A stunning long red helped Ding Junhui to take a pulsating deciding frame and beat Scotland’s Scott Donaldson 6-5 to reach the quarter-finals of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship in York.
The pair were given a standing ovation after a sublime break of 109 from Ding got him over the line. Donaldson had the first opportunity but failed to get on an easy red after going into the pack. He played a good safety, but Ding picked out a red and composed his match winning century.
Afterwards the two players embraced at the end of an emotional run for Donaldson. The Perth cueman sadly lost his father Hector last month. He said he was inspired by him in a 6-5 win from 5-0 down against Stuart Bingham in the last round of qualifying. Donaldson then scored a tremendous 6-1 win over Mark Allen in the opening round.
China’s Ding had found himself 5-3 ahead and looked set for a more routine win, but the determined Donaldson refused to give up. Breaks of 81 and 72 forced the decider, where he just fell short.
The UK Championship has proved to be a prolific hunting ground for Ding over the years. The most recent of his three titles in the event came back in 2019 when he beat Stephen Maguire in the final. Ding was also runner-up in 2022 to Mark Allen and 2023 to Ronnie O’Sullivan.
The legendary 15-time ranking event winner now turns his attention to world number one Judd Trump, who he faces in a blockbuster quarter-final on Friday.
“He is talented and a good player. I want him to move on because what he showed in the last three frames is top class,” said 38-year-old Ding.
“I feel good about my game. I need to work on my psychology when playing. I was thinking about that a lot before the match. I need to keep thinking simple thoughts to make things happen.”
Donaldson said: “The fight was good. That is what these top guys do. When the pressure comes on and I mean really on, that is what they do. It is unbelievable. I should have gone for a red at the end. It was really risky, but you need to take these crazy risks to beat these guys. Hindsight maybe. It was a tough game, but I am proud of how I fought.”
On the other table, Zhang Anda overcame World Champion and practice partner Zhao Xintong 6-2 to make the quarter-finals for the third consecutive season.
York has proved to be a productive venue for former International Champion Zhang, who made a 147 here last year. He now progresses to face either John Higgins or Shaun Murphy in the last eight.
A break building blitz saw Zhang overpower the Crucible king today. Runs of 127, 129, 87, 69 and 73 helped him over the line this afternoon.
Zhang said: “I hope I can go even further this time. In the Triple Crown events, the broadcasting, the audience and the whole tournament team are on a different level. Everything feels more professional. The atmosphere in these venues is truly incredible.
“For the quarter-finals, I really hope to play John Higgins. He has been my idol since I was a child. In my whole career for 15 years, I’ve only played him once. I don’t know when he will retire, so I really hope I can face him a few more times while we’re still on tour together.”
Shaun Murphy rallied from 4-1 down to beat John Higgins 6-5 in a thrilling encounter at the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship to make the quarter-finals.
Having trailed for much of this encounter against 33-time ranking event winner Higgins, Masters champion Murphy describes the win as one of the best of his life.
Victory pushes the Magician within three wins of recapturing the trophy he last won in 2008 and adding a second UK crown to his resume.
Three-time UK Champion Higgins continues his recent difficulties in York, having looked set for a place in the last eight. He’s failed to reach the UK Championship quarter-finals since 2019.
The match nearly got off to the perfect start with Murphy depositing 11 reds and ten blacks, but the Magician spurned the 11th black to end his hopes of a maximum and finish his run on 81.
Higgins then took charge, with breaks of 70, 70 and 78 giving him three on the bounce for a 3-1 lead at the mid-session.
When play resumed, Higgins extended his advantage to 4-1, before Murphy replied by taking the sixth and seventh frames to remain in touch at 4-3.
A break of 74 then took Higgins a frame from victory, but in keeping with the rest of the match Murphy refused to wilt. Runs of 89 and 53 from the 2005 Crucible king forced a deciding frame at 5-5.
A tense final frame was battled out in tactical territory, with the balls finding tricky positions. It was Murphy who dominated much of it, before Higgins had his chance on the yellow. He spurned a tricky opportunity to the green pocket. Murphy pounced, cracking in a long yellow and clearing to claim victory. He now faces China’s Zhang Anda in the last eight.
“It is one of the best wins of my career. I don’t think it is an overstatement to say that. I’ve been lucky to have a great career and many memorable wins. But when you play one of the legends you have to throw everything at them,” said 43-year-old Murphy.
“I was literally stood behind certain shots thinking, what would John do? We talk about him being the best tactical player of all time, alongside Mark Selby. My way is ok, but it has lost me some games as well. It is probably about time I started something else. I have put so much work into it, I thought rather than playing the clever shot on the way home, try and think of it now.
