Another busy day of World Championship qualifying took place on Tuesday at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
A total of 16 players completed victories to advance to round two of the preliminary competition.
The two most recent women’s world champions won’t be among them after defeats for Thai duo Baipat Siripaporn and Mink Nutcharut.
The latter compiled the first century break by a woman in a World Championship encounter in more than two decades against Dechawat Poomjaeng.
But Mink ultimately fell short against her compatriot, losing the last two frames for a tight 10-7 reverse.
Reigning women’s world champion Siripaporn, who will compete as a professional on the main tour next season, was thrashed 10-3 by Aaron Hill.
Five of the amateur top-ups managed to seal first-round triumphs – including former Shoot Out champion Michael Georgiou and 2007 Welsh Open runner-up Andrew Higginson.
Georgiou overcame Peng Yisong 10-4 while Higginson dropped only three frames in a one-sided rout of Andy Lee.
Ross Muir, Iulian Boiko, and Florian Nuessle also made it through with respective successes against Oliver Brown, Muhammad Asif, and Michael Judge.
Judge’s loss ensures that the Dubliner, who first turned professional in 1992, will be relegated from the main tour.
Two ties late in the day went all the way to deciders, with Andrew Pagett edging Gao Yang and Sean O’Sullivan denying Liam Graham.
Veteran Barry Pinches, who reached the last 16 of the World Championship in 2004, ousted Ross Bulman with the aid of a 140 total clearance – the highest break of the qualifying competition so far.
Elsewhere, the first whitewash of the week was recorded with Allan Taylor thumping Poland’s Filips Kalnins.
Among the others to reach the next stage were Alfie Burden, Sanderson Lam, David Lilley, Adam Duffy, and Asjad Iqbal.
On Wednesday, the first round concludes with the likes of Stephen Hendry and Ken Doherty entering the fray.
Hendry is in action in an intriguing tie against James Cahill, the nephew of his ex-wife, while Doherty faces 12-time women’s world champion Reanne Evans.
The second round also commences with Jimmy White starting his quest to seal a first Crucible appearance since 2006 against Martin O’Donnell.
Tuesday’s Results
Florian Nuessle 10-2 Michael Judge
Asjad Iqbal 10-3 Jenson Kendrick
Aaron Hill 10-3 Baipat Siripaporn
Allan Taylor 10-0 Filips Kalnins
Iulian Boiko 10-2 Muhammad Asif
Alfie Burden 10-3 Rebecca Kenna
Adam Duffy 10-8 Billy Castle
David Lilley 10-7 Rory McLeod
Andrew Pagett 10-9 Gao Yang
Ross Muir 10-5 Oliver Brown
Andrew Higginson 10-3 Andy Lee
Sean O’Sullivan 10-9 Liam Graham
Michael Georgiou 10-4 Peng Yisong
Sanderson Lam 10-7 Liam Pullen
Dechawat Poomjaeng 10-7 Mink Nutcharut
Barry Pinches 10-6 Ross Bulman
Wednesday’s Schedule
10am and 7pm
Round 1
Ashley Hugill vs George Pragnell
Fergal O’Brien vs Liam Davies
Zak Surety vs Farakh Ajaib
Ken Doherty vs Reanne Evans
Ng On Yee vs Micahel Holt
Ben Mertens vs Victor Sarkis
Ryan Thomerson vs Ian Martin
James Cahill vs Stephen Hendry
2:30pm
Round 2
Craig Steadman vs John Astley
Ben Woollaston vs Daniel Wells
Jimmy White vs Martin O’Donnell
Zhang Anda vs Stan Moody
Andy Hicks vs Jamie O’Neill
Peter Lines vs Haydon Pinhey
Mark Joyce vs Anton Kazakov
Ian Burns vs Dylan Emery
Click here to view the full draw (snooker.org)
Featured photo credit: WST
