John Higgins’ quest to win his home event failed at the penultimate hurdle as an inspired Neil Robertson knocked him out of the Dafabet Scottish Open.

Higgins had reached the semi-finals with a crushing 5-0 win over Ronnie O’Sullivan but fell 6-3 to Australian cueman Robertson late on Saturday evening.

Robertson flew out of the blocks at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, allowing the four-time world champion to accrue only 12 points across four frames prior to the mid-session interval – breaks of 117, 65, 74 and 135 putting him into a seemingly insurmountable 4-0 lead.

Higgins, who reached the final last year, is renowned for his fighting spirit however, and runs of 50 and 68 helped him claw back to within a frame at 4-3.

But world No.20 Robertson has been in inspired form all week and booked a place in Sunday’s best-of-19 final against Cao Yupeng by making two half-centuries in frame eight and edging his way over the line in the ninth.

Judd Trump, however, believes his semi-final conqueror will not go on and lift the trophy after claiming Cao is not good enough to get past Neil Robertson.

Cao is ranked 64 places lower in the world rankings than world No.3 Trump, but that mattered not in Glasgow as the Chinese potter overcame his opponent 6-4 in the first of Saturday’s semi-final matches.

The man from Guangzhou started like a train in his last-four tie, flying into a 2-0 lead before Trump responded to bring things back to 3-3.

But the Bristolian never looked comfortable and didn’t enjoy a match against an opponent he thinks plays the game too slow.

“No – he’s not good enough to win it I don’t think,” Trump commented.

“He’s done well to get to the final but unless Neil [Robertson] absolutely collapses he hasn’t got a chance I don’t think.

“I can’t see why anyone would play slow to be honest, you practice that much that you can’t really be not seeing the shots and stuff I just think some people like to play slow and put their opponents off.

“It’s worked for him and unless people judge that we need shot-clocks it will continue.

“I think there should be some tournaments where we use them (shot-clocks), not every tournament.

“People are going to enjoy his style of play but it’s hard to watch, obviously if I was playing well I probably would be sat here saying something completely different, I had my chances.”

Cao may not be in the world’s top 50 but has had a good season and hit a 147 in the first round in Glasgow, also beating Tom Ford and Ricky Walden on the way to the semi-final.

“It was a bad loss really,” said Trump. “I think he controlled the game and he’s made it a slow one, it was hard for me to get any rhythm going.

“It’s just draining, it’s hard to watch really, you’re sat there and trying to get some momentum going, you get in amongst the balls and you’re rushing to pot then you end up missing then you’re sat down for two hours again.

“Some of the Chinese are very very slow and it’s hard to play against, obviously I would’ve preferred Ricky (Walden) to get through because you know what kind of game you’re going to get and it’s a more enjoyable game.

Trump will now turn his attentions to next week’s German Masters qualifying round, where he takes on Adam Duffy in his last competition before Christmas.

And he admitted his semi-final defeat in Glasgow will take some getting over.

“It’s tough to sit down and watch that,” Trump added. “I did well to get back to 3-3 and then had a kick and it kind of just ruined it for me.

“I was just getting some momentum and he was gone, he chucked it then and just I was getting going that kick knocked me back.

“I missed two balls and I had chances in the last frame as well. I didn’t play well at all so I didn’t deserve to win.

“I had a good chance in the last and missed an easy red to middle, I was just sat down too much today to be honest.

“When you’re sat there so long you’re trying extra hard when you get back to the table and you miss.

“It was hard for me to get any rhythm going and when I did get going at 3-3 I had that easy red to the top corner, had a kick to the corner and threw away the advantage again.”

Watch the Scottish Open LIVE on Eurosport, Eurosport Player and Quest with Andy Goldstein and analysis from Jimmy White and Neal Foulds