The World Snooker Tour has arrived in Hong Kong, kicking off the World Grand Prix at the brand-new Kai Tak Arena. The tournament’s opening day saw some high-quality action, with Mark Williams suffering an early exit at the hands of Stuart Bingham, while Judd Trump and John Higgins battled through to the next round.
Key Results – Round One
- Mark Williams 2-4 Stuart Bingham
- Jack Lisowski 4-2 Zhang Anda
- Shaun Murphy 4-3 Ben Woollaston
- Chris Wakelin 3-4 David Gilbert
- John Higgins 4-3 Ali Carter
- Judd Trump 4-2 Gary Wilson
- Wu Yize 3-0 Pang Junxu
- Kyren Wilson 4-3 Matthew Selt
Drama and Upsets on Day One
Judd Trump, the world number one, showed his class despite a stern test from Gary Wilson. After building a 3-1 lead, Trump was briefly halted when Wilson produced a superb 95-break to close the gap. However, Trump responded with a composed 69-break to seal the victory. His next opponent will be Jack Lisowski.
John Higgins secured a hard-fought win over Ali Carter despite not making a single half-century break. The Scottish veteran, fresh off his World Open triumph, used his tactical brilliance to edge Carter, doubling a re-spotted black to go 3-2 up before sealing the win in the decider.
Kyren Wilson also endured a tense battle against Matthew Selt. With the match stretching past midnight in Hong Kong, the crowd had to leave early due to curfew restrictions. Playing in an empty arena, Wilson rallied from 3-2 down, producing breaks of 111 and 87 to complete his comeback and book a second-round clash with Higgins.
Meanwhile, Stuart Bingham pulled off the biggest upset of the day, sending Mark Williams out of the tournament with a 4-2 victory. Elsewhere, Shaun Murphy narrowly avoided a similar fate, scraping past Ben Woollaston 4-3.
What’s Next?
With the first round underway, all eyes are now on defending champion Ding Junhui, who begins his title bid after strong showings from Neil Robertson and Mark Selby earlier in the event.