“I hadn’t really thought that I hadn’t won this event since 2008 until Rob Walker introduced us out tonight. He made a point of saying it. I see my UK Championship trophy every day in my snooker room. It is an honour to have it. They can’t take your name off it, but it would be nice to have it on it again. The win at the Masters earlier this year reminded me I can still do it on the biggest stage.”
On the other table, Barry Hawkins put on a sensational performance to thrash qualifier Elliot Slessor 6-0 and set up a last eight clash with close friend Mark Selby.
The Hawk soared to the UK final 12 months ago, beating the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan and Murphy en route to the title match. He was denied a maiden Triple Crown triumph after a 10-8 defeat against Judd Trump in the final.
Today’s victory has rekindled the sort of form which took him to the precipice of glory last year. The 46-year-old enjoyed a 96 percent pot success rate in a whitewash blitz. Breaks of 94, 87 and 73 helped him to victory. Afterwards he admitted tougher tests lie ahead.
Hawkins said: “It’s a nice easy one next! It is going to be great, we are great friends, but he will be trying to rip my head off. It will be a really tough game and he looks like he is back to his best. I will need the same performance as tonight, if not better.”
Life came in the way of snooker yesterday, especially in the evening, in the form of torrential rains causing power-cuts and flooding. The latter were “enhanced” by the fact that it wasn’t just water running down the streets and filtering under the doors, it was mud, yellow and thick. What’s not to like, eh? I saw next to nothing from the evening action.
I was able to watch most of the Ding v Donaldson match despite some disturbances, but, unfortunately, I missed the end of the match. From what I saw, both players deserve a lot of credit for their performances. Reading Scott’s quotes I’m confident that he will learn from this defeat and will further improve. He’s a lovely person and a hard worker. If anything, he’s too humble.
Neil Robertson thrashed Wu Yize 6-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship in York, as he continues his quest to return to the business end of one of snooker’s biggest events.
The Thunder from Down Under is a three-time UK Champion, having lifted the famous trophy in 2013, 2014 and 2020. However, he arrived in York having not won a match in the event since he last captured the title. Victory over Belgian qualifier Julien Leclercq in round one ended that run and today’s dominant display establishes Robertson as a key contender for silverware this time around.
Robertson has enjoyed a fine season so far, having beaten Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-9 in the final of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. He was also runner-up to Zhao Xintong at the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship.
Wu came into this week off the back of a superb triumph at the recent International Championship, where he beat John Higgins in the final to secure a maiden ranking title. However, Australia’s Robertson proved to be too strong today.
It was 22-year-old Wu who took the opener today, before Robertson ran rampant. Breaks of 51, 65, 75, 56 and 68 helped him to six frames on the bounce and a routine victory. That sets up a last eight meeting with Pang Junxu.
43-year-old Robertson said: “I thought after losing the first frame, which I should have won, I mentally recovered very quickly. I pounced on a couple of mistakes from him. After the interval I thought I was quite strong.
“I’m expecting tougher challenges ahead. There are a lot of great players still in the event and a lot of previous winners. I’m really pleased with the progress so far.
“I haven’t won a match since winning this event, so getting through the first match was good. I love coming up to York and all of the Triple Crown events. There is great production. It is great just looking up at the commentary box and seeing Dennis Taylor and things like that.”
On the other table, Pang defeated three-time World Champion Mark Williams 6-3 to make the UK Championship quarter-finals for the first time in his career.
With the tie in the balance at 4-3, Pang pounced on moment of bad luck for Williams when he inadvertantly fouled a red into the middle pocket. A break of 53 moved the Chinese cueman one from victory at 5-3. He then hammered home the highest break of the match, a run of 116, to get over the line and book his last eight clash with Robertson.
25-year-old Pang said: “It feels unbelievable right now. I’ve managed to beat two great players in a row, Xiao Guodong in the first round and now Mark Williams. I’m honestly exhausted, but very happy.
“The Triple Crown events are very different. It all feels much bigger than regular tournaments. For professional players, these events hold a special meaning, so the emotions are definitely different.
“A lot of Chinese players have achieved very good results this season, including Xiao Guodong winning a ranking title. We practise together often, and seeing them lift trophies is very motivating for me. That inspires us to improve and hopefully win titles ourselves.
“Neil Robertson has been playing well this season. I’ve played him many times before, with wins and losses. Facing him always excites me — his style of play brings the best out of me. I hope our match will be a great one.”
