Williams sinks world champ

Williams: Top form

It's always been one of my dreams to make a 147, especially in a televised ranking event. The first one is special and I'm very proud. I'm also disappointed to have lost the match.

Neil Robertson
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World champion John Higgins joined the list of big names being knocked of the China Open as he was beaten 5-2 by Mark Williams in Beijing, where Neil Robertson hit a 147 but still lost 5-1.

Higgins has made at least the semi-finals of the last six ranking events, including winning the Betfred.com World Championship at the Crucible last year and the Welsh Open, but that run was ended by an in-form Williams.

Williams is getting somewhere near his best form this year after a season outside the top 16, with a run to the semi-finals of the Masters the highlight.

And the left-handed Welshman proved more than a match for the reigning world champion with his comprehensive victory in the last 16, which keeps him on track for a first trophy since winning in China four years ago.

"To beat the World Champion at any time is difficult so I'm very pleased to do that, especially as I played well all the way through the match," said Williams. "John missed a few balls and I capitalised on that and made some good breaks."

Aussie max

Australian Neil Robertson rattled in a brilliant maximum 147 clearance in his match with Peter Ebdon, but still found himself on the wrong end of a 5-1 defeat at the hands of the defending champion.

Robertson's effort came in the second frame to make it 1-1, but he could not regain his composure and breaks of 68 and 66 were enough to book his place in the quarter-finals.

"It's always been one of my dreams to make a 147, especially in a televised ranking event," said Robertson. "The first one is special and I'm very proud. I'm also disappointed to have lost the match but Peter played fantastic snooker and didn't give me many chances.

"If you make a 147 early in the match, there are lots of emotions and for the next half an hour you are excited, you can't calm down and forget about it, so it's hard to focus on the match. In terms of trying to win, it's about the worst thing that can happen - unless you do it in the last frame."

Top quality

Masters champion Mark Selby was a 5-3 loser against home hero Ding Junhui in a top-quality contest which included four century breaks, two for each man.

126 and a 56 from Ding gave him a flying 2-0 start but Selby's response was immaculate with 1-1 and 116 levelling the contest, but a 101 from Ding edged him back in front and he edged to victory from there.

Veteran Stephen Hendry was on top form as he whitewashed Ryan Day 5-0 with breaks of 76 and 68 doing the damage for the seven-time world champion.

"The standard is so high these days that it's hard to win a match to zero, so I'm very happy," said Hendry. "The first two frames were scrappy but after that I felt confident."