Neil Robertson got his bid to secure a first title in the International Championship off to a flying start at the Baihu Media Broadcasting Centre in Daqing, China with a comprehensive win over Nigel Bond on Sunday.

Robertson, who has twice finished as the runner-up in the competition in both 2012 and 2018, found himself 1-0 down as the experienced Bond made a strong start to the contest.

The Australian, who produced the highest break in the entire match of 76, went on to win the following two frames before Englishman Bond levelled things up in the fourth.

In a best-of-11 frames, the 37-year-old Robertson then seized control and never looked back, racing away to win 6-2 and book his place in the second round.

Meanwhile, Scotland’s Graeme Dott secured his progress through to the next round after his own comprehensive win over Michael White.

The result of this match was in little doubt after Dott went 4-0 up, with the Scot securing a break of 98 in the fourth frame.

Welshman White showed a brief glimpse of his talents to take the fifth frame but the resistance did not last long and the experienced Dott wrapped things up to secure a 6-2 win and a place in the second round in Daqing.

In two all-English affairs on Sunday in the first-round, Mark Davis earned a 6-3 victory over Matthew Selt, while Elliot Slessor beat Louis Heathcote 6-4 to progress.