Four-time world champion John Higgins picked up where he left off at the European Masters with a 5-1 win over Dylan Emery to qualify for next month’s Wuhan Open.
Higgins reached the semi-finals in Nuremberg last month, losing 6-5 to Jude Trump, but scores of 61, 92, 115 and 57 helped the Welshman ease past the talented Emery. Morningside Arena in Leicester.
But six-time world finalist Jimmy White lost 5-1 to Liam Highfield and won the 59th in the final four frames to improve by breaks of 66 and 104.
Elsewhere, Hong Kong’s three-time ranking event winner Marco Fu eased past Iran’s world number 17 Hossein Vafey 5-4.
The pair traded frames with Wafe, who never took the lead in the match, making 52, 77, 53 and 66 and Fu with a 55 and a final 86 to win.
World number 20 Ricky Walton also exited after losing 5-3 to world number 112 Ian Burns.
China will also host the Shanghai Masters, the International Championships and the World Open this season.
Wuhan Open Qualification Latest Results
- John Higgins 5-1 Dylan Emery
- Liam Highfield 5-1 Jimmy White
- Marco Foo 5-4 Hossein Vafei
- Sam Craigie 5-1 Peng Yizong
- Mark Davies 5-1 Liam Graham
- Jordan Brown 5-1 Himanshu Jain
- Michael White 5-3 Andrew Paget
- Ian Burns 5-3 Ricky Walton