Defending champion Judd Trump battled to a 6-3 win over Si Jiahui to make the quarter-finals of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship in York.
World number one Trump captured the title 12 months ago after a fiercely contested final, in which he beat Barry Hawkins 10-8. His dominance of the sport at the time has ensured that he has spent the last year at the top of the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings.
However, he hasn’t lifted silverware since last year’s win in York. If Trump fails to win this week, he will have gone the calendar year of 2025 without a tournament win. The last time that happened to him was 2013.
Having tried changing cues recently, Trump has returned to the cue he won the 2019 World Championship with, alongside many other events. It appears to be paying dividends so far this week.
Last time the pair met, Si put on a stunning display to make a 147 en route to beating Trump 6-2 in semi-finals of the 2024 Wuhan Open. That performance was described by Trump as one of the best he has ever been pitted against.
The opening two frames this evening were split, before Trump made 117 in the third to lead 2-1. He then trailed 65-1 in the fourth and summoned a sensational clearance of 65 to steal by a point and move 3-1 up at the mid-session.
Trump appeared to be cruising to the line when a 37-minute fifth went his way. However, two on the bounce from Si made it 4-3 and left the tie in the balance.
The Ace in the Pack edged to the verge of victory and then forced himself over the line with a match winning break of 50 in the ninth. Awaiting Trump is either Ding Junhui or Scott Donaldson.
“I think it was pretty good, especially at the start up until 4-1. There was a little wobble in the middle of the game but in the end it was a slight improvement on round one,” said 36-year-old Trump.
“If he gets back to 4-4 it is game on again. Those are the crucial times and moments you have to be potting key balls. He is still very young and quite inexperienced when it comes to this kind of tournament. He will learn from it.
“It is nice to just be playing snooker. I don’t know what will happen after this tournament but for now I’m very comfortable with this cue. Everything is good. The venue is great, conditions are perfect and this is somewhere I enjoy coming.”
On the other table, four-time World Champion Mark Selby scored a 6-2 win over Zhou Yuelong to book his quarter-final slot.
Selby looks to be in fine form this week, having already comfortably beaten Scottish Open champion Lei Peifan 6-2 in round one. Defeat for qualifier Zhou means he fails to cash in on a landmark 6-4 defeat of Ronnie O’Sullivan in his opening match.
The pair were level at 2-2 heading into the interval this evening. When play resumed they contested a marathon 53-minute frame. Selby ironically tapped his watch after claiming it to move 3-2 ahead.
The following frames saw him hammer home breaks of 71, 75 and 56 to secure victory. He awaits either Barry Hawkins or Elliot Slessor in the quarters.
Selby said: “If you can’t get confidence from beating Ronnie O’Sullivan in a big match you never will do. It looked like he had that at the start of the match. He’s had a good season as well. I knew it was going to be a tough game.
“It is getting harder to win Triple Crown titles. It was hard anyway, but it is even harder now with the standard. I feel like I’m happy with my game. I’m giving myself a chance in the tournament and that is all you can ask for.”
Again, with just four matches to report on, WST’s post are comprehensive enough and I have not much to add. Wu’s performance was disappointing, but that happens. Nobody can play at their best all the time and once Neil gets on top of an opponent, he’s ruthless. The other matches went the way I expected. Willo did well to get thus far, but at 50, he’s no more the force he used to be and Pang is very solid.
Four-time World Champion Selby booked his last 16 slot with an dominant 6-2 win over Scottish Open champion Lei Peifan.
The Jester from Leicester is a two-time UK Champion, but hasn’t triumphed in York since 2016.
A 51 break in the opener this afternoon gave Selby a 1-0 lead on the black and a platform to build from. Further contributions of 82, 75 and 133 helped him charge into a 5-0 lead.
Lei pegged him back to 5-2, but recent Champion of Champions winner Selby took the eighth to get himself over the line.
Selby said: “I thought Lei battled well to 5-2 and it looked like he still fancied the job, which is a great mindset for him. I still felt calm but I was happy to get over the line. I didn’t want it to get too close.
“I feel like I’m somewhere close to my best. It would be nice to have a good run here. It has been a few years since I’ve had a good run in a Triple Crown event. I’d swap winning the Champion of Champions for winning this, that is for sure. I’m playing well so lets see what happens.”
Elliot Slessor won his first ever match at the York Barbican, defeating world number two Kyren Wilson 6-4 to make the last 16 of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship.
