This will be a looong post … Four matches concluded yesterday and WST published a substantial report on each of them, and rightly so, because three of the four were hard fought thrillers. So here goes … but, maybe, first, grab a cup of coffee or tea and biscuits…
Xiao Guodong continued to build on his career-best season as he won a match at the Crucible for only the second time, beating Matthew Selt 10-4 to reach the last 16 of the Halo World Championship.
At the age of 36, Xiao has made a huge leap forward in his career in 2024/25, winning his first ranking title at the Wuhan Open, reaching the final of the Champion of Champions and climbing into the top 16. A seed at the Crucible for the first time, he is determined to finish the campaign on a high note, and today’s result doubled his tally of wins at the Crucible, his only previous success coming in 2017 when he beat Ryan Day. Xiao’s next opponent is John Higgins or Joe O’Connor.
“Everyone wants to play their best at the Crucible, it’s such an important event,” said Xiao, who lives just one minute walk from snooker’s most famous venue. “This season I have won a title and been in nine quarter-finals. I want to be at my best in the last tournament. I have played Matt for many years, I know how good he is. He won his qualifying match from 8-3 down, he is very dangerous. I had to be at my best. I am very happy to win. I won’t think too much about the next round, I will just try to enjoy it with no pressure.“
Xiao built a 7-2 lead in the first session on Saturday with top breaks of 69, 120, 73, 109 and 57. Selt hit back this morning with runs of 54 and 83 to close to 7-4, and had a chance in frame 12 to clear from 53-8 down, but crucially missed the pink to a centre pocket after potting the last red on 33. Xiao took advantage by clearing the colours, and that proved the key moment as he added the last two frames with 62 and 52.
Along with Ding Junhui, Xiao is something of a father figure for the growing contingent of successful Chinese players as he has lived in the UK for 17 years. He helps them to learn English and settle into life away from their families. Back in his home city of Chongqing, he is also involved in coaching and nurturing young talent.
This year there are a record ten Chinese players among the 32 at the Crucible, and already Xiao and Lei Peifan are into the last 16, while Zhao Xintong could follow them as he leads Jak Jones 7-2.
“I am very proud,” Xiao added. “Lei was unbelievable last night (beating defending champion Kyren Wilson 10-9). When I look back 20 years ago there was only Ding and Marco Fu. Now to have ten Chinese players at the Crucible is amazing. In the future there will be many more young talents. I see them come to the UK, I am an older player and I can help them, I always try my best.”
Mark Williams summoned a sensational charge to come from behind and see off talented Chinese 21-year-old Wu Yize 10-8 and make the second round of the Halo World Championship in Sheffield.
Having lost an epic first round clash 10-9 against another of China’s finest young players Si Jiahui last year, three-time World Champion Williams was determined to come out on the right side this time around. With Wu seemingly in the ascendancy at 8-7 up this afternoon, Williams produced three brilliant frames to power over the line.
The Welshman has shown signs of his brilliant best this season, having won the Champion of Champions in November. Despite this, Williams turned 50 last month and has bemoaned the deterioration of his eyesight, citing his 10-3 loss to Ding Junhui at the Tour Championship as a particular low.
Although he is set for lens replacement surgery in June, he ditched his contact lenses today and it appeared to pay dividends with his performance.
Wu departs disappointed not to score a first match win at the Theatre of Dreams, having lost to Neil Robertson in his only other appearance. However, he can reflect on a fine season, where he reached finals at the English Open and the Scottish Open.
They came into this afternoon with Williams holding a slender 5-4 advantage. Wu immediately levelled up, before a break of 101 saw Williams regain the lead at 6-5. The next two frames were traded to leave Williams 7-6 ahead at the mid-session interval.
When play got back underway, Wu seized the initiative with two on the bounce to move 8-7 ahead. He crucially missed a red with the rest when on the verge of taking the 16th, Williams won the ensuing safety battle and cleared to steal on the black and restore parity.
That proved to be a key turning point, with the 26-time ranking event winner firing in breaks of 58 and 75 in the next two frames to secure a brilliant 10-8 victory. Williams will now face either Barry Hawkins or Hossein Vafaei.
Williams said: “I don’t like saying it, because I’ve just beaten him, but he has the potential to win this tournament. The long potting is just something as good as I’ve ever seen. Every time I broke off and left a long red he potted it, he was incredible. Once he tightens up on a few loose shots he is going to be amazing. I’m glad I’ll be finished before he gets much older.
“I’m not going to out-pot him or out-score him, but I definitely have a better safety game. That is what I had to try and do. I got stronger towards the end and potted a few good ones myself. It is in there, I just have to drag it out.
