\n<\/p>\n
Reigning Masters champion Shaun Murphy also moved into the last 16 with a 10-4 victory in a high-quality match with Crucible debutant Daniel Wells.<\/p>\n
Murphy, 42, is aiming to win a second world title 20 years after his first success and could face world number one Judd Trump in the next round.<\/p>\n
Against Welsh qualifier Wells, the Sheffield crowd were treated to a fine display of snooker with every frame seeing a break of at least 50, including six centuries – three from each player.<\/p>\n
Murphy won the Masters in January and is looking to become the first player since Trump in 2018-19 to win that tournament and the World Championship in the same season.<\/p>\n
After Tuesday’s first session, Murphy held a 7-2 lead and extended that with a break of 53, to move two frames from victory.<\/p>\n
But Wells, 49th in the world, made excellent breaks of 115 and 68 to pull two frames back, before Murphy moved one frame away with a superb run of 133.<\/p>\n
He then clinched the victory with a break of 71 in the final frame.<\/p>\n
“The hunger and desire never goes away, I’m still trying but you can lose your way in life and sport,” said Murphy. “Working with Peter [Ebdon] has refocused me on everything else.<\/p>\n
“Champions do not think like everyone else. For a while I started thinking like everyone else and saw myself as a bit of a draw-filler in major events. Now I’ve had a complete 180, now I believe again and that makes me dangerous.<\/p>\n
“I’ve come here this year with my game in the best shape it has been in and if I get my chances I could be a handful for anybody.”<\/p>\n
Trump leads China’s Zhou Yuelong 6-3 in their first-round tie, which will be completed from 19:00 BST.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, 2023 world champion Luca Brecel won the last three frames of his first session against Ryan Day but still trails the experienced Welshman 5-4.<\/p>\n
Day knocked in a superb 126 break in the opener and was 5-1 up against the world number seven from Belgium, who managed only 120 points in the first six frames.<\/p>\n
But Brecel recovered with breaks of 104, 54 and 86 to be only one frame behind for Thursday’s final session.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n