The Tyneside cueman first appeared in York back in 2013, but it has taken him 12 years to finally win a match at the venue. He won final stage matches to reach the last 32 in 2020, but the event was displaced to Milton Keynes due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, this season has seen world number 21 Slessor make a major breakthrough. He beat the likes of Stuart Bingham, Mark Williams and John Higgins en route to the semis of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, where he lost to Neil Robertson. The £100,000 pocketed that week was the biggest payday of his career.
Wilson was visibly frustrated and emotional in the arena. The 2024 World Champion has spent his week in York trying to find solutions with his cue, which was recently damaged.
Slessor now turns his attentions to a last 16 tie with Londoner Barry Hawkins, while Wilson will next appear in Edinburgh at the Scottish Open.
After this evening’s first two frames were traded, Slessor won the third on the black to edge ahead. However, Wilson won the fourth to ensure parity at the mid-session, with the two players locked level at 2-2.
When play resumed, Slessor claimed two on the bounce to move 4-2 ahead. Wilson then appeared to click into gear with runs of 104 and 91 to make it 4-4.
The rally from the Warrior was to be short lived, as Slessor moved one from the win at 5-4. He then made 66 to get over the line and book his meeting with Hawkins.
“I just battled. That was all I had. I just battled as hard as I could and stayed in there. I knew it was a miracle that I was 4-2 up as he was the better player. He found a gear to go 4-4 and I knew I needed to find something myself,” said 31-year-old Slessor
“It is great to win against a player of Kyren’s class. He is a phenomenal player and a former World Champion. However, I know I can beat these players if I play my game. I’d have taken a lot more from that if I’d played better, but I’m still in the tournament and I can still improve.
“Barry is another phenomenal player. I can’t believe he hasn’t won a Triple Crown event, I think he is that good. He is a tremendous match player.”
On the other table, Hawkins emerged victorious after a hard fought 6-4 victory over 50-year-old qualifier David Lilley.
Hawkins was runner-up last year here in York. He beat the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan and Shaun Murphy to make the title match, but fell short 10-8 against world number one Judd Trump.
Victory today means the four-time ranking event winner remains in the hunt for that elusive first Triple Crown triumph.
Hawkins said: “It was a very difficult game. There was a spell mid-match where it looked like it would be a good standard, but it went scrappy again. I didn’t really feel match sharp.
“Elliot is playing really well. For the last three or four seasons I felt like he’d make a breakthrough. I’ve always rated him. He’s knocked out Kyren and you don’t do that unless you are playing well. I’ve got a difficult game and I need to up my game that is for sure.”
Mark Selby speaks out on a snooker future without Ronnie O’Sullivan
Mark Selby says snooker will survive a future without Ronnie O’Sullivan but admits the Rocket brings a unique atmosphere to tournaments.
O’Sullivan was beaten 6-4 by Zhou Yuelong in his UK Championship opener on Tuesday, losing in the first round for the second year on the bounce.
The seven-time world champion turns 50 this week and is playing a reduced schedule of mainly events in China and the Middle East.
This week’s visit to the Barbican in York was the first time he has played in the UK since his World Championship semi-final defeat to Zhao Xintong in May.
There is no real sign that O’Sullivan is set to hang up his cue at the moment, ranked five in the world and saying that he is still enjoying the game.
However, there will come a time at which the Rocket heads into retirement and Selby says that something will be lost from events.
‘For me, it’s always great when Ronnie is in a tournament,’ he said after beating Lei Peifan 6-2 on Tuesday in the same session as O’Sullivan’s loss. ‘It has that extra vibe.
‘Even just playing there, being in the same session, with the crowd you get that atmosphere which you don’t really get with any other player.
‘No disrespect to any other players on the tour, even myself, we’re all top players, but you don’t get that atmosphere with anyone else. If I’d have been playing with [John] Higgins on the next table or [Mark] Williams or Judd [Trump] or [Zhao] Xintong, even them guys, as good as they are, you still don’t get that atmosphere.’
The 42-year-old is backing the younger players on tour to bring in the crowds in future, though, naming a string of stars who play exciting snooker.
‘Hopefully he just carries on playing, he seems like he still enjoys it, or else he wouldn’t be playing. As long as he stays healthy I’m sure he’ll carry on.’
Selby would have met O’Sullivan in the last 16 if the Rocket had progressed, but instead he takes on Zhou for a place in the quarter-finals.
‘If you play Ronnie it would have been a great occasion and a tough game,’ he said. ‘Zhou’s obviously playing some decent stuff to beat Ronnie as well, he’s a great player himself.