“It is hard to describe because there is a scoreboard by the black pocket and I can’t see the numbers. I’ve got to get to the blue spot before I can see it. That is nothing to be ashamed of it is just how it is. I’m at the stage where I have to try something like the lens replacement or it isn’t going to get any better.”
If Mark Williams eyesight is as bad as he describes, and I have no reason doubting him, it’s a miracle that he can play at all as well as a testimony how powerful the human brain can be if properly trained because Mark literally works on what his brain “remembers” and on the imprinted automatism rather on what he actually sees …. As for Wu, he’s a marvellous player, from 3-0 down to 4-3 up 466 unanswered points, but it wasn’t enough. Of course, he is still very young and still learning. If he evolves properly he’ll be a menace in a couple of years… and why should he not? As it is those two served the fans a thrilling and hugely entertaining match.
An ecstatic Hossein Vafaei couldn’t contain his joy, as he roared out mid-clearance during the deciding frame of a 10-9 win over Barry Hawkins in the opening round of the Halo World Championship.
A stunning display from the Iranian number one saw him battle to keep himself in contention. He fired in four centuries on his way to a final frame, having never led during the entire match. Vafaei was 50-0 up in the decider, but still some way shy of the winning post, when he roared out after potting a red to the green pocket.
The former Shoot Out champion went on to complete a break of 73 which saw him claim victory and set up a clash with three-time World Champion Mark Williams. Vafaei will be gunning for a first ever Crucible quarter-final.
This was only a second match win at the Theatre of Dreams for world number 24 Vafaei, who has come through qualifying in each of the last four years. He beat Ding Junhui in 2023, before falling foul of a 13-2 loss to Ronnie O’Sullivan in a fiery encounter. Last year Vafaei fell short against Judd Trump in the first round.
Defeat extends Hawkins’ torrid recent record in snooker’s showpiece event. He’s only won three matches at the Crucible since 2018 and hasn’t been beyond the second round during that period. However, he can reflect on a strong season which has seen him make finals at the UK Championship and the German Masters.
They came into this evening with Hawkins leading 5-4 and the Londoner took the opener to extend his cushion. Vafaei then responded with back-to-back century breaks of 104 and 107 to restore parity at 6-6.
Hawkins went 8-7 ahead when Vafaei made 110 to draw level once more. It was the Englishman that first moved to the verge of victory, making 106 to lead 9-8. A tight 18th frame went the way of Vafaei and he then made that emotional run of 73 in the last to get over the line. The moment of victory was the first time that he had led during the entire match.
“In the moment, during the deciding frame, my mind went negative. I had to change something around. I needed to give something a go and let the animal come out again. It was a trick to my mind. When you get close to crossing the line, people can make mistakes. That was the only way,” said 30-year-old Vafaei.
“I was under lots of pressure. All the way I was down. What can I do? I’m always under pressure. I couldn’t handle it at the end. I had to show some emotion or I’m not human. I had to show to the fans that we feel the pressure. People want to see this.
“Beating the world number 11 in the Crucible with four centuries is the best performance I have had. The numbers don’t lie. I could easily have given up and not continued. I kept believing in myself that the game was there.”
I didn’t actually watch that match. Some people can look at two or more screens simultaneously, I can’t … so I missed it. Still, there is something I want to comment on. Some fans may have been shocked or upset by Hossein’s emotional outburst. First, I find it strange that fans are upset by a player’s reaction when the said player opponent clearly is not. Of course, people in the north of Europe, especially males, are taught to keep their emotions in check, that crying is not on, that they have to be “strong”. In the eastern Mediterranean regions and in the Middle-east, men showing emotions are not “judged” that way. Emotions are expressed much more openly, positive emotions as well as negative ones like sorrow or anger. I now live in Greece for several years and I see it every day. Sometimes tourists don’t know how to react to this, and may even feel upset. Yet, I think this “emotional openness” is much healthier than the constant “restrain” that is expected to be the norm in Northern Europe.
Chris Wakelin thwarted a Neil Robertson comeback to prevail 10-8 and score his first ever match win at the Crucible on day two of the Halo World Championship.
Wakelin has endured some difficult defeats in snooker’s biggest event. The last two years have seen him lose in the final round of qualifying. Before that, there were three first round losses at the Crucible, including a gut-wrenching 10-9 defeat to Judd Trump on debut. This time the Rugby cueman says he is thrilled to finally make some positive memories in Sheffield.
It comes off the back of a tremendous season for world number 20 Wakelin, who reached the final of the International Championship and made his Masters debut in January. Off the table, he also became a father for the first time with the birth of his daughter.
