An amateur player caused the biggest shock on the opening day of the World Open by beating one of China’s very best.

Former professional James Cahill thrashed home favourite Liang Wenbo 5-1 to reach the Last 64 stage of the second major ranking event of the season.

The 22-year-old is competing in the event as an amateur after becoming one of the leading players from the Q School ranking list. He was once on the pro circuit but suffered relegation around two years ago

Cahill comes from a snooker background as his mum Maria was a leading ladies player, and her sister Mandy was married to seven-time World Champion Stephen Hendry.

And he showed China’s number two star and the former English Open winner that he’s got the game to succeed once again during a memorable win.

This is not the first time Cahill has caused a big shock in a major competition. In 2014 he beat Ding Junhui to reach the third round of the UK Championship – a result which still goes down as the best of his career to date.

Cahill will next face Andrew Higginson for a place in the third round.

And that was just part of the drama on an action packed first day in Yushan where dozens of players are competing for the top prize of £150,000.

World champion Mark Williams was pushed all the way before winning a final frame decider against Germany’s Lukas Kleckers.

And defending champion Ding Junhui also had to fight all the way beating Thailand’s James Wattana 5-4.

Ding Junhui. Picture by Monique Limbos

Riga Masters winner Neil Robertson kept up his winning run with a 5-0 win in the first round and the man he beat in the final – Jack Lisowski – also won 5-0 on the opening day.

Ali Carter also won 5-0 to progress through while the lies of Marco Fu, Stephen Maguire and Luca Brecel also recorded final frame victories.