Welsh Open Day 3

Joe Perry was a surprise 4-0 winner over Mark Selby

Joe Perry pulled out the biggest upset of the day when he whitewashed a surprisingly lacklustre Mark Selby. Selby, who has been in excellent form of late, did not seem to turn up for the races on Wednesday and top breaks of 74 in the opener and a 111 in the fourth paved the way for Perry who will play Alan McManus in the last 16.

Judd Trump pulled out an excellent comeback to defeat Dominic Dale after trailing 3-1. The Welshman won the first two and also knocked in a 114 in the fourth to go 3-1 up with three to play. However, Trump secured the next and runs of 55 and 50 to progress.

World number 14 Ricky Walden was well beaten as he lost out to Tom Ford, who is ranked at 27. The pair were tied at 1-1 but the Leicester man won the next three including runs of 68 and 72 in frames four and five.

Defending champion Ding Junhui also eased through in the other afternoon session match after he whitewashed Mark King, including century breaks of 137 and 115.

Home hero Mark Williams’ hopes of winning the Welsh Open for a third time were brought to an end after he was defeated 4-1 by Robert Milkins. However the Welsh Potting Machine has more pressing matters coming up with his wife expecting their third child in a couple of days’ time. Back on the baize, Milkins led 2-1 thanks to breaks of 50 and 59 and the Gloucester man sealed the match by winning the next two, including a run of 87 in the fifth.

The other evening session match saw Graeme Dott secure a last 16 tie with Pankaj Advani after he defeated Fergal O’Brien 4-2. The match was anyone’s at 2-2 but a 68 gave Dott the edge by winning frame five and he secured victory at the second attempt in the sixth.

At the start of the day’s play, Stuart Bingham cruised through his match against world number 82 Craig Steadman. Top breaks of 82 and 127 sets Bingham up with a last 16 tie with Neil Robertson on Thursday.

On the other side Andrew Higginson came though his last 32 match with a 4-2 win over world 79 Michael Walsey. Higginson trailed 2-1 at one point but the Widnes man won the next three on the bounce to progress to the last 16 where he will play Judd Trump.