Williams Exits Welsh Open; Higgins and Robertson Advance
Mark Williams, a home favourite and two-time Welsh Open champion, has been eliminated from the tournament following a defeat by Barry Hawkins.
Williams, who secured his place in the last 16 with a commanding 4-1 victory over Martin O'Donnell, initially took a 2-1 lead against Hawkins, achieving his highest break of the tournament with a 115 in the second frame.
A pivotal moment occurred in the fifth frame when Williams was poised to lead 3-2, but an unfortunate in-off on the white ball into the middle pocket altered the course of the match.
Seizing the opportunity, Hawkins, who was the runner-up in 2018, cleared the table and then won the sixth frame with an 84 break to secure the match.
Other Welsh players Jak Jones and Jackson Page also exited the Llandudno event on Thursday, marking the end of Welsh representation in this year's competition.
"I thought it was a good match, we both played really well," Williams told Wales. "I made some great breaks and just a little bit of luck in the last couple of frames decided the way it went. It's fine margins at this high level and I was just a little bit unlucky today."
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Home Hopes End as Hawkins and Robertson Progress
Barry Hawkins will face fellow two-time champion Neil Robertson in the quarter-finals after Robertson narrowly defeated Welshman Jak Jones 4-3.
Jones started strongly with a 126 break, but Robertson responded with a 122 break. The match was tied at 3-3 before Robertson clinched victory in the deciding seventh frame.
With Jones eliminated, Jackson Page remained the sole Welsh contender but was defeated 4-2 by Jack Lisowski. Lisowski produced breaks of 67, 84, 99, and 54 in a convincing win.
Lisowski will next face 2017 champion Stuart Bingham, who secured a 4-2 win over world champion Zhao Xintong.
Higgins Nears Sixth Welsh Open Title
John Higgins, who holds the record for the most Welsh Open titles with five victories, remains on track for a sixth after defeating Zhang Anda 4-2.
After losing the opening frame, Higgins recovered with breaks of 95, 78, and 60. Zhang responded with a century break, but Higgins sealed the match with an outstanding 144 break, narrowly missing a maximum 147.
Higgins will face the winner of the match between Zhou Yuelong and Sam Craigie for a semi-final berth.
Meanwhile, an all-Chinese quarter-final is set between Jiang Jun and Wu Yize. Jiang secured a 4-1 victory over Robbie Williams, while Wu produced three breaks over 70 plus a century to defeat David Grace 4-0.
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Welsh Open Day Four Results
- Mark Williams 2-4 Barry Hawkins
- Stuart Bingham 4-2 Zhao Xintong
Dates: Monday, 23 February - Sunday, 1 March
Welsh Open snooker, Barry Hawkins, Mark Williams, John Higgins, Neil Robertson, Jak Jones, Jackson Page, Jack Lisowski, Stuart Bingham, Zhao Xintong, Zhou Yuelong, Sam Craigie, Jiang Jun, Wu Yize, snooker championships, Llandudno tournament
