Welsh snooker legend Mark Williams admitted his young compatriots Liam Davies and Jackson Page are ready to take on China’s best talents, after holding off a spirited fightback from teenager Davies to prevail 5-3 at the Wuhan Open.
The three-time World Champion was in sensational form in the opening three frames this evening, crafting consecutive century breaks of 125, 100 and 137 to storm into a 3-0 lead. Williams then added a fourth to move 4-0 ahead at the mid-session interval.W
Whenplay resumed, 19-year-old Davies showed his class to burst back into contention. The former European Under-21 champion took three on the bounce, including runs of 61 and 94, to move just a frame back at 4-3. However, 50-year-old Williams stamped out hopes of a comeback with 70 in the eighth to get over the line. Next up he faces Joe O’Connor in round three.
“He never looked for once as if he’d gave up. He never threw the towel in and he made some great breaks to get to 4-3,” said world number five Williams, who was runner-up to Zhao Xintong in the Crucible final back in May.
“Both Liam and Jackson are as good as most of the Chinese players. It is easy for me to say that after having just beat one of them. He is only 19 and he has many years yet. It is nice to have a couple of youngsters that can take it to the young Chinese players. It has been a long time with them dominating.
“My game is there but not as consistent as it used to be. First session I can have it and the next I can be dreadful. That is what it is. I’m enjoying it and giving it a good go. I do fade a little bit now though.”
Barry Hawkins found himself facing yet another decider, this time prevailing 5-4 against Welshman Jamie Jones to make round three.
Since finishing last season with a 10-9 defeat to Hossein Vafaei at the World Championship, five of Hawkins’ last eight matches have come down to final frames. The Londoner arrived in Wuhan off the back of a 6-5 defeat to Chris Wakelin at the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters and a 6-5 loss to Ronnie O’Sullivan at the Shanghai Masters.
A cagey decider this afternoon saw both players spurn chances to get over the line on the colours, but eventually Hawkins cracked in a superb long range green to a black end corner, screwing back to find position on the brown and a 5-4 victory. He’ll now play Jak Jones.
Hawkins said: “You don’t want to keep being in deciding frames, but as long as you are on the right side of them it is alright. Today I’m really just so lucky still to be here after that. It is hard, especially when you know your game isn’t there. I felt all over the place and had no confidence at all. Every ball felt like a pint of blood. What I do is just battle and battle. I’ve absolutely used my get out of jail free card there.”
Defending champion Xiao Guodong began his tournament campaign in fine fashion, beating Mink Nutcharut 5-0 with a 147 break along the way. His next assignment is India’s Ishpreet Singh Chadha.
World Champion Zhao Xintong looked to be set for his own perfect break before spurning a straightforward pink on 134. However, he still beat a spirited Iulian Boiko 5-3 and will now play Matthew Stevens.
World number one Judd Trump was a 5-1 victor against Pakistan’s Farakh Ajaib and plays Liu Hongyu up next. Meanwhile, Mark Selby booked a clash with David Gilbert after beating Michael Holt 5-2.
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