Carter flies through

Carter: Smooth progress

I beat myself again really. I don't think I'm mentally strong enough for these sorts of matches. I think I'm going to see a sports psychologist because I do think it's the only problem stopping me challenging for titles.

Jamie Cope
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Ali Carter cruised into the second round of the Betfred.com World Championship with a 10-4 victory over Jamie Cope, while Ronnie O'Sullivan started his campaign by taking a 7-2 lead against Liang Wenbo.

30-year-old Essex cueman Carter held a commanding 7-2 lead from the first session, and he made no mistake with breaks of 75 and 83, his best of the match, helping him to a routine success.

Carter has moved into third place in the provisional world rankings for next year, and is a former finalist at the Crucible, but he is still downbeat about his chances of going all the way this year.

Putting highly-rated Stoke potter Cope to the sword should have Carter in fine spirits, but the 2008 runner-up was strangely downbeat after his victory.

"I've got no expectations, I've got no hopes of winning, I'm just playing snooker and seeing what happens," Carter said.

Can't Cope

Carter will now face Joe Perry in the second round, while Cope was left scratching his head at again failing to fulfil his potential, and he believes he has a mental block on the big stage.

The 24-year-old let slip a 12-10 lead to lose 13-12 against John Higgins in the second round last year, and had been expected to make life difficult for Carter.

"I beat myself again really," said Cope. "I don't think I'm mentally strong enough for these sorts of matches.

"I think I'm going to see a sports psychologist because I do think it's the only problem stopping me challenging for titles."

Meanwhile, O'Sullivan began his bid for a fourth world title with a tough first round assignment against rising Chinese star Liang, but moved into a comfortable five-frame lead after the first session.

O'Sullivan, whose last title came after beating Carter in the 2008 final, showed flashes of form when he made breaks of 100 and 108 in back-to-back frames to lead 3-1.

The moments of genius were interspersed with plenty of mediocre snooker from both players, but O'Sullivan rallied in the closing two frames to leave him needing three more to go through.

'The Rocket' was on course for a 147 maximum in the final frame when he missed an easy red with the rest on 56, but despite being clearly annoyed he finished off the frame on his next visit to remain on course for the second round.