‘Whoever I play it’s going to be a tough game. It would’ve been great to play Ronnie here in York, but not to be.’
Selby looks in very good form at the moment, after winning the Champion of Champions last month, and says he feels as good as he has done for a long time.
‘I feel like I’m somewhere close,’ he said on how near he is to his best. ‘It would be nice to have a run in these big ones because it’s been a few years since I’ve had a run in these Triple Crown events.
‘I’m playing some decent stuff and I’m fancying the big shots when I’m under it, which is key, because that’s been a little while before I’ve been in that position. I’m playing alright so let’s see what happens.’
China’s Zhou Yuelong defeated Ronnie O’Sullivan for the first time in his career, scoring a superb 6-4 win over the Englishman at the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship in York.
In seven previous meetings, O’Sullivan had prevailed each time. That included a clash at the 2023 UK Championship where the 41-time ranking event winner triumphed 6-5 from 5-4 down.
This afternoon’s win sees Zhou, who checked out of his hotel this morning, finally overcome the Rocket for a first time. He now faces Mark Selby for the chance to better it.
O’Sullivan holds a record eight UK Championship crowns, but this is the second consecutive year he’s fallen at the first hurdle. Barry Hawkins also defeated O’Sullivan 6-4 in York 12 months ago.
A 29-minute opening frame this afternoon went the way of Zhou, before he cleared the colours to steal the second on the black and lead 2-0.
O’Sullivan was making his first appearance on British soil this season, since moving to Dubai earlier this year and he stepped up with breaks of 71 and 123 to make it 2-2 and restore parity at the mid-session.
Frames were traded upon the resumption, before Zhou moved 4-3 by snatching the seventh by a single point. A break of 127 then moved him one from victory at 5-3. The Rocket responded to extend the match, but it was Zhou who got over the line in the tenth for a momentous victory.
27-year-old Zhou said: “I am so excited. He is a legendary snooker player and best in history. He is the king of the Barbican. If you can beat Ronnie it has to give you confidence. This is a big victory for my career.
“I’ve played Mark Selby many times. He is another legendary player. I need to prepare and play well tomorrow.
“I checked out of my accommodation this morning. I booked one week ago when the draw came out. It is very expensive and I didn’t know if I was winning or losing. I need to stay now. I will find somewhere near this venue.”
O’Sullivan, who turns 50 this week, said: “He played better. I didn’t give him much of a fight and had a lot of bad mistakes really. He deserved his victory today.
“Defeat is defeat. You have to accept it is part and parcel of being a professional sportsman.”
And here are the scores and stats for this match
Ronnie scored more points than his opponent, made 6 breaks over 50 for just one by Zhou, had a higher “pot rate”1 but all that doesn’t matter. The only stat that does matter is that Zhou won 6 frames, and Ronnie won 4 frames.
Ronnie O’Sullivan suggests reason for ‘ropy’ UK Championship defeat
Ronnie O’Sullivan lost his opening game at the UK Championship (Picture: Getty Images)
Ronnie O’Sullivan admitted he was ‘ropy’ in UK Championship defeat to Zhou Yuelong on Tuesday, feeling a change of tip did not help his cause.
The Rocket was beaten 6-4 by the 27-year-old, with Zhou scoring a first win over the seven-time world champion at the eighth time of asking.
There was some really good stuff in there from the 49-year-old, who made breaks of 71, 123, 62, 94, 65 and 56.
However, he made some surprising errors and admitted Zhou deserved to beat him.
‘Obviously he played better,’ the Rocket told the BBC. ‘I didn’t really give him much of a fight. A lot of bad mistakes really, basic ones. He deserved his victory.
‘Defeat’s defeat innit? You’ve got to just accept it as part and parcel of being a professional sportsman.’
Speaking in a post-match press conference, O’Sullivan said he was not feeling entirely comfortable with the tip he was using at the Barbican.
O’Sullivan has not won a ranking title since January 2024 (Picture: Getty Images)
A recent switch to harder tips has proved a bit hit-and-miss and he now intends to return to one with ‘a little bit more give.’
‘I’m enjoying playing. Since the start of the season I’ve enjoyed playing,’ he said.
‘That was a bit of a ropy performance. I have to admit that, I’m not going to shy away from that.
‘I’ve started using harder tips. The one I played in Saudi, the first one, was great and China felt good. I’m not making excuses, I never make excuses, that’s just not me. But I think all the players are trying different tups. I’ve gone to a harder one. Maybe my touch and feel is not as good, I don’t know.
‘Maybe I need to go back to something that has a little bit more give.’
