A random draw adds excitement to the proceedings as the 2008 tournament gets underway at the SECC in Glasgow. From the last 16 until the semi-finals, the competitors will be drawn from a hat, dramatically increasing the possibility of top seeds playing one another in an early stage of the contest. The first round matches get underway, with the top 16 seeds facing randomly drawn qualifiers. In this first round, three times Grand Prix champion John Higgins takes on Nottingham's Anthony Hamilton, while World Championship semi-finalist Joe Perry faces off against Barry Hawkins. Hazel Irvine, Steve Davis and John Parrott introduce the action, with commentary by Clive Everton, Dennis Taylor, Willie Thorne and John Virgo.