Ali Carter will get a crack at Ronnie O’Sullivan on Tuesday at the Shanghai Masters (Picture: Getty Images)
Old rivals Ronnie O’Sullivan and Ali Carter will lock horns again on Tuesday on a blockbuster day of action at the Shanghai Masters.
The big-money event in China got underway on Monday, with Carter, John Higgins and Hossein Vafaei all comfortably seeing off their wildcard opponents.
There was also first round wins for Fan Zhengyi, Ding Junhui and Jack Lisowski, with Jackpot coming through an epic contest with Zhou Yuelong.
The pair were taken off at 4-4 as their afternoon session match was running long, and they returned to continue their race to six frames, which Lisowski won in a decider, knocking in a nerveless 84 to win 6-5.
Ding was far from his best but still managed to oust World Championship semi-finalist Si Jiahui 6-2, while Fan downed Gary Wilson by the same scoreline.
It was a good first day of action, but it looks set to be even better on Tuesday as the last 16 gets underway.
The final first round matches see Robert Milkins play Bai Yulu and Mark Williams meet Pang Junxu, before some seriously heavyweight affairs.
O’Sullivan and Carter will attract a lot of attention, but there is plenty more to enjoy, with Lisowski taking on Judd Trump, Vafaei playing Mark Selby and Higgins meeting Kyren Wilson.
Jack Lisowski scrapped past Zhou Yuelong in the first round to set up a clash with his pal Judd Trump in the last 16 (Picture: Getty Images)
Carter and O’Sullivan have met 23 times in all competitions over their lengthy careers, with the Captain winning just three, although memorably he downed the Rocket at the 2018 World Championship when the infamous ‘Bargegate’ occurred.
This will be O’Sullivan’s first match of the season, last playing in a quarter-final defeat to Luca Brecel at the Crucible, so Carter will hope that his 6-2 opening round win over Ding Zihao will give him an edge.
Higgins is in confident mood after he beat Deng Haohui on Monday and will be further buoyed as he beat his next opponent Wilson 5-3 at the European Masters last month and demolished him 13-2 at the World Championship in April.
‘I think I’m playing pretty decent stuff,’ said the Scot. ‘That obviously helps to be a little bit more motivated. I’ve said in a few interviews that I am trying to preserve my place in the top 16 to be in these tournaments. You don’t want to miss out. I’ve got my work cut out for the whole year to make sure I am still in the top 16.’
Vafaei picked up a 6-1 win over Gong Chenzhi in his opener on Monday and will be looking to extend a running run over Selby having beaten the Jester from Leicester three times on the spin – twice at the UK Championsihp and once at the Masters.
Outside of the short-format Championship League, Trump has won his last six clashes with his good pal Lisowski, but Jackpot’s last win over the Ace came in China, at the International Championship in 2018.
The last 16 will continue on Wednesday when world champion Luca Brecel, Mark Allen, Neil Robertson and Shaun Murphy enter the fray.
Tuesday 12 September (UK time)
Round One
02.30am – Robert Milkins vs Bai Yulu
02.30am – Mark Williams vs Pang Junxu
Last 16
07.30am – Kyren Wilson vs John Higgins
07.30am – Judd Trump vs Jack Lisowski
12.30pm – Ronnie O’Sulivan vs Ali Carter
12.30pm – Mark Selby vs Hossein Vafaei
The Shanghai Masters is available to watch in the UK on Eurosport and Discovery+
MORE : ‘He’s my hero’ – Hossein Vafaei hopes to forget Ronnie O’Sullivan spat
MORE : Shanghai Masters draw, schedule, prize money, odds and how to watch
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Big names collide in Shanghai.