LONDON - Chinese ace Ding Junhui came from 5-4 down to see off veteran Mark Williams 6-5 in the first round at the Snooker Masters here on Monday.
Ding's only one Masters title was dated back to 2011. In his 19th appearance at the annual invitational tournament attended by the top 16 players on tour on Monday, Ding fought until the deciding frame to edge 49-year-old Williams, setting up a meeting with the winner between Judd Trump and Barry Hawkins.
In another first-round match, world No. 5 Mark Selby cruised past Ali Carter with a dominant 6-1 win to secure his spot in the quarterfinals.
READ MORE: China's Ding Junhui out at World Snooker Xi'an Grand Prix
Selby has three Masters titles in his pocket but hasn't reached the semifinals at Alexandra Palace since 2014.
