Zhao Xintong beats Mark Williams to advance to last-16 of German Masters at the Tempodrom Arena in Berlin

Zhao Xintong secured his first win in tournament play since the UK Championship with victory over Mark Williams at the German Masters. Since his win over Luca Brecel in the final in York, Zhao had been beaten in the first round of the World Grand Prix, The Masters and the Shoot Out. Ad/> His form was not of the sizzling level he produced in York, but was able to get the better of a tight scrap with Williams.

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He had chances in the second, but did not take them and he was beaten in a safety battle by Williams who duly levelled the contest. The third was a role-reversal of the second, as it was Williams who squandered a chance and was surprisingly beaten in a safety exchange. Much was made of Williams’ defensive breaks last season.

He has returned to the conventional way of opening frames this term, but it proved costly in the fourth as he left a red in the open and Zhao crunched it in and raced through a break of 72 to take a lead into the interval. Williams worked an advantage in the frame after the resumption, but was put through the mill in his attempt to close it out. Zhao got two of the three snookers he required as he tested Williams to the limit, but the