The reigning Tour Championship winner, Mark Williams, entered the arena with a narrow 5-4 lead after a tense opening session against last year’s World Snooker Championship semi-finalist, Si Jiahui. 

Despite Jiahui's stellar performance, it was Williams who initially seized the momentum with a commanding presence at the table, highlighted by a tournament-high break of 142 in the opening frame.

As the match resumed on Tuesday afternoon, Jiahui wasted no time asserting his dominance. The young Chinese player capitalised on Williams' errors, showcasing remarkable form by clinching the first four frames of the session with breaks of 63, 61, and 67, establishing a formidable 8-5 lead heading into the mid-session break.

However, Williams refused to succumb to defeat easily. Displaying his renowned resilience and skill, the Welsh number one fought back in the 14th and 15th frames, narrowing the gap to a tense one-frame difference at 8-7. 

Despite missed opportunities on both sides, Williams took advantage of Jiahui's more critical errors, making it a nail-biting 9-9 tie with just over an hour of play remaining in the session.

In the decisive moments of the match, it was Chinese youngster who demonstrated nerves of steel. With the pressure mounting, he executed a flawless break of 77 in the final frame, sealing a hard-fought victory and booking his spot in the competition's last 16.

Image credit: WST