Mark Williams made sure of his place in the International Championship main draw, beating Andrew Higginson 6-4 with a display built on heavy scoring. Williams, 51, produced a century and five more breaks over 50-100, 58, 80, 54, 98, and 83-to pull clear in a high-quality match. After reaching the English Open final last week as the oldest ranking finalist in decades, Williams quickly put his loss to Ali Carter behind him.
His win over Higginson confirms his spot in Nanjing for the main stages. The match was part of the International Championship qualifiers held in Leicester, officially scheduled for 18 September 2026, according to the World Snooker Tour Match Centre.
"The International Championship qualifiers took place in Leicester from 17 to 19 September 2026, with the main stage set for 31 October to 7 November in Nanjing."
SnookerHQ
Elsewhere, Mark Selby dropped just one frame in a 6-1 win over Luo Zetao, making breaks of 54, 70, 72, 51, 71, and a 121. Thepchaiya Un-Nooh swept past Chatchapong Nasa 6-0 in an all-Thai match, highlighted by a 111 break. Tour newcomer Wang Xinbo beat David Gilbert 6-4, with a top run of 94, and Dylan Emery came from behind to defeat Xiao Guodong 6-4, winning the last five frames and making a 105.
Luca Brecel continued his good run, beating Jamie Clarke 6-3. Ishpreet Singh Chadha of India impressed with a 114 break in his 6-1 win over Deng Haohui. The qualifiers finish tomorrow, after which the full line-up for the International Championship main stages will be set. RTÉ Sport notes that these qualifying rounds feed directly into the main event in Nanjing, which runs from late October into early November.
Recent close matches, like the one reported earlier, continue to shape the season and the rankings.
"Andrew Higginson entered the match against Williams having recently lost 1-4 to Ross Muir in the Northern Ireland Open qualifiers on 13 September 2026, reflecting his recent competitive form. The busy qualifying schedule in Leicester saw several first-round matches completed by 17 September, with some games rescheduled due to the packed calendar."
World Snooker Tour Match Centre
Williams' scoring, along with strong wins from Selby and Un-Nooh, shows that the established players are still setting the pace. As qualifying wraps up, the main draw will bring together proven champions and new faces, with every frame now carrying real ranking weight.
