China Open Day 1

Graeme Dott is into the last 16 of the China Open after beating
Marco Fu 5-3. Image: World Snooker

Stephen Maguire pulled out a good comeback from 3-1 down to beat Michael Holt on the opening day of the China Open. It was a high quality opening to the match with three centuries in the first four frames. Holt took the opener and won the second with a break of 105. Maguire responded with a 133 total clearance but Holt ensured an interval advantage thanks to a 101 break. However Maguire settled after the break and won four frames on the bounce, including breaks of 63, 66 and 62 to secure the win.

Earlier in the day, Graeme Dott defeated recently in-form Marco Fu by the same scoreline in the other First Round match. Fu won the opening two frames although Dott hit back taking the next two, including a 76 in the fourth. Dott also won frames five and six to go 4-2 up and although Fu nicked the next back, Dott rounded off the win by taking frame eight.

There was a surprise result in the wildcard round as Jamie Cope was defeated by Chinese youngster Zhao Xintong. Cope did win the opener bit Zhao shocked the Stoke man by winning four frames in a row to go 4-1 up. Cope kept his hopes alive by winning the sixth but Zhao completed the shock result by winning the seventh.

Anthony McGill overcame his match against Heydari Nezhad Ehsan, although the Iranian put up a good fight, only going down 5-3. McGill took frames five and six to go 4-2 and although Ehsan hit a 52 to make it 4-3 the Scot avoided a decider by winning frame eight.

Jack Lisowski eased through his wildcard match with a 5-1 win over Zhou Yuelong. Jack knocked in a top break of 102 in frame six and will face housemate Judd Trump in the First Round tomorrow evening.

Jimmy Robertson was in good form as he won the other afternoon session wildcard match with a 5-1 victory over Wang Yuchen. Despite Wang taking the opener, he had little look in for the rest of the match as Robertson showed his break building abilities with top runs of 142, 121 and 126.

Liang Wenbo also cruised through to the first round after beating teenager Lu Ning 5-1. Liang made breaks of 76, 126 and 68 on course to victory. The other result in the afternoon session saw another 5-1 victory as Rory McLeod defeated Hu Hao.