British Open snooker: Jimmy White suffers defeat to Stephen Maguire as qualifying ends with Stuart Bingham win

ByEurosport

Updated 20/08/2023 at 08:34 GMT

48 players have booked their respective places in the second round of the British Open, which will be staged by the Centaur in Cheltenham next month (September 25-1 October). Two-time British Open champion Jimmy White lost 4-0 to Stephen Maguire on Saturday as qualifying was completed in Leicester. The world's top 16 play their opening matches in Cheltenham with Ryan Day defending the title.

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Stephen Maguire gained a measure of revenge for his recent UK Championship defeat to Jimmy White with a comfortable 4-0 win in the British Open first round in Leicester.

Maguire lost 6-4 to White during his rousing run to the last 32 of the UK in November, but was not in the mood for second helpings at the Morningside Arena against an opponent who remarkably won the first of his two British Open titles in 1987.

After setting the tone with an opening 135, Maguire edged the second frame on the final black before a 60 break in the third frame was followed by a dominant display in the fourth frame.

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The former UK champion joins 47 other qualifiers in the second round of the tournament that sees the top 16 in the world play their opening matches at the finals venue in Cheltenham next month.

Elsewhere on Saturday, former world and Masters holder Stuart Bingham made a highest break of only 68 during a 4-0 victory over John Astley, while Thai speed merchant Thepchaiya Un-Nooh took just 49 minutes to complete a 4-0 win over Reanne Evans, the 12-time women's world champion, that saw him compile 60, 73, 69 and 64.

In an open FA Cup-style draw, world champion Luca Brecel has landed Ding Junhui, while Mark Allen and Anthony McGill collide in another intriguing contest between two players inside the top 16.

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World No. 1 Ronnie O'Sullivan – the British Open champion in 1994 – was paired with former European Masters winner Jimmy Robertson.

The matches are the best-of-seven frames with the quarter-finals increasing to the best-of-nine, before two best-of-11 frame semi-finals and a best-of-19 frame final.