Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins win on day one of Snooker Superstar Invitational Tournament

Whilst the World Snooker Tour professional circuit takes a few weeks off from competitive action over the Christmas and New Year period, it has been a busy time elsewhere for the snooker scene with several pro-am and high-profile exhibition events taking place such as the DMT Best of Europe Championship and the Macau Snooker Masters.

Several of the world's top ranked stars are featuring at the three-day (January 1-3) CBSA Snooker Superstar Invitational Tournament that is taking place in Hangzhou. A few of them have stayed in the Far East having also starred at the Wynn Palace in Macau last week.

The curtain-raising match of this exhibition event witnessed two of snooker's 'Class of 92' exponents as Higgins got the better of Williams, 5-3.

Higgins began the tie in style with a break of 123 before doubling his lead, but Williams (80 break, frame 4) responded as he secured the next two frames to level up at 2-2 heading into the mid-session interval.

An effort of 86 put Higgins back in front, although Williams replied again as runs of 65 and 44 in frame six drew him level.

First to the hill was Higgins (70 break) as he edged ahead once more at 4-3 up, but it looked like Williams was going to force a decider as he established a 62-0 lead in points in frame eight.

However, 49-year-old Higgins produced a trademark counter clearance of 72 to win the frame and match on the final black ball.

A few hours later, seven-time World Champion O'Sullivan - who won all five of his matches in Macau - dispatched Ding, 5-1.

Breaks of 57, 100 and 79 aided 'The Rocket' to a 3-0 lead. O'Sullivan then made a 57 in frame four, but it was Ding who took it as he got on the board with a counter clearance of 70 on the final black.

On resumption after the break, though, O'Sullivan notched up contributions of 52 and 56 as he recorded victory.

Both O'Sullivan and Higgins are back on the baize for the second day of action in Hangzhou when they face each other in the evening session. The meeting between two of snooker's all-time greats comes just 10 days before they are scheduled to clash in the opening match of the 2025 Masters at the Alexandra Palace in London.

World number one Judd Trump will also be centre stage on Thursday when he plays good friend Jack Lisowski in the earlier session. Both Trump and Lisowski were also in Macau.

Friday's order of play is Williams v Xiao Guodong and Ding v Trump.

The first official professional snooker action of 2025 arrives on Friday 3rd January with Group One of the Championship League Snooker Invitational which is being held at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester.

There is YouTube coverage of Wednesday’s matches in China here and here.