Moldovan 15-year-old Vladislav Gradinari continued his quest to become his country’s first ever professional with a 4-1 win over Englishman Patrick Whelan.
Gradinari is one of continental Europe’s brightest prospects and has already showcased his talent in the professional arena with a run to the last 32 of the Shoot Out last year.
Today’s match saw Gradinari fire in breaks of 60 and 68 on his way to victory. He now faces Scotland’s Chris Totten in the next round. Totten was a 4-3 winner against Sean Maddocks.
Gradinari said: “I felt some pressure after the Shoot Out. I was playing in the European Championship after that and I felt that I should be winning tournaments like the under 16s. I don’t know how other kids cope with it, when they get pressure from the media. It is quite hard. It should be the other way round and it should give you confidence.
“I feel that I’ve grown up. I’m only 15 but I have grown up mentally. I am a different person to when I was in the Shoot Out. I am more ready and my safety has improved a lot. I have to keep working hard every day."
A battle between two former professionals saw Estonia’s Andres Petrov win 4-3 and end former Crucible competitor Liam Highfield’s hopes of an immediate tour return.
Petrov had trailed 3-1, but he rallied to take the last three frames and score a shock comeback victory. He now faces Ukrainian Anton Kazakov.
Iulian Boiko scored a 4-3 win over Simon Bedford and progresses to face Mark Joyce, who was a 4-3 winner against Austria’s Florian Nuessle.