![\"World](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2202823525.jpg\")
\n\t\tA serious health scare for Neil Robertson this week (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tA serious health scare for Neil Robertson this week (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Neil Robertson has been forced out of the Northern Ireland Open<\/a> due to a \u2018brutal respiratory virus\u2019 which he felt was \u2018one of the worst experiences\u2019 of his life.<\/p>\n The former world champion has already landed the biggest title of the season so far, beating Ronnie O\u2019Sullivan in the final of the Saudi Arabia Masters.<\/a><\/p>\n He was hoping to add to that success next week in Belfast, targeting the only one of the four Home Nations titles he is yet to win, having claimed the English, Welsh and Scottish titles.<\/p>\n However, a grim illness has ended his chances for this year and he will not be playing at the Waterfront Hall.<\/p>\n The Australian was playing at the Xi\u2019an Grand Prix last week in China<\/a> and reveals that he has been seriously ill since returning from that event.<\/p>\n The 43-year-old posted on X on Saturday evening<\/a>: \u2018Hey guys. After coming back from China I picked up a brutal respiratory virus in Xi\u2019an that didn\u2019t hit me until Sunday.<\/p>\n \u2018It made breathing anything above 40 per cent a challenge and bed ridden for almost six days. I\u2019ve never experienced anything like it and can quite honestly say it was one of the worst experiences I\u2019ve gone through. <\/p>\n \t\t \u2018I\u2019m on the mend now but still quite a way to go, and for this reason I had no choice but to withdraw from Northern Ireland. <\/p>\n \u2018It\u2019s the only Home Nation event I haven\u2019t won so it was high on my agenda this season. It\u2019s a shame to miss it but sadly had no choice\ud83d\ude4f\u2019<\/p>\n The Melbourne star will hope to be fit and ready to play at the International Championship in Nanjing, where he is due to face Ken Doherty on Sunday November 2.<\/p>\n Robertson\u2019s scheduled opponent in Belfast, David Grace, had already come through qualifying to reach this stage, so the Yorkshireman will receive a bye to the last 32.<\/p>\n \t\t There he will take on the winner of Zhou Yuelong and Dylan Emery.<\/p>\n It is a blow for the tournament and the Belfast crowds after Ronnie O\u2019Sullivan did not enter the tournament<\/a> and Mark Williams<\/a> pulled out earlier this week.<\/p>\n Williams won the title in Xi\u2019an and has opted for a few days off after becoming the oldest ever winner of a ranking event.<\/a><\/p>\n However, big beasts will still roam the baize in Belfast, including defending champion Kyren Wilson and last year\u2019s runner-up Judd Trump.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n The Warrior said of his title defence: \u2018I want to keep hold of the silverware, it\u2019s a great feeling going back as champion. <\/p>\n \u2018The Waterfront is a fantastic venue, last year was the first time I got far enough to experience it with just one table. <\/p>\n \u2018When you get that far the arena becomes extraordinary, with the balconies and tiers going into the distance, it\u2019s a spectacular sight and that really inspired me.\u2019<\/p>\n The likes of Mark Selby<\/a>, world champion Zhao Xintong, Trump<\/a> and John Higgins are all looking for their first piece of silverware of the season, while in-form Shaun Murphy is bidding for his third straight final after winning the British Open<\/a> and reaching the final in Xi\u2019an.<\/p>\n The tournament gets underway on Sunday morning, with the winner crowned the following Sunday.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tNorthern Ireland Open draw and schedule\t\t\t<\/p>\n Sunday October 19<\/strong><\/p>\n 10am<\/p>\n Chris Wakelin vs Lan Yuhao<\/p>\n 1pm<\/p>\n Wu Yize vs Scott Donaldson<\/p>\n Noppon Saengkham vs Ashley Hugill<\/p>\n Zhao Xintong vs Jordan Brown<\/p>\n \t\t 3pm<\/p>\n Mark Selby vs Ian Burns<\/p>\n Pang Junxu vs Robbie Williams<\/p>\n Hossein Vafaei vs Ben Woollaston<\/p>\n 7pm<\/p>\n David Gilbert vs He Guoqiang<\/p>\n Jackson Page vs Steven Hallworth<\/p>\n 9pm<\/p>\n Jack Lisowski vs Haris Tahir<\/p>\n John Higgins vs Louis Heathcote<\/p>\n \t\t Monday October 20<\/strong><\/p>\n 10am<\/p>\n Barry Hawkins vs Zak Surety<\/p>\n Elliot Slessor vs Fan Zhengyi<\/p>\n 1pm<\/p>\n Yuan Sijun vs Daniel Wells<\/p>\n Zhou Yuelong vs Dylan Emery<\/p>\n 3pm<\/p>\n Gary Wilson vs Chang Bingyu<\/p>\n Lei Peifan vs Aaron Hill<\/p>\n Shaun Murphy vs David Lilley<\/p>\n 7pm<\/p>\n Stuart Bingham vs Jimmy Robertson<\/p>\n Jak Jones vs Martin O\u2019Donnell<\/p>\n Mark Allen vs Robert Milkins<\/p>\n 9pm<\/p>\n Joe O\u2019Connor vs Thepchaiya Un-Nooh<\/p>\n \t\t Tuesday October 21<\/strong><\/p>\n 10am<\/p>\n Zhang Anda vs Mark Davis<\/p>\n Stephen Maguire vs Luca Brecel<\/p>\n 1pm<\/p>\n Kyren Wilson vs Oliver Lines<\/p>\n Si Jiahui vs Cheung Ka Wai<\/p>\n 3pm<\/p>\n Matthew Selt vs Ryan Day<\/p>\n Ali Carter vs Stan Moody<\/p>\n How to watch the Northern Ireland Open<\/p>\n As per World Snooker<\/a> Tour, the Northern Ireland<\/a> Open is available to watch in the UK and Ireland on \u2018TNT Sports<\/a> and discovery+.<\/p>\n \u2018Freeview channel DMAX is showing weekday afternoon sessions and all semi-final and final sessions.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Saudi](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2230511529.jpg\")
\n\t\tRobertson landed the \u00a3500,000 top prize in Jeddah in August (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"2024](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2181415091.jpg\")
\n\t\tKyren Wilson beat Judd Trump in last year\u2019s final in Belfast (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"2025](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2232193741.jpg\")
\n\t\tWorld champion Zhao Xintong is bidding for a first Northern Ireland Open title (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"Halo](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2211335970.jpg\")
\n\t\tJohn Higgins begins his Belfast campaign on Sunday night (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"2024](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2181418760.jpg\")
\n\t\tKyren Wilson is the defending champion in Belfast (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
\nMORE: Ronnie O\u2019Sullivan trying to copy snooker rival, reckons Stephen Hendry<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: Ronnie O\u2019Sullivan pays tribute to Paul Hunter on anniversary of snooker star\u2019s tragic death<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: Ronnie O\u2019Sullivan speaks out on rise of snooker prodigy Stan Moody<\/a><\/p>\n