China's Chang Bingyu stunned former champion Shaun Murphy with a 4-0 victory at the Welsh Open in Llandudno, becoming only the ninth player in snooker history to achieve four consecutive century breaks. The 23-year-old, ranked 54th in the world, dominated the first-round match against the 2020 champion, who entered 46 places higher in the rankings.

Murphy's hopes of repeating his Venue Cymru triumph ended at the first hurdle as Chang's exceptional form proved unstoppable. The Chinese player's remarkable achievement of four centuries in a row marks a significant milestone in professional snooker. Jackson Page, the Welsh home hope, also advanced with a 4-0 win over Belgium's Luca Brecel, while Zhao Xintong defeated compatriot Fan Zhengyi 4-3 in his quest for a third consecutive ranking title.

Other notable results included Stan Moody's 4-0 whitewash of Jimmy Robertson, where the 19-year-old didn't lose a single frame, and Gary Wilson's 4-0 victory over Iran's Amir Sarkhosh. The tournament continues with the evening session featuring top players including John Higgins and Kyren Wilson. Chang's historic performance has already emerged as the standout moment of this year's Welsh Open.