Every seeded player won in Tuesday's Sanyuan Foods China Open, but there could be a sea change on Wednesday and I'm backing the ever-popular
TONY DRAGO to cause more pain for Cambridgeshire cueman Joe Perry.
Perry is enduring a torrid campaign, to such an extent that on the provisional rankings list he's dropped down to 24th (from an starting position of 12th) and I bet he daren't even look at the one-year listing in which he is a lowly 37th and that is pretty dismal for a player of his high ranking.
Drago, on the other hand, has been flying this season after getting back on to the main tour and he's won a plethora of qualifying matches and was an unlucky loser in the first round of the Welsh Open last time out in which he lost in the final frame to Ryan Day when he blew a golden opportunity on the colours to wrap up the match. Indeed, the Maltese ace has already won five ties to get to this stage including victories over John Parrott, Anthony Hamilton and Stephen Lee and at 2-1 with Betfred he looks a cracking proposition.
Liu Chuang had an amazing win over Rory McLeod in the wildcard round, thrashing the previously in-form Northamptonshire man 5-0 and allowing his opponent to score just a miserly 26 points and if he carries that form through to Wednesday then he could be a decent price at 11-4 to see off Welsh Open runner-up Ali Carter.
Carter, like a few players on the circuit, blows hot and cold and he could be vulnerable to the young hot shot especially in his own backyard and there could be a shock on the cards.
PETER EBDON comes up against Judd Trump again and is 10-11 to follow up his UK Championship victory over the youngster. Ebdon won pretty easy that time and despite this only being the best of nine frames, I think he'll just have the edge again.
I don't foresee any problems for RONNIE O'SULLIVAN against Tian Pengfei, not for MARK SELBY in his clash with Rod Lawler and while Andrew Higginson may take two/frames off STEPHEN HENDRY I think the Scottish star will book his place in the second round at 8-15.
That just leaves Shaun Murphy, who is too short to back at 1-4 to defeat Nigel Bond, while Mark King King versus James Wattana is an intriguing match, with the Thailand ace back in the limelight after too many years away. I have said before that King is the type to get an early win under his belt before his campaign goes pear-shaped and while he should win this, I won't be getting too involved in the 4-7, as Wattana has been a class act and if he produces his form then the 13-8 could prove to be a decent punt.