O’Sullivan is not despondent about his game, though, saying: ‘I feel like I’m hitting the ball alright. That’s the most important thing.’
Outside of a run to the Saudi Arabia Masters final, it has been a quiet season so far for the Rocket and it is not clear when we will see him back on the table.
Earlier this campaign he suggested he would not play at the Masters in January and he was non-committal about his attendance at Alexandra Palace after defeat at the Barbican. Asked the same question in a press conference, he said: ‘Hopefully. I’d like to. We’ll see.’
Zhou moves on to the last 16 where he will take on Mark Selby for a place in the quarter-finals after the Jester from Leicester downed Lei Peifan 6-2 on Tuesday afternoon.
On a first win over O’Sullivan, Zhou said: ‘I think for my career it’s one big win!
‘Before I lost many times to Ronnie, every time I played Ronnie I was so nervous. When I was a child I was watching Ronnie all the time on the TV.
‘I have so much respect for Ronnie, he’s a great snooker player and also he’s won the UK Championship eight times. He’s King in the Barbican! I’m so proud of myself.’
I didn’t watch the match. For some reason I expected that defeat. I’m not sure why exactly, but I did expect it. I’m feeling sad, more than disappointed and I’m not optimistic for Ronnie’s future on the baize.
Of course, Ronnie has nothing to prove and his legacy is immense and I’m not writing him off just yet but … time waits for no one.
I should know, I’m going to turn 71 in two weeks time. I’m not sure how that happened, where have all those years gone 😳😟 ?
There was still some good stuff from Ronnie in there though …
It was another well attended day of snooker yesterday in York and with only four matches on the menu WST was able to produce decent comprehensive reports and I don’t have much to add to them.
The crowd is always good in York, and fair as well. Still, I was surprised by the reception Zhao Xintong got. Here is a player from China who has been involved in a match fixing affair and, despite not having actually fixed any match himself, he faced some harsh lasting hostility from some corners on the Internet. There was nothing of that on show yesterday.
China’s first World Champion Zhao Xintong and his iconic compatriot Ding Junhui scored respective wins on Monday at the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship.
It was a historic afternoon in York, with the first ever all-Chinese lineup in a two-table session of a Triple Crown event.
Crucible king Zhao put on a superb display to see off Long Zehuang 6-1 in his first Triple Crown appearance since winning a maiden world title back in May.
Zhao climbed to the top of the snooker world with stunning wins over Ronnie O’Sullivan in the semi-finals and Mark Williams in the final.
He’s gunning for a second UK Championship title this week, having lifted the famous trophy in 2021 with a win over Luca Brecel in the final.
Zhao stepped out to a tremendous reception this afternoon and he thrilled the packed Barbican crowd from the off. A break of 107 gave him the opener, before a further three on the bounce meant the 28-year-old led 4-0 at the mid-session interval.
A break of 51 helped make it five, before a dramatic sixth frame. Long looked set to come from behind and steal before missing a tricky final pink on 60 for the frame. A safety battle ensued, with a fluke from Long eventually making it 5-1.
The resistance was to be short lived. A break of 72 helping three-time ranking event winner over the line to book a second round meeting with either Zhang Anda or Gary Wilson.
Zhao said: “I felt really good about my game from the start. After the break I started to make some mistakes. I think it’s alright though. I was able to play at a good level in my first match. It will get better and better. I have greater confidence in myself now.
“We will see more and more afternoons like this in the future. The Chinese players are getting stronger. Another all-Chinese lineup will happen soon, for sure.
“I have been aware of how much people expect me to do well since winning the world title, but I’m trying to keep a composed mindset. If I set my expectations too high for myself then I feel more pressure. I have been learning to deal with it and handle the stress. I’m trying to enjoy matches.”
On the other table, three-time UK Champion Ding overcame former International Championship semi-finalist Xu Si 6-4 in a hard fought encounter.
York is a happy hunting ground for Ding. He last lifted the famous trophy here back in 2019 and was runner-up in both 2022 and 2023.
Breaks of 103 and 66 helped the 38-year-old into a 3-1 advantage at the mid-session. When play resumed, a potentially momentum changing fifth went the way of Xu on a re-spotted black.
Xu then levelled, but Ding stopped the fightback with runs of 92 and 109 to move one from victory at 5-3. Xu pulled one back with 96 in the ninth, before Ding hammered home a match winning 64. He awaits the winner between Mark Allen and Scott Donaldson.
“I was a bit lucky to get the win today. He was struggling when play started but came back in the end. I am happy to win any match, but to have four players from China in a Triple Crown was fantastic,” said world number eight Ding.
