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British Open snooker: Matthew Stevens surges into last 64, but Joe Perry suffers early exit
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Published 19/08/2023 at 09:06 GMT+1
Welsh duo Matthew Stevens and Daniel Wells produced some fine form to reach the last 64 of the British Open on Friday, but ranking event winners Joe Perry and Martin Gould were dumped out in the first round. The final day of qualifying is completed on Saturday in Leicester before the world's top 16 play their opening matches at the Centaur in Cheltenham next month.
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Matthew Stevens whitewashed Brazil's Victor Sarkis 4-0 to book his place in the last 64 of the British Open in Leicester.
The two-time World Championship finalist contributed two half-century breaks in qualifying at the city's Morningside Arena to secure progress to the finals venue at the Centaur in Cheltenham next month.
Stevens has made a solid start to the campaign having reached the semi-finals of the Championship League, while overcoming Iulian Boiko to book his spot in the last 64 of the European Masters (live on Eurosport and discovery+) between August 22-27.
He will face fellow Welsh icon Mark Williams – the man who defeated him 18-16 in the 2000 world final – on Wednesday in one of the ties of the first round at the KIA Metropol Arena in the German city of Nuremberg.
Elsewhere on Friday, former Welsh Open champion Joe Perry suffered a surprise 4-2 defeat to world No. 72 Sanderson Lam, who finished with breaks of 96 and 64 to secure his last-64 spot.
And in-form Welshman Daniel Wells producing a glorious finale by running in knocks of 136 and 115 to edge the 'Antrim Ferrari' Jordan Brown 4-3.
But former German Masters winner Martin Gould was eliminated by Wu Yize. Gould produced breaks of 73 and 114 to level at 2-2, but lost the final two frames to depart at the qualifying stage.
Two-time British Open champion Jimmy 'Whirlwind' White begins his campaign against Stephen Maguire on Saturday night in Leicester.
In an open FA Cup-style draw, world champion Luca Brecel has landed Ding Junhui, while Mark Allen and Anthony McGill collide in another intriguing contest between two players inside the top 16.
World No. 1 Ronnie O'Sullivan – the British Open champion in 1994 – was paired with former European Masters winner Jimmy Robertson.
The matches are the best-of-seven frames with the quarter-finals increasing to the best-of-nine, before two best-of-11 frame semi-finals and a best-of-19 frame final.
British Open latest first-round scores
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Stream the European Masters and other top snooker action live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com
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