy to come through. He brought it back to 7-6 and had a good chance to make it 7-each.

'Luckily for me he missed a couple near the end and I managed to capitalise.'

Higgins will next play Jack Lisowski, Bingham's conqueror.

Judd Trump enjoys a 6-3 lead over Chris Wakelin in a match which concludes on Thursday, but it was Wakelin who produced the highlight of the contest with a break of 141.

That followed a break of 95 in the previous frame as Wakelin battled back from 3-0 down, but Trump won three of the last four frames of the session with contributions of 64, 72 and 51.

The match between Anthony McGill and Ryan Day also continues on Thursday. Day holds a 6-3 lead after closing the evening session with a break of 145, the highest of the tournament so far.