“There are many young Chinese players now winning a lot. They are playing much better. I am trying to win as much as I can for the rest of my career. If I don’t, then I won’t get too disappointed looking back. I think I have done a lot for snooker in my career. I think I can be happy that I’m playing the way I want to play.”
An emotional Scott Donaldson scored a superb 6-1 defeat of world number seven Mark Allen to make the last 16 of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship.
Donaldson’s father Hector sadly passed away last month and the Perth cueman was in tears as he made his entrance to the arena this evening, walking out to the David Gray song Babylon. Gray was one of his father’s favourite artists.
Tonight’s result is a continuation of a remarkable run for the world number 52. He summoned a sensational comeback in the last round of qualifying to reach York. Donaldson overturned a 5-0 deficit against 2015 World Champion Stuart Bingham to win 6-5.
Despite the one-sided scoreline this evening, the fragmented nature of the frames meant it was still a keenly contested clash. With Donaldson leading 2-0, the third frame lasted 59 minutes before the Scot eventually took it to lead 3-0. A break of 57 from Allen then gave him the fourth frame to trail 3-1 at the mid-session.
When play resumed Donaldson won two consecutive frames lasting over 45-minutes and then took the seventh on the black to get over the line. He clenched his fist after deposting the final ball. Donaldson will now face Chinese legend Ding Junhui.
“It is a game at the end of the day. It isn’t life or death. After what I’ve been through I can tell you what is important. When the pressure comes on, I tell myself, this is a game of snooker, get on with it,” said 31-year-old Donaldson.
“I was fine until I got to the top of the stairs – and the last time I was in this venue was with my dad. It was good emotion though. Tough to go through but once I got the first frame, after that I was all right.
“Every game is different. With my technique, I’ve got a lot of movement on different shots but if I can keep that under control I can play half decent. It isn’t just about me though. It is how my opponent plays as well. I’m looking forward to playing Ding.”
On the other table, Zhang Anda staged a superb fightback to defeat Gary Wilson 6-5 and set up a meeting with World Champion Zhao Xintong.
York is a happy hunting ground for Zhang, who made a 147 in last year’s event. He came through qualifying to reach this year’s edition, beating Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in the final round.
With the scores locked at 3-3, breaks of 65 and 91 helped Wilson to the verge of victory at 5-3.
Zhang won a tight ninth and then crafted a gutsy 77 to force a decider at 5-5. He controlled the last to get over the line and seal victory.
Zhang said: “Throughout the match, I felt mentally steady and didn’t worry too much about the result. Even when I was 5-3 down, I was just waiting him to give me a chance and I was ready to take it. That’s how I managed to come back.
“I don’t have high expectations for the next round. Since it is two Chinese players facing each other, we’ve already secured a spot in the quarter-finals, which is great. I just hope we can put on a good show and it isn’t one-sided, especially not on my end!”
During one of the sessions – I can’t remember which – Ronnie could be seen practicing in the background.
Australia’s 2010 World Champion Neil Robertson battled bast 22-year-old Julien Leclercq 6-2 to earn his place in the last 16 of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship in York.
The Melbourne cueman is hunting a fourth UK Championship crown, having lifted the famous trophy in 2013, 2015 and 2020. He enjoyed a massive win earlier this season at the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, beating Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-9 in the final to pocket £500,000, the highest payday of his career.
Next up he faces an intriguing last 16 meeting with China’s International Champion Wu Yize. The pair met in last season’s English Open final, where Robertson led 7-1 before being pegged back to 8-7, eventually winning 9-7.
Defeat ends what has been a fine tournament for towering 6ft 5in potter Leclercq, nicknamed the Belgian Beast. The former-Shoot Out finalist won three matches in qualifying to make the final stages here in York for the first-time in his career.
The first two frames both went beyond the 25-minute barrier, with Robertson claiming them to move 2-1 ahead. Leclercq responded by claiming the third before a break of 105 gave 43-year-old Robertson a 3-1 lead at the mid-session.
When play resumed, Leclercq pulled one back to leave the match in the balance at 3-2. However, Robertson replied by claiming the sixth and the seventh before a break of 64 in the eighth helped him over the line.
Robertson said: “I rate Julien, he is a great talent and I’ve been keeping an eye on how he has been doing this season. He came through a great last round in the qualifiers and I was pleased for him to get this experience early on in his career because I think he will learn an awful lot from it.
