NANCHANG, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Snooker icons Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins both secured places in the main draw of the World Open Snooker on Monday, advancing with opening victories in Yushan County in China's Jiangxi Province.
Seven-time world champion O'Sullivan defeated Ross Muir 5-1 in their qualifying match, played alongside the main event in a best-of-nine format.
The 50-year-old made a fast start, taking the first two frames in 32 minutes and compiling a break of 83 in the second to move 2-0 ahead. He extended the lead to 3-0 after winning the third frame 79-29 in just 12 minutes. Muir avoided a whitewash by edging a tight fourth frame 60-55 to trail 3-1.
O'Sullivan regained control after the mid-session interval, producing a 113 century break in the fifth frame before sealing the match with another century, a 114 break in the sixth frame.
"I like playing in China. Every time I come here, it's nice to feel I can get my cue going right through the ball, and I play with so much confidence," O'Sullivan said after the match. "My game has seen real improvement, which is what I haven't been able to do for the last three years."
Reflecting on his return to Yushan, he added that the city had changed significantly since his previous visit and said the calmer environment made him feel relaxed while competing.
Defending champion Higgins also advanced to the last 32 with a 5-3 win over England's Liam Highfield.
The four-time world champion trailed 3-2 after five frames but produced a comeback in the sixth frame from 50 points down to swing momentum, before closing out the match.
"Overall it was a really high-quality match. Liam played fantastic snooker out there," Higgins said, adding that he hopes to make a deep run as he builds momentum for the remainder of the season.
China's Zhao Xintong also impressed in Monday's evening session, defeating compatriot Han Fuyuan 5-0 to book his place in the main draw.
A flagship ranking event on the World Snooker Tour, the World Open was first held in 1982. Yushan has hosted the tournament since 2016 and has staged six editions through 2025, making it one of the Chinese cities with the longest continuous record of hosting a top-tier snooker ranking event.
The 2026 tournament features a total prize fund of 825,000 pounds (1.05 million U.S. dollars), with the winner set to receive 175,000 pounds.
O'Sullivan will face India's Ishpreet Singh Chadha in the next round. Enditem
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