Gerard Greene's English Open is over at the first hurdle after slipping to a frustrating 4-1 defeat against Robbie Williams.

The Medway potter has endured a difficult start to the season and continued his misery in Milton Keynes as a fluent performance from the world No.104 proved too hot to handle.

Greene went out in the first round of the European Masters last month and is struggling for the sort of form that saw him reach the 2014 Tour Championship final, failing to muster a single half-century break under the Marshall Arena lights.

Williams took the first frame in the best-of-seven format by 69 points to 33 but Greene restored parity with 62 of his own in the second.

A gritty third ensued and it was Merseyside’s Williams who took it, as he edged out the Kent star - who hails from Northern Ireland - by 56 points to 49.

Greene left himself with work to do but a fine break of 80 from Williams opened up daylight between the pair to take the score to 3-1.

And Greene was unable to engineer a miraculous late fightback as Williams racked up 68 points in the fifth to advance to the second round.

Ditton’s Barry Hawkins enters the fray at the first Home Nations event of the season tonight (Tuesday) as he takes on Brazilian potter Igor Figueiredo at 8pm.

Watch the snooker English Open live on Eurosport, Eurosport app and Quest

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