ASHLEY HUGILL secured a 4-3 upset win over former European Masters champion Fan Zhengyi at the BetVictor English Open.

World number 98 Hugill led 3-1 against world number 37 Zhengyi and the Melbourne potter appeared on the verge of a one-sided victory.

However the Chinese talent rallied to win the next two frames and take the match a decider.

However, Hugill held his nerve to win the decisive seventh frame and secure his place in the second round of the ranking event at the Brentwood Centre in Essex.

Zhengyi started brightly, knocking in a break of 84 to take the first frame 85-0.

Hugill replied with an 87 break to take frame two 87-21 before winning a scrappy third 51-24.

The 28-year-old moved one away from victory thanks to a 70 break, which saw him win the fourth frame 71-0.

In return, Zhengyi delivered a match-high break of 97, winning the fifth frame 97-0, and then edged a more closely-fought sixth frame 71-38.

But Hugill showed his mettle in the last, winning the tight tussle 67-61.

Next up for Hugill is another best of seven clash against a Chinese star in Pang Junxu, the world number 57, this afternoon (1pm).

Junxu is competing in the English Open second round for first time and won the World Snooker Tour rookie of the year in 2021.

Hugill had qualified for the main draw of the English Open after original qualifying opponent Yan Bingtao, the 2021 Masters champion, was suspended by the World Snooker Tour amid an “ongoing investigation into allegations of manipulating the outcome of matches for betting purposes.”