Three-time world champion Mark Williams lost 10-9 to 2023 semi-finalist Shi Jiahui at the Crucible. The Welshman's loss means six seeds have fallen in the first round so far.Ronnie O'Sullivan begins his bid for an eighth title against Jackson Page on Wednesday afternoon
Tuesday 23 April 2024, UK, 18:38
Mark Williams' bid for a fourth World Snooker Championship title ended in the first round as he lost a final-frame thriller to 2023 semi-finalist Shi Jiahui.
Sixth-seeded Williams, the 2000, 2003 and 2018 world champion, led 5-4 after Monday's opening session, but Si missed four frames in a row on Tuesday afternoon, resulting in an eight- They were at a disadvantage with 5 wins and 5 losses.
The 49-year-old then rallied from a 9-7 deficit to snatch a deciding opportunity, but his 21-year-old Chinese opponent held his nerve in the 19th frame with a break of 77 to beat fellow qualifier. He advanced to the second round against Jack Jones.
Williams' exit brings the number of seeds eliminated in the first round to six, with defending champion Luca Bressel, four-time champion Mark Selby, Ali Carter, Gary Wilson and Zhang Anda also dispatched.
O'Sullivan will play his first game on Wednesday afternoon.
Williams had hoped to become the oldest champion in the tournament's history, held by Ronnie O'Sullivan at 46 years and 148 days when he won the latest of seven Crucible trophies in 2022. It is a record.
O'Sullivan begins his bid for a record eighth world title against Jackson Page at 2.30pm on Wednesday, with the bout ending at 1pm the following day.
Si led Luca Brecel 14-5 in last year's semi-final, but lost the match 17-15 as Brecel won 12 of the next 13 frames in a Crucible-record upset.
The matchup between Sea and Williams was considered one of the first-round draws, with Williams winning the previous event on the calendar, the Tour Championship in Manchester.
Williams defeated the top three players in the world rankings – Judd Trump, Mark Allen and O'Sullivan – in back-to-back matches to win his second ranking title of the season, the first being the British Open at Cheltenham in October.
However, they were unable to get past SI in Sheffield as their opponents saved the biggest break of the match for when it mattered most.
What else happened on Tuesday?
Other 2020 finalists kyren wilson The lead expanded to 8-1. dominic dale.
Dale, who at 52 is the oldest player in this year's competition and will be playing at the Crucible for the first time in 10 years, had a moment to cheer Wilson on – a sublime 120 clear.
17th in the world jack liswoski Leading the 7th seed and 2016 finalists Ding Junhui 5-4, while mark allen gained a 7-2 advantage robbie williams.
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