“We exchanged numbers last season and talked about practising together. We never managed to match up the dates but I said to him after the game we definitely need to do it. There were a few moments in the match where if we were practising I’d have stopped him and explained a different shot. I think he will be far better for the experience.
“I remember playing Wu at the English Open. I was 8-2 up and cruising and I didn’t even attempt a pot in the next four frames. He just kept slamming in all of these balls and let the arm go. He is the next superstar from China, there seems to be quite a lot of them at the moment. It is good to see that with the investment China has put into the sport, we are starting to see a handful of superstar players.”
On the other table, Wu held off an excellent fightback from Michael Holt to eventually emerge with a 6-4 triumph.
Wu’s victory at the recent International Championship came after he scored a stunning 10-6 win over John Higgins in the final.
Breaks of 55, 78, 82 and 81 exemplified a continuation of that form today as he burst 5-0 ahead. However, four on the bounce from Notthingham’s Holt saw him move right back into contention.
It was ultimately to no avail, with Wu taking the tenth to avoid a deciding frame and set up his meeting with Robertson.
Wu said: “I was quite pleased with myself in the first half, because i took my chances. I made some simple mistakes , but I think it’s acceptable. My opponent managed to win four consecutive frames and I wasn’t playing well.
“It was a fantastic experience, the player introductions was the best part. I stepped out and went down the stairs, it felt like i was going into a final. And the audience were so passionate, every seat was taken. I really enjoyed that moment.
“Neil Robertson is a great player. I will just try to enjoy myself in the match, because I feel like I have been playing well lately.”
Of course I watched the Julien v Neil match, and, of course I was supporting Julien but I have no complaints. Neil is a player, and a person, I like and admire. He loves his sport with a passion and I’m sure his offer to Julien about practicing together is genuine. Neil would coach the Martians if he thought it could develop snooker further across the universe! Wu is also a player I like, therefore the match between Neil and him will inevitably feel “bittet sweet” to me.
World number four Mark Williams rallied after a mid-session trip to the practice room to beat David Gilbert 6-4 and make the last 16 of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship.
The Welshman wasn’t happy with his performance at the break, despite being level with former Crucible semi-finalist Gilbert at 2-2. However, after a hit during the interval with coach Lee Walker, he was much happier with his play in the second half of the game.
50-year-old Williams became the oldest ever winner of a ranking event earlier this season after a 10-3 demolition of Shaun Murphy in the Xi’an Grand Prix final. He’ll be hoping he can break his own record this week by picking up a third UK title and first since 2002.
Williams made his move at 2-2 this evening with breaks of 89 and 73 helping him to three on the bounce and a 5-2 lead.
Gilbert replied with runs of 100 and 50 to pull within one, but it was Williams who got over the line by taking the tenth. Afterwards he reflected on the impact of his interval session with Walker
“We had a bust up! I came off worse,” joked Williams. “No, I don’t play much at home but when I am at the venue I practise as much as I can.
“We are working on a couple of things. Just easy things like screwing the black off the spot with a bit of side I struggle with. Yesterday, somehow I worked out how to do it! It has taken me a long time. We will keep trucking on and trying.
“Before the interval it was poor, but after the interval it was really good. It could have gone 5-5 at the end but I’m happy to get over the line. I potted some tricky balls to win that last frame so that was good.
“I’m only the oldest ranking event winner for the time being. John Higgins or Ronnie O’Sullivan will probably win one and overtake me. It is amazing how I’m still winning tournaments and beating someone like Shaun Murphy 10-3 is unbelievable. I just have to pat myself on the back.”
On the other table, Pang Junxu overcame Chinese compatriot Xiao Guodong 6-2 to set up a last 16 encounter with Williams.
Pang’s mum flew over from China to watch her son compete in the UK for the first time and it was a happy outcome for both this evening. Afterwards he admitted the presence of his mother was a boost and looked ahead to facing Williams.
Pang said: “Neither of us played well tonight and Xiao was unlucky. On the other hand, I was a bit lucky and it helped me to pull through the tougher moments.
“I am happy my mum was able to watch me in the UK for the first time. I think it helped me to focus on the match and I’m excited that I got the win.
“I played Mark once before and lost really badly. I hope I will be able to play much better and make less mistakes. I want to make sure this is a close match and that I don’t let him win easily.”
Imagining the “bust up” between Willo and Lee Walker made me smile. I must have been epic but by no way “dangerous”. These two as as close friends as close can be and if anyone happened to hurt Lee Walker, I’m sure that person would soon learn, or be reminded, that Mark Williams has two fists and isn’t too bad at boxing.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 