Mark Williams backs up Masters run with first-round win over Jamie Jones at World Grand Prix, Ryan Day also through

Williams would have no doubt been disappointed to lose out to Judd Trump so narrowly at Alexandra Palace last Sunday, but he didn’t show it as he took three straight frames from 1-1 to progress.

Williams was never behind in the encounter, having taken the first with a consummate break of 104.

It was an ominous sign for Jones, but to his credit he bounced back in the next after Williams missed a red. Jones got far enough ahead in the score to leave his illustrious opponent needing a snooker, but ultimately Jones managed to sink the final red and make it level.

However, it was one-way traffic from there in favour of Williams.

The Welshman was on course for another ton in frame three after cashing in on a Jones mistake, and though his run was stopped at 82, it was more than plenty to take a 2-1 lead.

If he missed out on a century there, he was not to be denied thereafter as he zipped around the table to take himself one frame from victory.

And when Jones missed a red to the middle in the next, Williams was once again ruthless when he came to the table, hitting a spectacular 121 – his third ton in five frames – to take the match in style.

Over on table two, Day saw off Ricky Walden, also 4-1.

Day went 3-0 up with some solid snooker to threaten a whitewash, and although Walden got one back, he didn’t have enough to push Day any further in the tie.

The afternoon’s second matches – still ongoing – feature Mark Selby against Noppon Saengkham and Ding Junhui against Stuart Bingham.

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