World Championship: Yan Bingtao through as Liang Wenbo falls to Neil Robertson, Tian Pengfei leads John Higgins
- China loses its first representative in Sheffield, but one advances and another leads a four-time world champion
Liang Wenbo was well beaten by former world champion Neil Robertson, losing four frames in a row after the restart to bow out 10-3 against the Australian.
“It was a good performance. It’s important to play how I want,” Robertson said.
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“Liang was one of the tougher ones to draw. But I maintained my levels and I feel really good and really happy.”
Yan, who was deadlocked at 4-4 after the first day of play on Saturday, claimed an emphatic win on day two of the competition, which runs until May 3. He moved 5-4 clear before Gould hit back, but that would be the last time the Englishman had the Masters champion in his sights as Yan struck breaks of 130, 116, 70 and 67 to advance.
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“I think he is a very dangerous player,” said Yan, who would break Crucible legend Stephen Hendry’s record as the youngest ever champion were he to triumph this year.
“Winning the Masters gave me confidence and changed my life. I have worked hard practising and prioritising for this championship.”
The 21-year-old now faces the winner of the clash between Sean Murphy and Mark Davis in the last-16, but was coy on his chances of victory in Sheffield this year.
“I’m maybe a little bit young [to win the championship], just 21. I think I have a chance … of a 13-year-old.”
Tian Pengfei, who came through three qualifying matches to make the first round, holds a 4-3 lead against four-time world champion John Higgins after an ugly opening first session.
Higgins, the world No 5, took the opening frame before 33-year-old Tian hit back, winning the next four – the third courtesy of a sumptuous 111 clearance.
Under pressure, Higgins took the final two frames of the day to set the match up for an attritional final day of action on Monday.
Tian has only competed at the Crucible once, in 2019, and has never won a match at the worlds.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Welsh qualifier Jamie Jones defeated world No 8 Stephen Maguire 10-4 to advance. He will meet either Ding Junhui or Stuart Bingham, whose match gets under way today, next.
Dave Gilbert, a 2019 semi-finalist, also progressed after defeating Chris Wakelin 10-4.
