Williams on Rocket course

Williams: Round two

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Mark Williams improved on his morning form to beat Marcus Campbell 10-5 and book a possible Crucible showdown with Ronnie O'Sullivan in the second round.

Steve Davis entered the Crucible for his landmark 30th campaign, and he was at his battling best as he ended his first session against Mark King just 5-4 behind.

Two-time world champion Williams was only 5-4 in front heading into the evening session, and the Scot levelled as he took the opening frame of the night.

However, 2000 and 2003 world champion Williams hit back and produced breaks of 54, 71 and 87 as he reeled off five frames on the spin to go through.

With O'Sullivan 7-2 to the good against Liang Wenbo it could be a massive match in the next round for the Welshman.

Showdown

"Hopefully it'll be as good a match as it looks on paper," said Williams.

Despite winning the China Open this year and looking rejuvenated, Williams admits that he is struggling away from the table and needs to settle down.

"I haven't sorted them all out yet but I'm getting there," Williams said of his personal problems. "You've got to be good off the table to be good on the table. I'm having a few problems at the minute."

O'Sullivan was in hot water again as he was told to cut out the nonsense after he made a rude gesture during his opening match against Liang.

When he missed in the seventh frame the frustration spilled over into his body language as he flicked a middle finger in the ball's direction. He was warned about his behaviour by referee Colin Humphries, and has been told a repeat will result in him being docked a frame.

Nugget landmark

Six-time world champion Davis entered the arena to thunderous applause on his 30th appearance, and he was involved in a tense scrap with King - who ended the night with just a 5-4 advantage.

After the build-up, it was somewhat perverse that the match then got off to a false start, with a re-rack required after an enthralling safety battle, which was locked in stalemate.

Incredibly another re-rack looked on the cards at one stage, as the play followed a near-identical pattern to the aborted frame, but King eventually got a chance, and a break of 53 inched him in front.

When King fired in a run of 94 to move 3-1 in front it was looking ominous for the veteran, not least because Davis had missed a straight black off its spot to present the chance.

King, 36, could only admire the sight of a legend in full flow in the next frame though, as Davis produced a 77 break, and soon it was 3-3. World number 16 King responded well by taking the next two frames to guarantee himself an overnight lead.