HOME favourite Ryan Day brought the Rocket crashing down to earth at the Newport Centre last night.

The Pontycymer potter caused a big upset by beating Ronnie O'Sullivan 4-2 and takes on fellow Welshman Matthew Stevens for a place in the quarter-finals today as the prospects of a home winner of the Welsh Open increased dramatically.

Stevens is in fine form after sweeping to a 4-0 victory over Shaun Murphy – the man who beat him in the 2005 world championship final – and he predicted he could still get back to the top level of the sport.

The Carmarthen ace has slipped to number 21 in the world since his best days in the early part of the last decade but he looked full of confidence against number six Murphy yesterday afternoon.

“What a difference a couple of days makes. I felt a totally different player today,” said the 33-year-old. “I was very relaxed and it showed with the way I played.

“Shaun should have won the first frame but I managed to nick it on the black and I didn't look back.

“In a short race to four frames if you can nick the first one the other guy is under pressure,” he added.

“I had quite a bit of support and it's great to be in the last 16 of the Welsh Open because I haven't been for a while.

“The main thing is that I'm enjoying it and that's what counts. When I've been struggling I know I'm not going to win before I start but I feel pretty sharp now and I just hope it can continue.

“I'm still only 33 and I feel pretty young. I know I can play in practice and I still believe I can compete at the top level.”

Former world champion Stephen Hendry also enjoyed a whitewash yesterday afternoon with a 4-0 victory over Joe Perry.

World number one John Higgins eased past Dave Harold 4-1 and Stephen Maguire beat Gerard Greene 4-2.

Yesterday's results: Matthew Stevens (Wal) bt Shaun Murphy (Eng) 4-0, Stephen Hendry (Sco) bt Joe Perry (Eng) 4-0, Stephen Maguire (Sco) bt Gerard Greene (Eng) 4-2, John Higgins (Sco) bt Dave Harold (Eng) 4-1.

Today's order of play: 1pm – Mark Williams v Jamie Cope and Ali Carter v Peter Ebdon; 2pm – Mark Allen v Ding Junhai and Matthew Stevens v Ryan Day; 7pm – Neil Robertson v Graeme Dott and Stephen Hendry v Stephen Maguire.