Kyren Wilson played an excellent hand to beat Stuart Bingham 5-1. Bingham had chances in the opening frame, but it was Wilson that took his for the 1-0 lead. He took his early chance in the next as well, and after a nervy period when Bingham recovered from needing snookers, Wilson held his nerve to double his lead. Wilson dominated the next as well, putting his lead to 3-0 and putting Stuart well under the cosh at this stage. Kyren turned up the heat in the next with a classy break of 97, to go into the interval one away from a place in the last 16. Bingham kept fighting though, and with a break of 56 reduced the deficit to 4-1, but still with a long way to go. Wilson sealed he deal in the next frame though with a break of 54 along the way, to give him a well earned 5-1 win and keep his great start to the season going.
Xiao Guodong also pulled out a brilliant performance to see off one of my favourites for the week Maguire 5-2. He opened up an early 3-0 lead with the help of breaks of 89 and 54 to put the Scotsman under pressure right from the off. A break of 69 in the fourth frame, gave Guodong a 4-0 interval lead and Maguire left with plenty to think about. He came out fighting, and took the next 3 frames, with a 75 break in the first of those to keep his hopes alive. Guodong took a tight seventh frame though to seal the match 5-2 and book a last 16 date with Peter Lines.
Ding Junhui, was one of the seeds that did make through though with a 5-2 victory over David Gilbert. Ding took the opener with the help of a 68 break, before Gilbert levelled at 1-1. Gilbert lost all of the next 3 though, as the home favourite made a 129 break before the interval and a 106 after it to take a 4-1 lead. Ding looked like closing out the deal in the next but a break of 58 wasn't enough, as an earlier 57 helped Gilbert reduce the gap to 4-2. Ding dominated the last however, to book his place in the last 16, to the delight of the home fans.
Mark King beat Graeme Dott 5-3 with top breaks of 106, 54 and 70 to send home a Graeme Dott who is still far from his best and has no consistency right now.
Martin Gould played well in beating Ricky Walden 5-3 with top runs of 58, 69 and 75, to send out the Bluebell Wood Open champion. Would be nice to see Gouldy have a good run this week.
Robert Milkins edged a very close encounter against Mark Joyce, coming from 4-2 to down to win 5-4 without making a break of above 50 in the entire match.
Ryan Day won 5 frames in a row from 1-0 down to beat Mark Allen 5-1, in what is quite a big result for Day on his form of the last couple of years. He had top breaks of 55, 72 and 73 later on in the match to see him home.
Finally, Mark Selby beat wildcard Lin Shuai 5-2, in what wasn't the most convincing performance by Selby but top breaks of 53 and a 120 in the final frame, were enough to see him through.
2nd Round Draw and Predictions
John Higgins Vs Mark Davis - This one could go either way and is sure to be close. Davis has beaten Higgins a couple of times in the last few months, and will have plenty of confidence after his last few weeks. However, you can never right off Higgins, and part of me still thinks that he will win.Prediction: Higgins victory in a tight affair.
Peter Lines Vs Xiao Guodong - This should be another close affair, and both players played well in winning their first round games, but Guodong marginally better for me.
Prediction: Xiao Guodong win
Marco Fu Vs Kyren Wilson - Wilson has been a very dangerous player this season so far, but Fu is playing the best he has played in years right now, and is only getting stronger.
Prediction: Comfortable Fu win.
Martin Gould Vs Michael Holt - Both players played well in the opening round and would dearly love a ranking event win here this week. Both have the games and this will be a very attacking affair that could go either way, but I just about think that Gould will do the job here.
Prediction: Tight win for Gould.
Mark Selby Vs Robert Milkins - This has the look of a very close match, but the way Milkins played today, he will have to improve if he is to beat Selby.
Prediction: Selby to grind out a victory
Ryan Day Vs Barry Hawkins - Hawkins played well in the first round in beating David Grace, but Day did a similar job against Allen. Hawkins though has been far more consistent in the last 2 years than Day has.
Prediction: Hawkins victory
Shaun Murphy Vs Ding Junhui - Both players played very well in patches of their first round matches, but both will need to improve ahead of this one. Murphy has struggled this season a little with his new cue, while Ding doesn't have the greatest record in China but showed promising signs today.
Prediction: I think it will go to the wire, but Ding Junhui will snatch the victory.
Neil Robertson Vs Mark King - King played very well in today against Dott, but will have his work cut out against the best player in the world at the moment in my opinion. I think Robertson will go far again in this event.
Prediction: Robertson to make it to the Quarter-Finals
The line-up for the rest of the tournament looks good, and I look forward to watching the rest of the event pan out. I'll be back tomorrow to look back on the Last 16 and ahead to the quarter's.
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