John Higgins became the latest big name to crash out of the UK Championship after losing a thrilling second round clash 6-5 to his friend and fellow Scot Alan McManus.
The three-time champion, who struggled in his first round win over Dechawat
Poomjaeng at York’s Barbican Centre, won the first frame but lost the next three to trail McManus 3-1 at the interval.
Four successive frames put Higgins one away from victory at 5-3 but McManus – who has never reached the final of this tournament – reduced the deficit before dominating the last two frames to reach round three.
But there were no such problems for world champion Mark Williams, who brushed aside Daniel Wells 6-0 to move closer to a title which would see him return to world number one.
Elsewhere on the opening day of second round matches, Jack Lisowski was a comfortable 6-1 conqueror of Mei Xi Wen, with two centuries in the first three frames helping him on his way.
Three Chinese players made sure of progress in the afternoon. Xiao Guodong beat Ben Woollaston, compiling seven 50+ breaks in the 6-3 success, Zhou Yuelong ousted Mark Davis 6-4 and Tian Pengfei knocked out Jimmy Robertson 6-2. Lu Ning followed them in the evening with a 6-4 victory over Mark Joyce.
Kyren Wilson recovered from losing the first two frames to see off Mike Dunn, Stuart Bingham edged out Kurt Maflin 6-5, while a break of 113 in the final frame enabled Tom Ford to do likewise to Robert Milkins.
There were also wins for Barry Hawkins, Joe Perry, Mark King and Sunny Akani.
