Snooker: Out-of-sorts Williams edges through

World champion Mark Williams survived a close shave in the first round of the Regal Welsh Open in Cardiff and admitted: "My head's in a bucket at the moment".

The 25 year-old left-hander holds a virtually insurmountable lead at the head of the provisional world rankings and has not lost his opening match in a ranking event since the Regal Scottish Open in February last year.

But that proud record was seriously threatened before Williams dug deep to score a 5-3 victory over former Crucible finalist Nigel Bond.

"To be fair this is probably the worst I've felt, in terms of the way I'm cueing, for ages," revealed Williams.

"When I'm playing screw shots I'm not getting through the cue-ball and I'm stunning everything. It's really affecting my concentration.

"I think it's just in my head and that's running away with me. I'm trying not to let it worry me, but it's difficult not too.

"I'm jabbing at everything and losing position, but I'll sort it out sooner or later".

There were precious few signs of any such deficiency as runs of 55, 49 and 135 saw the Welshman, who has twice won his home tournament, establish an early 2-1 advantage.

But Bond, in the doldrums himself in recent years, then moved 3-2 ahead and threatened to cause a shock to rival that of the first-round departure of sixth seed Matthew Stevens this afternoon.

Bond also led 31-0 in the next frame, but he missed a routine black off its spot.

Williams responded with a 55 which proved to be the turning point of the match as he went 4-3 up and then salvaged the eighth frame on the pink after trailing by 57.

In the last 16 tomorrow, tournament-favourite Williams faces Romford's Mark King, who surprisingly beat him at the corresponding stage of the British Open.

Williams, the first reigning world champion from Wales to play in a ranking event staged in his own country, added: "I'm glad I got over the line because I had great support out there.

"They needn't worry about one thing - I'll be giving it 110%".

Elsewhere, Hong Kong's Marco Fu celebrated the Chinese New Year with a 5-1 victory over Wayne Brown.

Fu, born in the year of the snake, displayed plenty of bite as a 139 total clearance highlighted a performance which sets up a meeting with Stephen Hendry.

Paul Hunter, who captured the Regal Welsh title in 1998 when only 19 years old, coasted into round two by whitewashing Chester's Nick Walker 5-0.