World Grand Prix 2021 - Ronnie O'Sullivan eases into last 16 with win over Andy Hicks; Luca Brecel also through

Updated 15/12/2021 at 17:24 GMT

Ronnie O'Sullivan was far from his best but eased past underdog Andy Hicks and into the World Grand Prix second round. Hicks wasted a litany of chances to fight his way back into the match, and O'Sullivan hardly had to leave first gear on his way to victory as he looks to bounce back from last week's 6-1 humbling at the hands of John Higgins in the Scottish Open.

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Ronnie O'Sullivan eased into the second round of the World Grand Prix with a 4-1 victory over Andy Hicks.

After an inauspicious start for both players, O'Sullivan made his fourth visit to the table count in an error-strewn frame that could easily have gone either way.

In truth, Hicks had made the better start and looked on his way to winning the second frame after O'Sullivan missed an easy green, but the underdog missed the black off the spot and spurned a chance to string a big break together. O'Sullivan responded by taking the frame with a pink and doubled his lead.

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The world number three had barely left second gear because he had barely needed too, but Hicks finally made him pay in the third, clearing up after O'Sullivan missed an improbable long red.

With his lead cut in half, O'Sullivan raised his game in the fourth frame, waking from his slumber to punish Hicks after he missed a black off the spot with a 30-point lead. O'Sullivan produced a remarkable comeback on a difficult table and showed glimpses of his best on his way to leading 3-1, sinking a brilliant yellow along the top cushion after developing a difficult red.

Hicks looked like staying in the match after seeing off a series of reds and blacks, but the world number 77 missed a red to left middle that left the table set for O'Sullivan. The Rocket sank a brilliant plant with the balls far from touching, before sending a brown to right middle on his way to the win.

O'Sullivan, who was thrashed 6-1 by John Higgins in the semi-finals of the Scottish Open, will face Hossein Vafaei next.

The Iranian secured a 4-1 victory over Gary Wilson to set up a last-16 meeting with O'Sullivan.

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Luca Brecel continued his outstanding form with a comfortable victory over Jordan Brown.

The Scottish Open champion bookended his 4-1 win with century breaks of 100 and 105.

The Belgian also appeared on course for a maximum break in the third frame, but ran out of position on the 12th red and had to settle for 88 in an otherwise excellent performance.

"I feel relaxed, I don't really feel any pressure [at the moment]," Brecel told ITV Sport. "It was obviously amazing to win [the Scottish Open] and get all those ranking points. It is a good confidence booster for me.