John Higgins
John Higgins

Shanghai Masters: John Higgins, Mark Selby and Mark Allen among winners on opening day


Our 9/1 pre-tournament outright tip John Higgins made a strong start at the Shanghai Masters as he defeated Alexander Ursenbacher 5-2.

The Scot made an impressive 131 break which put him 4-1 ahead of the promising Swiss cueman, before he sealed victory with a run of 73 and he is now into 7/1 with Sky Bet to lift the trophy.

World number one Mark Selby (4/1 favourite) got back to winning ways after last week's defeat to Luca Brecel at the Champion of Champions in Coventry by beating Ian Burns 5-2.

Selby, a winner in China just two weeks ago at the International Championship, did struggle early on and trailed 2-1 but breaks of 68, 120 and 132 got him home.

Welshman Michael White (66/1) claimed a first ever career win over Mark Davis at the 10th attempt, edging home 5-4 thanks to breaks of 76, 66 and a superb 140 - the highest of the day.

Our 25/1 each-way tip Mark Allen once more got the better of Chinese teenager Yan Bingtao as he powered to a 5-1 success.

PRICE BOOST: Ronnie O'Sullivan to win the Shanghai Masters is 5/1 from 4/1 with Sky Bet!

Less than two weeks after beating the 17-year-old 9-2 in the semi-finals of the International Championship, the Ulsterman again proved too strong with a top break of 102 and he is looking forward to doing well in China once more.

"It was a bit of a scrappy game, but I felt like I dominated," Allen told worldsnooker.com. "My safety was good and I limited him to small chances.

"I have done well in China this season despite not sleeping well - maybe that’s the secret."

Home favourite Liang Wenbo (40/1) had a top run of 125 as he saw off the stubborn Rod Lawler 5-2, while Jack Lisowski's (33/1) good recent run of form continued as breaks of 113, 117, 86, 86 and 82 saw him to a 5-1 win over Chris Totten.

MONDAY'S RESULTS

  • Billy Joe Castle 5-2 Zhang Jiangkang (Match 1)
  • Li Zhen 3-5 Chen Feilong (Match 2)
  • Soheil Vahedi 5-2 Ma Chunmao (Match 3)
  • Tom Ford 4-5 Jimmy Robertson (Match 12)
  • Lee Walker 4-5 Kurt Maflin (Match 13)
  • Ryan Day 4-5 Yu De Lu (Match 14)
  • Yan Bingtao 1-5 Mark Allen (Match 16)
  • Jack Lisowski 5-1 Chris Totten (Match 18)
  • John Higgins 5-2 Alexander Ursenbacher (Match 7)
  • Liang Wenbo 5-2 Rod Lawler (Match 8)
  • Fergal O'Brien 5-4 Mitchell Mann (Match 15)
  • Mark King 2-5 Jamie Jones (Match 22)
  • Michael Georgiou 3-5 Ben Woollaston (Match 25)
  • Zhou Yuelong 5-4 Sanderson Lam (Match 28)
  • David Gilbert 5-0 Mark Joyce (Match 30)
  • Wang Yuchen 1-5 Mark Williams (Match 39)
  • Mei Xi Wen bt Ding Junhui W/O (Match 4)
  • Billy Joe Castle 4-5 Rory McLeod (Match 5)
  • Chen Feilong 3-5 Stuart Carrington (Match 6)
  • Soheil Vahedi 5-4 Sam Baird (Match 9)
  • Mark Selby 5-2 Ian Burns (Match 10)
  • Graeme Dott 5-3 Xiao Guodong (Match 20)
  • Robert Milkins 5-4 Lyu Haotian (Match 33)
  • Michael White 5-4 Mark Davis (Match 36)

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 14
Morning Session (0100 GMT)
First Round (best of 9 frames)

  • Alfie Burden v Judd Trump (Match 26)
  • Barry Hawkins v Daniel Wells (Match 35)

Afternoon Session (0630 GMT)
First Round (best of 9 frames)
TV Coverage: Eurosport 1

  • Cao Yupeng v Michael Holt (Match 17)
  • Yuan SiJun v Robbie Williams (Match 19)
  • John Higgins v Ian Preece (Match 27)
  • Liang Wenbo v John J Astley (Match 29)
  • Akani Songsermsawad bt Stuart Bingham W/O (Match 32)
  • Joe Perry v Matthew Selt (Match 38)
  • Dominic Dale v Alan McManus (Match 41)
  • Chris Wakelin v Mark Selby (Match 42)

Evening Session (1130 GMT)
First Round (best of 9 frames)
TV Coverage: Eurosport 1

  • Mei Xi Wen v Adam Duffy (Match 11)
  • Luca Brecel v Matthew Stevens (Match 21)
  • Rory McLeod v Stephen Maguire (Match 23)
  • Stuart Carrington v Ali Carter (Match 24)
  • Li Yuan v Martin Gould (Match 31)
  • Hossein Vafaei v Marco Fu (Match 34)
  • Soheil Vahedi v Gerard Greene (Match 40)

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