Robertson

Fifth seed Mark Williams, who won this tournament in 1999 and 2002, claimed a 6-4 victory over David Gilbert in the evening session to join Robertson in the last 16.

The 50-year-old lost a lengthy opening frame, levelled at 1-1, but a fine break of 102 gave Gilbert the advantage again.

But Williams then recorded breaks of 51, 89, 73 and 55 to move 5-2 ahead and go one frame from victory. World number 24 Gilbert responded with a 100 break for his second century and then a 50 to pull it back to 5-4.

However, it did not matter as Williams did enough to get the victory to set up a match against either China’s 12th seed Xiao Guodong or compatriot Pang Junxu.

Robertson got back into the top 16 in September 2024, ensuring automatic qualification for the major tournaments, by beating China’s Wu Yize 9-7 in the final of the English Open.

The pair will face each other in the last 16 in York later this week after Wu held off a fightback from England’s Michael Holt to secure a 6-4 victory.

Wu, 22, moved into a 5-0 lead, thanks to breaks of 55, 78, 82 and 81, which included 11 reds and 10 blacks before any hope of a 147 ended with a miss on the 11th black.

But 47-year-old Holt, a quarter-finalist last year, staged a recovery with runs of 59, 82 and 60 to pull within one frame, before Wu sealed the success in the 10th frame.

Twelve players from China were among the 32 in York and Wu became the second of those to reach the last 16 after Si Jiahui’s 6-0 triumph over Ryan Day on Saturday.

Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai is a target for Real Madrid and Manchester City, Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo is open to joining Napoli, Brazil winger Vinicius Jr closer to Real Madrid exit.

Manchester City and Real Madrid are both interested in Liverpool and Hungary midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, 25. (AS – in Spanish), external

Manchester United and England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, 20, is open to a January loan move to Napoli but the Red Devils will not allow him to leave on a permanent deal. (Teamtalk), external

Real Madrid’s Brazilian winger Vinicius Jr, 25, wants to be paid the same as French striker Kylian Mbappe, 26, and his contract stand-off with the club will continue which is pushing him closer to a Bernabeu exit. (Sport – in Spanish), external

Chelsea have contacted Italian club Como about the availability of 21-year-old Argentina playmaker Nicolas Paz. (Caught Offside), external

Liverpool are willing to pay Inter Milan £88m (100m euros) for 26-year-old Italian centre-back Alessandro Bastoni. (Mundo Deportivo – in Spanish), external

Liverpool and Scotland left-back Andy Robertson, 31, will leave Anfield when his contract expires next summer and has already held talks with Celtic. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Wolfsburg are exploring a possible January move for West Ham striker Niclas Fullkrug with Augsburg also interested in the 32-year-old Germany international who has been given permission to leave the Hammers. (Florian Plettenberg), external

Bayern Munich have no interest in cutting short 24-year-old Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson’s loan move from Chelsea but it is unlikely the Bundesliga side will buy him at the end of the season. (Bild – in German), external

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has the fully backing of the club’s Saudi owners and new chief executive David Hopkinson despite a disappointing start to the season. (The I), external

Antonio Conte will not resign as Napoli coach but will meet with the club’s owner Aurelio de Laurentiis in the next few days to find a solution to their struggles this season. (Il Mattino – in Italian), external