Higgins overcomes Bond challenge in China

John Higgins battled past Nigel Bond today to seal his place in the second round of the Bank of Beijing China Open.

The Scot wrapped up a 5-3 win despite making only one break over 50 as Bond kept the pressure on until the very end.

The first two frames were shared, Bond taking the second with the help of a break of 41 after Higgins had got in first with a 49.

He added the third with a superb 138, the best break of the tournament thus far, but Higgins hit back with a 76 and it was all square at the mid-session interval.

There was no splitting them in the next two frames either, Bond edging ahead with a 46 and Higgins levelling once more with a 47.

The world number one then moved within one frame of victory with a 43 and appeared to be over the line in the next. Bond, though, got the snooker and free ball he required to put the frame back in the balance - but a poor positional shot to the brown prevented the veteran clearing up and Higgins potted the clinching blue and pink.

Ali Carter hammered Stuart Bingham 5-1 to set up a last-16 clash with Marcus Campbell.

Bingham led after a 76 in the opening frame, but that was as good as it got as Carter levelled with the help of an 88.

That standard was not maintained, but Carter produced breaks over 40 in each of the next four frames to ease to victory.

Peter Ebdon produced four half-centuries in a fluent 5-2 win over Gerard Greene.

The former world champion is not noted for slick break-building but recovered from losing the first frame to lead 2-1 after runs of 61 and 54.

Greene levelled with a 65 and the fifth frame was a trademark Ebdon grind, but he kicked on from there and wrapped up victory with breaks of 66 and another 54. He will now face world champion Neil Robertson.

Rising star Judd Trump enjoyed a 5-3 win over Hong Kong's Marco Fu in the remaining match of the early session and will meet Mark Davis.