WORLD number one Mark Selby put paid to Mark Williams’ hopes of a first BetVictor Welsh Open title in 17 years at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff this afternoon.

Cwm ace Williams, the champion in 1996 and 1999, suffered a 4-2 loss in the last 16 as Selby scored heavily on his way to a quarter-final showdown with Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Breaks of 90, 128 and 115 did the damage for the Englishman, although Williams was left to rue a couple of misses in the fifth frame.

“I had an excellent chance to go 3-2 up, I just missed three really easy balls,” he said. “Apart from that it wasn’t a bad game and probably the best player won.

“To be honest, it wasn’t really frustrating at all because that’s just part of my game, I’ve learnt it’s going to happen.

“I’m going to miss the sitters and that’s just the way it is. I’m not stupid, the best player won, and I wasn’t expected to beat him really.

“I’m just glad I played a lot better than the first round.”

There was no stopping Neath’s Michael White against reigning champion John Higgins, however, with the former racing to a 4-1 victory.

Despite losing the opener to a Higgins century, White stormed back to take the next four frames, firing breaks of 90, 64 and 67 to set up a last-eight encounter with Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen, a 4-3 winner over Barry Hawkins.

“It’s one of the best wins of my career,” he said. “The way I closed the match out was brilliant.

“A lot of it is mental and about confidence, and at the moment I’m confident.

“I’m feeling good off the table and it’s showing in my performances.

“I think my safety game was right up there, and it has got to be against someone like John.

“If I could take my chances, which I did, more than he took his then I was confident I could come out on top.”

Today also saw Aussie Neil Robertson and last year’s surprise finalist Ben Woollaston progress to the last eight. The duo beat Marco Fu and Martin Gould respectively.