Defending champion Mark Williams faced a significant setback on the opening day of the Unibet British Open in Cheltenham, suffering a 4-1 defeat to Rory Thor. Williams, who had recently changed his cue after being the runner-up to Judd Trump at the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, has struggled since that decision, having lost in the first round of the English Open last week as well. Thor, ranked 81st in the world, secured one of the best victories of his career with a top break of 85, advancing to the last 64 of the tournament.
Meanwhile, Judd Trump, currently the standout player of the season, moved closer to a remarkable milestone by recording his 999th career century. Trump, who has already claimed two titles this season, began his match with Robert Milkins with a strong 4-1 win. Despite facing a near miss to the tournament due to a three-hour traffic jam on the M5, he arrived just in time to make an impressive start, notching up breaks of 104, 81, 74, and 81 throughout the match.
Following John Higgins, who recently became one of only two players to achieve 1,000 centuries alongside Ronnie O'Sullivan, Trump expressed his desire to reach this milestone with flair, hoping for a 147 break in his next match. He remarked on the significance of joining Higgins and O'Sullivan, stating, “It would be special to join Ronnie and John, two of the greatest of all time. But one day I want to be the best and take all the records on my own.”
In other notable matches, world number three Mark Allen narrowly defeated Gary Wilson 4-3 and will face Aaron Hill, who also won 4-3 against Ding Junhui with a top break of 117. John Higgins showcased his skills with breaks of 72 and 88 in a convincing 4-1 win over Ross Muir, while Shaun Murphy achieved a 105 break in a 4-0 victory against Ian Burns. Additionally, Mark Selby secured a thrilling win over Pang Junxu with a 58 clearance in the final frame, and world champion Kyren Wilson dismissed Julien Leclercq 4-0, highlighted by a break of 98. Newcomer Bulcsu Revesz celebrated a significant victory over Ali Carter, expressing his excitement about competing on the professional tour.
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