Here is WST report of the first day in Riyadh

RIYADH: DAY ONE ROUND-UP

John Higgins came within seven pots of becoming the first player to make a break of 167, during a 4-2 win over Mark Williams on the opening day of the new Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker.

This event is a landmark in snooker history, the first professional tournament staged in Saudi Arabia. It includes the innovation of a golden ball, known as the Riyadh Season ball, and the first player to pot it after making a maximum 147 will win a huge $500,000 bonus. 

Higgins got pulses racing in the opening frame against Williams when he potted all 15 reds with blacks. But his attempted position on the yellow rolled a few inches too far, and he failed to convert a near-impossible ultra thin cut to a baulk corner.

The next two frames were shared, then Williams had a chance to level at 2-2 but missed a tricky red on 32, and his opponent punished him with an excellent 77. Welshman Williams kept his hopes alive with a classy 122, and had first chance in frame six but could only make 16, and Higgins sealed the result with a break of 64, setting up a massive clash with Ronnie O’Sullivan on Tuesday night.

Asked about the 167 attempt, world number ten Higgins replied: “It was an incredible feeling, I couldn’t feel my arms or legs. I gave it a good go, but it was disappointing in the end. I’m delighted to win two matches today though and get through to play Ronnie. That’s always special, and it will be great to play him here in Saudi.”

There was double delight for Ali Carter as he was reunited with his cue, then beat Ding Junhui 4-3 in a dramatic finish to reach the quarter-finals.

Carter arrived in Saudi Arabia on Sunday only to find that – for the first time in his 28-year career – his cue had gone missing in transit. After an anxious wait, he got the call to confirm that the cue was safe, and it was back in his hands in time for today’s battle with Ding at the Global Theatre in Riyadh’s spectacular Boulevard City.

China’s Ding took the opening frame with a 138 total clearance, then Carter hit back to take the next three with a top break of 94. In the fifth, the Englishman led 37-0 when he missed a routine black, and that looked like a turning point as Ding made 75 and 120 for 3-3.

Carter looked in control of the decider when he led 60-0 with three reds left, but Ding got the snookers he needed on the last red, and had a chance to clear the colours. He potted a difficult thin cut on the green, only for the cue ball to flick off the blue and drop into a centre pocket. Carter potted green and brown to seal it.

The Captain is now guaranteed £50,000 and will face World Champion Luca Brecel on Tuesday.

“It was an unbelievable match to be involved in, great that it was so close and great for me to be the one to get through,” said world number eight Carter. “After I missed the black at 3-1 I thought I was going to lose, but I convinced myself to keep going for shots.

“When my cue went missing yesterday, the promoter and everyone were doing their best to get it back. I was in the hotel and got some sleep, thinking there was nothing more I could do. Then I got a call in the evening to say I had it back.

“I’m really looking forward to the match tomorrow. Luca is coming back to somewhere near his best. He has probably enjoyed being World Champion more than anyone, but now he has realised he has got to get back to business.“

Earlier, in the preliminary round, Higgins and Ding both enjoyed comfortable 4-0 victories over the local wild cards. Ding beat eight-time Saudi Arbian national champion Omar Alajlani with a top run of 66, while Higgins got the better of Qatar’s top player Ali Alobaidli with top breaks of 53, 117 and 80.

And a few personal thoughts…

Ok the arena is big but there are A LOT of empty seats. Who claimed it was sold out?

When the first noises came out about a tournament in Saudi, Barry Hearn was quick to say that female referees would be welcome and wear their usual attire. Ok, Tatiana wasn’t wearing a scarf, unlike the women in the crowd,, but she was still wearing a very “loose” outfit that didn’t reveal much about her feminine shape as well as a t-shirt under her shirt, completely covering even a hint of her cleavage.

Jack Lisowski’s “Sheik” outfit is ridiculous.

Other than Higgins none of the players appeared to really try hard for the 167. Their priority was clearly to win their match. Well done to them.

The two wildcard played better than I expected. OK, they didn’t win a frame, but they played some good stuff, Ali Alobaidli in particular.

The golden ball brings nothing to the match, it’s just a bait … an incentive to get the players try for a 147 in every frame. Although, the big prize money is only for the first who makes the 167. So, maybe, if someone does it, we will be rid of this gimmick…

And here is a question for Matt Huart, Dave Hendon and WPBSA: should a player make a 147, and then miss the golden ball, would it still count as an official 147?