Selby eases into last 16 as The Rocket stirs up a storm

DEFENDING champion Mark Selby advanced to the last 16 of the Scottish Open with a 4-2 victory over Xiao Guodong in Llandudno.

Leicester’s world no.1 went 3-0 ahead before his Chinese opponent made the most of multiple Selby errors to claim the next two frames.

However, Selby regained his composure to seal the sixth frame and set up a meeting with Anthony McGill, who beat Jimmy Robertson 4-3.

Selby, right, the reigning world champion, remains on course for his third successive Scottish Open title.

Ronnie O’Sullivan booked his last 16 place with a thrilling 4-3 victory over Liang Wenbo.

After falling 2-1 behind, O’Sullivan fought back with breaks of 95 and 131 to take a 3-2 lead, before Liang produced a 128 break to draw things level again.

Liang then had the first chance in the seventh frame but was unable to sustain things and O’Sullivan subsequently claimed victory with a break of 90. Meanwhile, O’Sullivan’s comments from the previous day, telling young children not to take up snooker, were labelled a “disgrace” by former world champion John Higgins.

In response, O’Sullivan said he was “not having any opinions” following the backlash to his comments that he would not allow his son to be a snooker player given the current state of the snooker tour.

“I gave my opinion yesterday and I wish I hadn’t. I’m not saying nothing. I don’t want to get involved,” O’Sullivan told Eurosport.

“I’m really not interested. I’m really detached and when I say something I wonder ‘why do I bother?’

“I’d rather not. Let the players get their little players union together. They have to stick together and if they want changes then they have to do it in unison. Count me out.

“Those days are gone for me. Count me out. I’d rather sit on the fence and enjoy the moments of playing and every part of it.” But Eurosport pundit Alan McManus believes O’Sullivan’s post-match comments should not always be taken too seriously.

He said: “When you are a figure like Ronnie is in the game it almost doesn’t matter what you say.

“It’s going to be taken one way or the other. That’s the territory. That’s life.”

Other players to secure last-16 spots were Higgins, Jamie Jones – who will face O’Sullivan in the next round – Stephen Maguire, Fergal O’Brien, Leicester’s Ben Woollaston and Luca Brecel.