Defeat for world number nine Robertson means he will have to wait another year in his hunt for a second Crucible crown. The 2010 World Champion hasn’t been beyond the second round for four years and failed to even qualify 12 months ago.
However, tournament victories this season at the English Open and World Grand Prix have seen him return to the world’s top 16 and give him optimism for the future.
Wakelin held a hefty 7-2 advantage coming into tonight, but that was soon wiped out. Breaks of 117, 69 and 53 helped Robertson to five on the bounce and parity at 7-7. Former Shoot Out winner Wakelin then stopped the rot with 90 in the 15th to lead 8-7.
Robertson made it 8-8, but just couldn’t find a way to get in front, with Wakelin taking two near 30-minute frames to emerge victorious. He will now face either Mark Allen or Fan Zhengyi.
“A lot of the memories in my career, up until two years ago, were negative. It was the match I nearly won or the ball I nearly potted. It is amazing now to think that some of my matches will be remembered in years to come for good things,” said 33-year-old Wakelin.
“The psychological part of this game, is the game. We all have the skill to play out there, but doing it on the day, when it matters, and dealing with the fact this is the World Championship adds a lot of extra pressure.
“It’s what you expect from Neil. He is a champion for a reason. I was prepared for it to go close today. I was ready for him to come back at me and I managed to get over the line in the end.”
Robertson said: “Yesterday was a really cruel session. I don’t think I’ve ever played so well to be 7-2 down. I only missed one ball and Chris played really well. He was aggressive and rode his luck and I was the opposite.
“I’ve been really consistent throughout the season and won a couple of titles to fly up the rankings. I came into this with a positive mindset. It isn’t the end to the season that I wanted, but I would have taken this overall.”
This was another thrilling high quality match. I have come to really appreciate Chris Wakelin. Here is someone who, in the past, struggled badly with mental health issues. I remember him at tournaments, some years ago, looking utterly miserable and physically unfit. But Chris didn’t surrender to his problems, he looked for solutions and found answers. He took on ballroom dancing in an attempt to improve both his mental health and his physical fitness. It may look like a rather peculiar “move” but it worked well for him. Here is someone whose career has been transformed by winning the Shoot-out. Positive experiences can work miracles for a person and Chris is a prime example of that.
“I suppose after putting the time in and speaking to Steve Peters and a couple of other people,they’ve kind of convinced me that I’m not so bad.So I’ve tried to trust what they’re saying and not listen to my own. “
And Ronnie was at the Victoria Academy yesterday too:
I don’t think it’s simply different cultural habits so to speak, based on geography. They do these emotional outbursts on tennis courts all the time, my personal favourite, Pete Sampras (Greek by origin incidentally) was branded boring for his rare emotional displays which were very subdued anyway. Most people liked if players roared. But that’s a tennis court. Ronnie described it in one of his books and I totally agree that in such a close environment as the snooker venue, such things appear very “in your face” to the opponent, even if not meant that way. So better to avoid them. Plus I really rooted for Barry.
I have to agree here. This is a gentle(wo)men’s sport, and players should keep their inner Neanderthal in check. It’s untoward and creepy to strut around roaring as if they had just crushed a mammoth’s skull with their bare fist. It’s to be avoided, just like other violent or violence-adjacent behavior, such as smashing cues. Who’s to tell whether or not the next target of such behavior by seemingly out-of-control males is going to be the other player, or the referee?
Ronnie O'Sullivan 
https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5157981332178497
“I suppose after putting the time in and speaking to Steve Peters and a couple of other people,they’ve kind of convinced me that I’m not so bad.So I’ve tried to trust what they’re saying and not listen to my own. “
And Ronnie was at the Victoria Academy yesterday too:
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0jDvvmcgHypMP4pML7ortEqNHJpYQuFXomWWpiainLgBvC1i9G8jKkstFohsvPP1Gl&id=100057212961032
I don’t think it’s simply different cultural habits so to speak, based on geography. They do these emotional outbursts on tennis courts all the time, my personal favourite, Pete Sampras (Greek by origin incidentally) was branded boring for his rare emotional displays which were very subdued anyway. Most people liked if players roared. But that’s a tennis court. Ronnie described it in one of his books and I totally agree that in such a close environment as the snooker venue, such things appear very “in your face” to the opponent, even if not meant that way. So better to avoid them. Plus I really rooted for Barry.
I have to agree here. This is a gentle(wo)men’s sport, and players should keep their inner Neanderthal in check. It’s untoward and creepy to strut around roaring as if they had just crushed a mammoth’s skull with their bare fist. It’s to be avoided, just like other violent or violence-adjacent behavior, such as smashing cues. Who’s to tell whether or not the next target of such behavior by seemingly out-of-control males is going to be the other player, or the referee?