Higgins progresses with easy win

Higgins will play either Mark Selby or Marco Fu in the last eight

World champion John Higgins eased through to the quarter-finals of the China Open in Beijing with an emphatic 5-1 defeat of Mark King.

The Scot will meet Mark Selby in the next round after the Englishman saw off the challenge of Marco Fu.

Former world champion Shaun Murphy booked his place in the last eight as he upset home favourite Ding Junhui.

Mark Williams, Nigel Bond, Stephen Maguire, Ryan Day and Mark Allen also progressed at the �250,000 event.

Higgins dominated his match with breaks of 88, 50, 71, 62 and 116 to complete victory in just under one hour and 20 minutes, but he believes there is still room for improvement.

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"I gave Mark some chances but he didn't take them. My next opponent is sure to take them so I will have to play better," he said.

"It's going to be a really though match for me (against Selby). But if I win it will be great for my confidence going to the World Championship next month, especially because both of them have beaten me already this season."

In the other results, Murphy edged to a 5-4 victory over Junhui who admitted he felt the pressure of playing in front of an expectant home crowd.

"I played OK, but I had some bad luck in the last frame," said the Chinese star.

"The pressure on me was huge, but now I will go back to England and prepare for the World Championship. There will be less attention on me when I go back."

Murphy will meet Allen in the quarter-finals after he beat Ali Carter 5-3, while it will be an all Welsh affair as Williams takes on Day for a place in the semi-finals.

Maguire came back from 1-0 down to beat Barry Hawkins 5-2, while Bond beat fellow qualifier Barry Pinches 5-1 thanks to breaks of 104, 47, 100, 49 and 70.