Sam Baird shocks former champion John Higgins in Welsh Open first round

Higgins was punished for a sluggish start to the match at the city's Motorpoint Arena, losing the opening three frames despite Baird's highest break being only 71 in the first frame.

Higgins - winner of the Welsh Open in 1999, 2010, 2011 and 2014 - stayed alive by winning the fourth and fifth frames, an 81 more like the form that saw him win the China Championship and Champion of Champions tournament in November.

But the Scotsman was finallly forced to accept a surprise early loss when he missed a red to a centre pocket after Baird had ran in 51.

The Englishman pieced together enough points to scramble over the line a year after he had lost 4-0 to four-times world champion Higgins in the last 64.

But six-times World Championship finalist Jimmy White could not complete a shock win in his opening match as he fell to a 4-1 defeat to Neil Robertson.

2010 world champion Robertson opened with a break of 102 only for White to level at 1-1 with a splendid 102 of his own.

That only prompted Robertson to raise his game as knocks of 111, 54 and 57 secured his progress to the last 64.

Welsh teenager Jackson Page made an astonishing debut at the event winning his match on a re-spotted black to complete a 4-3 success against Jason Weston.

Elsewhere, 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham beat Matthew Stevens 4-2 in round one of the Welsh Open.

Bingham, 40, put together runs of 101, 59 and 64 on his way to the overcoming the former Masters winner - now ranked world number 41 - and will face Gary Wilson or Rory McLeod in round two.

There was better news for Stevens' fellow Welshman Dominic Dale, who was a resounding 4-0 winner against Zhang Anda.

Earlier in the day, Jamie Cope beat former British Open champion Nigel Bond 4-0.

Cope, currently ranked 74 in the world, sandwiched two hard-fought frames with runs of 56 and 50 to progress to the next round.