Higgins and Ding progress

John Higgins today advanced to the second round of the Welsh Open with a 5-2 victory over Dominic Dale in Newport.

The first four frames were shared before Higgins won the last three in a row to progress to the last 16.

The former world champion recorded the only century of the match with a break of 101 in the sixth frame, and sealed victory in style in the next.

After Welshman Dale was first in with a break of 33, Higgins compiled a superb break of 60 despite the last three reds being awkwardly situated, leaving himself in position to double the final one into the middle pocket.

China’s Ding Junhui also went through to the second round, beating another Welshman in Matthew Stevens 5-3.

A break of 59 helped Ding edge ahead for the first time in the match at 3-2 but Stevens levelled the scores with a break of 86, the highest in the match.

However, Ding took the next without Stevens potting a ball and sealed victory with runs of 31 and 28.