HK's Fu claims another scalp
Snooker sensation Marco Fu Ka-chun claimed the scalp of another top-ranked player as he eliminated world number five Mark Williams in the first round of the Charity Challenge tournament in Derby, England, yesterday.
Fu, one of the circuit's rising stars and currently ranked 41st in the world, will take on world number four Ken Doherty of Ireland for a place in the semi-finals after his 5-3 win over the Welshman.
It was his second major upset, following his shock victory over world number three Ronnie O'Sullivan on his way to the final of the Liverpool Victoria Grand Prix tournament in October.
Yesterday, Fu had a flying start, taking a 2-0 lead with frames of 67 and 58.
Although Williams - winner of the recent Nations Cup, Irish Open and Royal Welsh Open - took the following frame, Fu extended the lead to 3-1. Williams won the next two frames to level at 3-3 but Fu took the final two frames 114-8, 86-20.
Although the tournament does not carry ranking points, the 12 players invited to the event can win prize money as well as raise funds for charity.
Fu, who represents the Motor Neuron Disease Association, is using the tournament as a warmup for April's British Open and the Embassy World Championship qualifiers.
In another match, the legendary Steve Davis defeated world number seven Peter Ebdon and will clash with the world's top player, John Higgins, in the quarter-finals.
World number two Stephen Hendry, number six John Parrot and number eight Alan McManus are the others competing top-10 players.
