Welsh Open 2024: Anthony McGill ends hopes of home favourite Mark Williams, John Higgins records fine win over Ryan Day

Anthony McGill brushed aside Mark Williams with an excellent performance to advance in the Welsh Open on Wednesday.

McGill has been enduring a difficult season thus far, but he put on a show for the fans in Llandudno to eliminate the home favourite in the third round.

The opening frame was a tale of two huge missed opportunities – McGill failing to pot a straightforward pink and Williams jawsing a red – but the latter’s proved the more costly as the Scot got his nose in front.

Rather than dwell on his error, Williams responded with a stylish break of 94 to level the scores at 1-1.

Williams was first to get amongst the balls in the third frame but couldn’t make any more than 36. Again McGill would make him pay, this time with a clinical break of 69, as he reclaimed a 2-1 lead.

McGill went from the sublime to the ridiculous when he missed an almost inexplicable blue at the start of the fourth frame. That, however, would fail to deter him as he capitalised on a poor safety shot from Williams, who was becoming increasingly sloppy, and moved to within one of victory.

Playing at an average of 21 seconds a shot, McGill continued to turn on the style with two strong visits to the table and the world No. 25 can now look forward to a meeting with either Gary Wilson or Jack Lisowski in the last 16.

Meanwhile, John Higgins’ rich vein of form continued as he progressed with a 4-1 win over Ryan Day.

Higgins made a blistering start to the match with a rapid break of 39, and while he couldn’t finish in one visit, he had given himself a great advantage and finished the job when Day left a red hanging over the pocket.

In contrast to the opener, the second frame was a long, protracted affair. Safety and sloppiness were to the fore, but Day eventually prevailed after 42 minutes to level the scores at 1-1.

Higgins simply brushed himself down, though, to retake the lead with a classy 124 total clearance, and his momentum continued as he closed in on victory with another convincing showing.

Down on his luck, Day’s attempted plant went badly wrong as he inadvertently opened the pack for Higgins in the fifth frame, and while the veteran couldn’t see it off on his next visit, he eventually got over the line.

Mark Allen also progressed with a 4-1 win over Si Jiahui, Robbie Williams beat Adam Duffy 4-2, and Matthew Selt overcame Duane Jones 4-1.

Defending champion Robert Milkins whitewashed David Gilbert 4-0.

It was another disappointing night for Neil Robertson, who exited the tournament following a 4-2 loss to Ricky Walden, despite taking a 2-0 lead.