World Snooker Tour Classic: Mark Selby, Shaun Murphy and John Higgins safely through in Leicester

Mark Selby during day eight of the Betfred World Snooker Championships at The Crucible, Sheffield
Mark Selby, Shaun Murphy and John Higgins were among the first-round winners on day three of the inaugural World Snooker Tour Classic in Leicester.
World number two Selby beat Robbie McGuigan 4-1 and will play Zhang Anda or Peter Devlin in the last 64, while Murphy now faces James Cahill after white-washing Oliver Brown 4-0.
Higgins, currently world number 11, beat Michael White 4-3 to set up a second-round clash with Mark Joyce. Cahill defeated Andy Hicks 4-1.
Ali Carter progressed after knocking out Thailand's Dechawat Poomjaeng 4-1 and will play Pakistan's Muhammad Asif, who had a first-round walkover after Mark King's Tour suspension over irregular betting patterns.
Former world number one Ding Junhui is out, losing 4-3 to fellow Chinese Xu Si, who sealed victory with a 138-clearance in a final-frame decider.
Matthew Selt came through a four-hour match, beating Michael Holt 4-3, and Andrew Pagett produced a career-best break of 131 in his defeat of German Masters finalist Tom Ford by the same score.
Other winners on Saturday included David Gilbert, Chris Wakelin, Anthony Hamilton, Tian Pengfei, Stephen Maguire and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh.
Recommended Offers
£30 Matched Free Bet if your first Acca loses + 100 Free Spins
New UK customers only. Min Stake: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football, Horse Racing, Tennis, Cricket or Basketball multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets are available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. 100 Free Spins on More Unusual Suspects (£0.10 per spin) credited on settlement of qualifying Acca bet. No wagering requirements on free spin winnings. Debit Card deposit only (exclusions apply). This offer is valid 7 days after the new account is registered.
18+ BeGambleAware.org. Full T&Cs apply #ad
Get up to £50 Welcome Bonus
New customers only. Opt-in required. 100% Match Bonus up to £50 on 1st deposit of £10+. 50x wagering & game weighting applies. Debit Card deposits only (exclusions apply). This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered.
18+ BeGambleAware.org. Full T&Cs apply #ad
Get £10 in Free Bets
New customers only. This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. Min Deposit: £10. Free Bet awarded: £10. 1 x £10 must be wagered at odds of 1.75+ to unlock Free Bet. Debit Card deposits only (exclusions apply). Free bet will expire 7 days after the 1st deposit.
18+ BeGambleAware.org. Full T&Cs apply #ad