Welsh Open Snooker 2022 | Day Three Preview and Order of Play

John Higgins resumes his quest for a sixth Welsh Open title with a tricky second-round clash against Ali Carter on Wednesday.

It is a crossover day at Celtic Manor Resort, where there is plenty of action with the first round concluding and second commencing.

Arguably, the pick of the ties sees Higgins lock horns with two-time Crucible finalist Carter for the fifth time in this tournament.

The Scotsman is the most successful player in the history of the event, having lifted the trophy in 2000, 2010, 2011, 2015 and 2018.

Yet to drop a frame in his two matches so far, he has also reached the final of all three Home Nations tournaments this season, narrowly falling short on each occasion.

Higgins’ most notable victory over Carter came courtesy of a 9-4 success in the 2010 final, although the Captain came out on top when they met at this stage of last year’s event.

In fact, the 2009 champion has enjoyed the better of the head-to-head record in recent matches, prevailing in three of the last four encounters.

There are five other former champions in action on Wednesday. They include four-time winner Ronnie O’Sullivan, who faces Lukas Kleckers, while two-time victor Neil Robertson plays the winner of the match between Graeme Dott and Jamie Clarke.

World champion Mark Selby – winner of this event in 2008 – takes on Liam Highfield, as Shaun Murphy and Stuart Bingham clash with Anthony Hamilton and Elliot Slessor respectively.

Judd Trump, who was runner-up in 2017, plays recently crowned WSF Open champion Si Jiahui, with 2020 finalist Kyren Wilson facing Li Hang.

UK Championship winner Zhao Xintong takes on home favourite Jak Jones and Mark Allen locks horns with Joe Perry, while Barry Hawkins and Yan Bingtao do battle with Ashley Carty and Zhao Jianbo respectively.

Play gets underway at 10am GMT on Wednesday with all matches contested over the best of seven frames at Celtic Manor Resort.

WATCH DAY THREE OF WELSH OPEN SNOOKER STREAMED LIVE HERE (18+)

Welsh Open Snooker 2022 Day Three Schedule of Play

Wednesday March 2

Round One

10am
20 Lu Ning v Matthew Stevens
28 Graeme Dott v Jamie Clarke
42 Kyren Wilson v Li Hang
48 Stuart Bingham v Elliot Slessor

1pm
25 Zak Surety v Ryan Day
26 Shaun Murphy v Anthony Hamilton
35 Ronnie O’Sullivan v Lukas Kleckers
38 Ricky Walden v Noppon Saengkham

2pm
24 Zhao Xintong v Jak Jones
29 Barry Hawkins v Ashley Carty
37 Yan Bingtao v Zhao Jianbo
50 Mark Selby v Liam Highfield

Round Two

7pm
51 Mitchell Mann v Winner of Match 20
55 Neil Robertson v Winner of Match 28
57 Jimmy Robertson v Fergal O’Brien
64 Kurt Maflin v Scott Donaldson

8pm
52 Winner of Match 21 v Yuan SiJun
58 Si Jiahui v Judd Trump
61 Mark Allen v Joe Perry
63 John Higgins v Ali Carter