Big names ease through

Dott forced to withdraw through illness

Last updated: 6th December 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Big names ease through

Williams: easy progress

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Mark Williams progressed to the second round of the Pukka Pies UK Championship after Graeme Dott was forced to quit their match due to illness, while newly-crowned Premier League champion Shaun Murphy also made comfortable progress.

Williams, UK champion in 1999 and 2002, had forged into a 6-2 lead after the opening session of their contest in at the Telford International Centre.

But Dott failed to reappear for the second session after deciding he was not fit to continue, handing Williams an easy passage.

However, there were signs of good form from the 34-year-old who made six breaks above 50 in eight frames, and he will face the winner of the first-round clash between Marco Fu and Peter Lines.

Murphy was worked somewhat harder but still came through in convincing style as he chalked up a 9-5 success over Gerard Greene.

Mark King joined Williams and Murphy in the second round as he saw off Anthony Hamilton 9-2.

The Essex cueman was comfortably the better player against Nottingham's Hamilton and had also led 6-2 after the opening session.

He quickly wrapped up matters in the evening for the loss of no further frames and will now face either Liang Wembo or Ryan Day with the Chinese player currently leading 6-2.

Stephen Maguire also secured his spot in the next round as he saw off the determined challenge of Michael Holt with a 9-6 triumph.

Reigning Grand Prix champion Neil Robertson made two century breaks as his match against Leicester's Tom Ford got under way.

The Australian produced contributions of 100 and an early contender for the top break prize, 137, but still only led 5-3 at the end of the opening session after letting his opponent claim the last two frames.

The all-English affair between Jamie Cope and Mark Selby looks to be heading for a tight finish after the players finished today's session on level terms at 4-4, while former UK Championship quarter-finalist Stuart Bingham opened up a 6-2 lead over Joe Perry.