To snooker now where at the China Open in Beijing, home favourite Ding Junhui was taking on Crag Steadman in the last 64. The two-time winner of the event, Ding, made easy work of Michael Georgriou, 6-2, in the final qualifying round but would face a much sterner test against the Englishman who was looking for his first ranking title. Ding starts strongest, winning the first frame easily with a break of 66.

A ten-year veteran of the game, Steadman comes back into the contest with wins in the next three frames with a high run of 122 to put his Chinese opponent on the back foot. Ding very concerned indeed. The "Star of the East" bounces back though and wins the next two to make it 3-3. A score of 52 in the sixth, aided by some rest-long potting, put him back on level terms.

But the 35-year-old Steadman retakes the lead with another century break, this time of 133.  The Brit fails to seize the initiative and makes a key error when he misses this routine red.  

That lets in Ding to win the frame and the following three. The Chinese takes it 6-4, next up in the last 32 is an all Chinese encounter with Xiao Guodong.

Also in action is 5-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan, facing Elliot Slessor. The 23-year-old Northern Irishman got the better of the Rocket 4-1 in his home nation's Open last November and enjoys similar success here by going 4-0 up at by the interval.  

After the break, O'Sullivan makes his 14th maximum 147 break. Fan will remember the 42-year-old deliberately missing the chance to score a 147 in February last year, claiming the prize money of 10,000 pounds is too cheap. At 35,000, on this occasion, the motivation is there.

But it doesn't change the result. Slessor runs out the winner 6-2 in an impressive display which is reward with a 2nd round match with Tom Ford.