Rookie Devlin Downs Williams

Tour rookie Peter Devlin scored the biggest victory of his fledgling career, winning a 5-4 thriller against three-time World Champion Mark Williams at the BetVictor European Masters.

Former English under-21 champion Devlin battled his way through Q School last month, beating John Astley in the final round to earn professional status.

The Londoner showed exactly what he is capable of today, with a sensational break in the deciding frame. Devlin had already produced some impressive snooker to move into a 4-1 advantage, only for Welshman Williams to peg him back to 4-4.

Devlin showed no signs of nerves in clinching the momentous victory, firing in his first ever century as a professional, a run of 102, to win 5-4.

“What a time to make a century, in a deciding frame, against someone like that, on a TV table. It is unbelievable,” said 24-year-old Devlin. “It was great to be able to play someone like that so early on. I said from the start I wanted to be chucked in at the deep end. I like cameras, I like getting involved in the whole World Snooker Tour. I don’t want to be on the backstage, I want to enjoy it. I want to make my parents proud. It was amazing.”

Scotland’s Stephen Maguire battled back from 3-1 down to beat James Cahill 5-3, while three-time World Champion Mark Selby eased to a 5-0 demolition of Chinese teenager Gao Yang.

Matthew Stevens thrashed Xiao Guodong 5-1 to reach the last 32. He’ll face either Ronnie O’Sullivan or Aaron Hill up next.