2024 Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters: Opening day and first round in Riyadh complete

A total of 32 matches across eight tables and two sessions were played at the Green Halls in this new £2.3 million ranking event. For a round-up of the afternoon's action, visit here.

Amongst those who won during the evening session was snooker legend Jimmy White, who defeated Mohamed Shehab from the United Arab Emirates, 4-2.

Shehab - who has recently returned to the professional circuit having qualified through the Global Q Tour Playoffs earlier in the year - made breaks of 66 and 69 during the tie, but it was White who progressed to set up a round two meeting with Andrew Higginson on Saturday.

On the TV table, there was an all-teenage encounter as 17-year-old Stan Moody registered runs of 103 and 98 in a 4-0 victory over 14-year-old local wildcard Ziyad Al-Qabbani. Earlier in front of the cameras, Haydon Pinhey top scored with a 76 as he saw off another Saudi amateur - Ayman Alamri - 4-0.

Gong Chenzhi continues to adapt very well to snooker's top tier. The 17-year-old Chinese rookie - who narrowly missed out on the quarter-finals of the Xi'an Grand Prix last week - notched up another win as he crafted breaks of 77 and 57 in a 4-0 whitewash against Ali Jalil Ali.

Two more young professional debutants this season also collected victories as Poland's Antoni Kowalski and Hungary's Bulcsu Revesz both advanced to the last 112.

Another youthful World Snooker Tour rookie who made it through was Liam Davies; the 18-year-old compiled efforts of 121, 84 and 53 on his way to ousting 1997 World Champion Ken Doherty, 4-3.

In the other match of the evening session that went to a deciding frame, Q School top up and former English Amateur Snooker Champion Paul Deaville ousted Mitchell Mann 4-3. The 19-year-old university student will play Ian Burns on Saturday.

Appearing in his debut match as a professional, Brazilian Jonas Luz eliminated Egypt’s Mostafa Dorgham, 4-1. Current Pan American Snooker Champion Luz constructed a break of 80 in frame two.

Huang Jiahao, Andrew Pagett, Amir Sarkhosh, Dean Young, Duane Jones, Sunny Akani and Zak Surety also won; Huang, Sarkhosh, Young, Akani and Surety all did so with 4-0 whitewashes.

For the draw, results and other important details, please visit our 2024 Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters Tournament Information Centre, here.