Mark Williams posts tournament-high break in win over Alexander Ursenbacher at Northern Ireland Open

Mark Williams produced a mixed performance but had enough in the tank to secure a 4-2 victory over Alexander Ursenbacher in the second round of the Northern Ireland Open.

The three-time world champion weathered an early storm from his Swiss opponent, before getting himself in the contest at the Waterfront Hall.

Williams is seeking a second Northern Ireland Open title, and kept Ursenbacher in his seat with a tournament-high break before closing out the win to set up a meeting with Jimmy Robertson.

Ursenbacher would have arrived in Belfast without much fear, having beaten Ronnie O’Sullivan in the qualifying round for the British Open.

He was beaten by Joe O’Connor in the following round, but the scalp of the world champion is a notable one and he raced out of the blocks against Williams with a break of 118.

Williams has been there, seen it and got the t-shirt. And as he revealed on social media earlier in the day, taken up a spot of acting.

The three-time world champion does not need to act calm, it is his default position, and he was totally unfazed by Ursenbacher’s rapid start as he hit back with a brilliant break of 139 – his 10th ton of the season and the highest of the tournament to date.

The opening two frames went by in the blink of an eye, but the third was a 37-minute arm-wrestle.

After showing his break-building brilliance in frame two, he got the better of a sustained safety duel with Ursenbacher to edge ahead.

The fluency of the first frame was a distant memory for Ursenbacher as he struggled after being dragged into a safety battle in the third.

He had chances in the fourth, but could not get going and his woes were compounded when he called a foul on himself for catching the green when bridging over the ball – as Williams moved into a 3-1 lead.

The general standard of play dipped following the quality of the opening two frames. Williams played a couple of uncharacteristically poor shots in the fifth and it allowed Ursenbacher a lifeline in the contest.

After losing his way, Williams produced a stunning opening red – with the white tight under the baulk cushion – to kick off the sixth frame and he fashioned a fabulous break of 78 to close out the win.

It wasn’t vintage Williams, but there were flashes of brilliance and the trademark nuggety matchplay which will serve him well as the tournament progresses.

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