Mark Williams was an unhappy man despite reaching the third round of the Welsh Open in Cardiff yesterday. The world champion beat Preston's Stuart Pettman 5-3 to set up an all-Welsh showdown with Neath's Dominic Dale.

But world number one Williams took a swipe at playing conditions after struggling to control the cue ball during a frustrating display in front of his home fans.

Williams, from Cwm, said: "A workman should never blame his tools - but the table was an absolute joke. I had a chat with Stuart during the interval and he agreed with me. The cloth we are playing on is too thin.

"The ball is going on to the cushion and then coming off three times as fast.

"It's hard to judge shots and you are left out of position every other shot.

"Most of the players would agree that the cushions have been poor for the last 18 months.

"They need to fit them with thicker cloths.

"I spoke to Mike Ganley, the tournament director, about it and he said they are looking into it and I hope they do."

Williams, champion in 1996 and 1999, made a highest break of only 41 in building a 3-1 interval advantage.

Pettman, the world number 47, found form to pull back to 3-3 with a 137 total clearance - the highest break of the tournament so far - and a run of 99.

But Williams regained the advantage with an 88 break and won a scrappy eighth to advance to the last 16.

He added: "Stuart kept me out for two frames after the interval.

"He came back really well and looked good in the balls.

"I knew I'd have to pick my game up otherwise he'd beat me, but I tend to raise my game when the other guy comes back and I played a bit better at the end."

Pettman, beaten 10-2 by Williams in the first round of last season's Embassy World Championship, had no complaints after failing to pull off a shock victory.

"Mark is a top-class player and he can grind frames out if he needs to and score heavily if he needs to," he said.

"I was terrible in the first four frames and although I played well to come back to 3-3, he didn't give me a chance in the next frame."