Defending champion Mark Selby survived a Mark Davis comeback to win 6-5 in the opening match of the snooker masters.

Selby hit three half-century breaks to win the first four frames before Davis hit back to trail 5-3 and then forced a decider.

But Selby regained his composure to win a 55-minute final frame after a lengthy safety exchange.

In Sunday's other first round match at Alexandra Palace, John Higgins beat Stuart Bingham 6-2.

Selby, 30, from Leicester, has won the prestigious invitational event, which features the world's top 16 players, three times.

He is aiming to be just the fourth person to successfully defend the title.

Higgins built a commanding 5-1 lead in his first round encounter with Bingham.

A brief rally from 37-year-old Basildon-born Bingham saw him cut the deficit to 5-2, but after surviving a late scare with a snooker on the green, Higgins won the next frame to join Selby in the last eight.