UK Snooker Championship 2021: Seven-time champion Ronnie O'Sullivan advances in York

Ronnie O'Sullivan won his first UK Championship title in 1993

Ronnie O'Sullivan moved into the third round of the UK Championship with a comfortable 6-2 win over Robbie Williams in York.

'The Rocket' then made breaks of 91, 74, 66 and 55 as he reeled off five frames on the trot to seal his victory.

O'Sullivan will now face Mark King or Gerard Greene next.

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Meanwhile, world number five Kyren Wilson swept aside Jak Jones, claiming a 6-0 whitewash over the Welshman.

Wilson, who reached the final of the World Championship in 2020, got under way with a break of 113 and also made a 77 on his way to victory. He will next play Wu Yize after the Chinese player secured a 6-4 win over Hammad Miah.

Reigning Masters champion Yan Bingtao suffered a surprise 6-3 defeat by world number 53 Ben Woollaston.

Jack Lisowski made four half centuries as he defeated fellow Englishman Martin O'Donnell 6-4 in a hard-fought contest, Matthew Selt won 6-2 against Joe Perry and Dominic Dale recorded a 6-4 win over amateur Si Jiahui.

Northern Ireland's Mark Allen and Scotland's John Higgins are both scheduled to start their second-round matches later on Saturday (19:00 GMT).

'I am going to try and not enjoy it - and see what happens'

It is almost three decades since O'Sullivan, 45, collected the first of his seven UK Championship titles in 1993.

And a sumptuous opening red was a timely reminder of the quality of a player who - despite being regarded as one of snooker's greatest ever stars - has downplayed his enthusiasm for participating in recent years.

"I have been enjoying it so much that it took the edge off my game. I thought maybe I should start applying myself a bit more mentally," O'Sullivan told BBC Sport.

"If I had not got my act together he would have probably taken advantage and won. I made him feel it out there and made him feel that I was there to try and win.

"I am going to try and not enjoy it this week and see what happens."

Williams, 34, more than played his part, winning the second and third frames at one visit, and but for a kick on the pink he may have headed into the interval with a 3-1 lead.

Instead, O'Sullivan knocked in a 91 to draw level and then went through the gears as he made his greater experience in these type of occasions count.

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