Jamie Burnett's 5–2 victory over Tian Pengfei, a Chinese wild card, enabled Scotland's world No37 to progress through two rounds on the opening day of the Shanghai Masters because Ronnie O'Sullivan, who was awaiting the winner, did not travel to China "for family reasons".

O'Sullivan, the defending champion, who is not now the holder of a title of any kind, said: "I have a very young family and at this moment I need to spend more time with them."

Two weekends ago O'Sullivan also withdrew from the Paul Hunter Classic in Fürth, Germany, one of the new minor ranking events introduced this season, but started his Premier League campaign by making two centuries, 119 and 103, in his 3-3 draw with Marco Fu at Southampton last Thursday.

In Shanghai Ken Doherty had to win the last three frames for the 5-4 victory which prevented Mohammed Sajjad becoming the first Pakistani to win a main tour match.