Three-time champion and 2025 runner-up Mark Williams cruised into the next round of the World Snooker Championship, while Matthew Stevens was beaten.

Williams cruised to victory in the first round proper of the 2026 Worlds, beating 22-year-old Antoni Kowalski 10-4.

Kowalski, the first Polish player to qualify for the tournament, had a bright start, but the Welsh potting machine soon took control, leading 6-3 after the first session.

Kowalski – the same age as the Welshman’s oldest child – took the first frame of the second session, but breaks of 65 and 115 left Williams one frame from the win, which he took by winning the 14th frame on the black.

“He is a cracking potter and with a little bit of experience he is definitely one to watch out for,” said Williams.

“He started off like a train and it could have been 2-0. I won 10-4 but it was closer than the scoreline suggests.

“I missed a few easy balls, a few long ones by three feet, and the older you get the more you miss easy balls. I’ve won a ranking tournament at 51 and that’s more than I could have dreamed of.

“I love being out there, I love competing and I can still pot anything on the table – and miss some easy balls.”

Next up for Williams is 2013 runner-up Barry Hawkins, who won 10-4 against Wales’ Matthew Stevens.

Hawkins led 7-2 after the first session against Stevens, with the Welshman winning the first two frames on Sunday to close the gap to three, before Hawkins pulled away to win it 10-4.

Both players were unhappy with the table two conditions, with Stevens saying that the cushions were ‘bouncy.’

“The conditions were really tough,” the Welshman said.

“A few people said the cushions are a bit bouncy, but it’s the same for both players. It’s the worst I felt [here]. It spoiled the game a bit and the conditions were really disappointing.”

Hawkins added: “It was no good at all. I don’t like slating the conditions and the fitters do a great job. The cushions – they [the balls] are coming off so much quicker than they are coming in and it’s so hard to control the cue ball and you have no confidence in your cueing.

“I don’t know what it’s going to be like for those on Tuesday. It’s going to be like a ping pong table.”

A statement from the World Snooker Tour read: “There are always challenges in providing the best possible conditions for players as there are many factors which affect this.

“Our dedicated team of table fitters work tirelessly in delivering the best possible conditions and they are constantly monitoring the tables.

“We have systems in place where players can give feedback after every match.”

The third and final Welshman in the main draw, Jak Jones, is in action on Wednesday, facing four-time World Champion Mark Selby.

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