Williams keeps on winning

Williams plays Paul Hunter in the next round

Mark Williams stayed on course for a Far East double on Wednesday when he booked his place of the Thailand Open with a 5-2 win over David Gray.

The 26-year-old Welshman ended a frustrating 17-month run without a tournament victory three days ago by triumphing at the China Open in Shanghai.

And the victory over Gray, who played sporting a black eye, also stretched Williams' remarkable record of not losing his opening match in 36 world ranking events.

"Coming straight here from China I knew it was going to be tough, so I'm pleased to keep the record going," said Williams.

I'm very relaxed at the moment and not worried about anything

Mark Williams

"I'm the only one left in with a chance of doing the Asian double this year and I'm certainly going to give it my best shot.

"I know what it takes to win here and that experience could be useful," added the 1999 and 2000 Thailand Masters champion.

Gray, who caused a major upset by ousting Ronnie O'Sullivan from the world championship two years ago, led 2-1.

But Williams compiled a 68 break in the fourth frame, controlled the next and crucially stole the sixth on the black after Gray had thrown away a golden chance to clear up with a poor positional shot.

Williams will certainly have revenge on his mind when he squares up against his next opponent Paul Hunter.

The last time the pair met was the final of the Benson and Hedges Masters at Wembley last month when Hunter recovered from a 5-0 deficit to edge Williams 10-9 for the £190,000 first prize.

Matthew Stevens has struggled this season

Matthew Stevens, a first-round casualty at the Masters and in China, ended a run of three straight defeats to join his fellow countryman Williams in the second round.

Jimmy White now stands between him and a quarter-final place.

And the formbook continued to hold up as seven-times world champion Stephen Hendry made it 14 out of 15 seeds through to the second round thanks to a 5-3 win over Barry Hawkins.

"Since I lost in China I've been relaxing in the sun down by the swimming pool but now it's back to business," said Hendry, winner of the 1989 Asian Open and 1998 Thailand Masters in Bangkok.

Next on the agenda for him is a renewal of his rivalry with compatriot Alan McManus.