Wuhan Open: Stephen Maguire knocks out world champion Zhao Xintong to reach last 16

Stephen Maguire booked his place in the last 16 of the Wuhan Open with a tense 5-4 victory over home favourite Zhao Xintong.

The 44-year-old Scot put together breaks of 58, 71, 92 and 119 to force a deciding frame against the world champion from China.

Zhao was on course to progress when he potted frame ball, only to cannon the brown into the pocket, which kept the contest alive.

Maguire, who won his first ranking event for five years last month, sunk a couple of long pots as he cleared the table with a break of 45, sealing a 65-61 victory on the black.

“I was getting myself up for if I got a chance, thinking ‘please clear up’. Thankfully I managed to do it,” Maguire told World Snooker.

“The crowd was obviously for him. He has a lot to carry, though. Pressure-wise he is carrying a whole country.”

Defending champion Xiao Guodong progressed with a 5-3 win over David Grace and will face another Englishman, Matthew Selt, after he cruised through with a 5-1 win over Hong Kong’s Marco Fu.

Welshman Mark Williams was another comfortable winner as he made breaks of 129 and 95 en en route to a 5-1 success over Joe O’Connor.

Williams will face fellow former world champion Mark Selby following his 5-2 dismissal of David Gilbert.

World number one Judd Trump secured his spot with a 5-3 win over fellow Englishman Jack Lisowski.

Elsewhere, Gary Wilson, Stan Moody, Barry Hawkins, John Higgins, Tom Ford, Zhang Anda, Aaron Hill, Mark Allen and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh all made it through.