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.
There was a really good crowd at the Barbican in York yesterday, which is good to see. It made for a great atmosphere. It used to be that way in the past until WST tried to get all 128 players at the main venue. That didn’t work well. In the early rounds, four tables were squeezed in a back room. There were chairs there for the fans but as they were all standing at the same level you didn’t see much of the table situation unless you are very tall and sitting in the front row. Four other tables were in the main venue, and players complained that the tables extreme left and right were too close to the walls there wasn’t enough space to “walk into the shot”. Also there were no adequate changing facilities for the players. But I digress …
Here are the reports by WST on what happened yesterday at the Barbican:
Defending champion Judd Trump prevailed 6-4 in an entertaining clash with 2004 winner Stephen Maguire on the opening afternoon of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship in York.
World number one Trump won the title in terrific fashion 12 months ago. He overcame a treacherous path to the final, beating Neil Robertson, John Higgins, Zhang Anda and Kyren Wilson. A fiercely title match with Barry Hawkins was won 10-8 by the Ace in the Pack.
Despite having now been on top of the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings for over 12 months, he hasn’t lifted silverware since victory here last December. The calendar year of 2025 is yet to produce silverware for Trump, the last time that happened was 2013.
This week marks his last opportunity to avoid the same fate. In a bid to improve his fortunes he has reverted to the cue he won the 2019 World Championship win. Trump had previously switched to a new cue with a titanium ferrule rather than the traditional brass one.
Maguire held the famous UK Championship trophy aloft 21 years ago back in 2004. However, despite making two finals since then, he is yet to repeat the feat.
Although that wait doesn’t end this week, victory at the season opening Championship League and a run to the semi-finals of the International Championship have exhibited a return to form for the Glaswegian.
Breaks of 62 and 100 helped 36-year-old Trump to three of the first four frames and a 3-1 lead at the mid-session today.
When play resumed, Maguire hit back hammered home runs of 111 and 82 to restore parity at 3-3. He had a chance to take the lead in the seventh, but a straightforward red to the middle inexplicably missed the target and Trump pounced with 66 to lead 4-3.
A dramatic re-spotted black went Trump’s way to move him one from victory, before Maguire responded with 86 to claw back within one. However, 62 from Trump in the tenth saw him over the line to earn a last 16 meeting with Si Jiahui.
“It was a tough game, there was a lot of good stuff, there was a lot of misses. It was a classic UK Championship game really. I knew he had been back to form this year and he was always going to be tough to beat,” said 36-year-old Trump.
“At the moment I’m just missing that one percent of confidence under the utmost pressure. You need to have that belief, it isn’t quite there at the moment. When you beat players like Stephen, it helps and the form is coming back.
“I feel a lot better with this cue. I’ve been trying my absolute hardest but sometimes you know it isn’t going to be your day. I felt I had to change to give myself a chance. There are so many snooker tournaments these days that you don’t have much time to tinker. I have some time off after this event and I hope I’ll then find the right equipment for the rest of the season.”
On the other table, China’s Si set up his meeting with Trump thanks to a stunning 6-0 whitewash defeat of Welshman Ryan Day.
Si prevailed in his last meeting with Trump, which came at the 2024 Wuhan Open. Trump described it as one of the best ever performances against him, which included a 147 from Si. However, Trump has won all six of their other meetings.
Today’s win saw Si hammer home breaks of 61, 80 and 68 en route to a routine win.
Si said: “Very few tournaments would introduce the players like here, so every time I feel quite excited. I love the passion and the applause from the audience, so I really enjoy playing here.
“I won’t put too much pressure on myself, just relax and play. But I’m very happy to see other Chinese players winning titles, it does motivate me to do my best, to win my first ranking event.”
It was indeed an entertaining match on table 1. Stephen Maguire is a tremendous player and although I’m not a fan of using that word, yes, he is probably an underachiever. But then, of course, we don’t know what happens in the players’ lives away from the table. All the same, I like Stephen, he’s genuine, he speaks his mind without fear … he’s plain WYSIWYG1 .
Scotland’s John Higgins admitted he is plotting a trip with the Tartan Army to the World Cup next year after booking his passage in the second round of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship with a 6-2 win over Ben Woollaston.
The Glaswegian is competing in this event for the 33rd time in his career. He’s a three-time UK Champion, but York’s not been a happy hunting ground in recent times. Higgins hasn’t been beyond the last 16 since 2019. Standing in the way of the quarter-finals this time will be Shaun Murphy.
Despite his recent UK Championship record, Higgins arrives in good form having made the final of the recent International Championship in Nanjing, where he lost out to Wu Yize in the final.
Higgins says he’s still on cloud nine after celebrating Scotland’s 4-2 win over Denmark last week, which sealed World Cup qualification for the first time since 1998. The year he won the first of his four world titles to date.
Today’s defeat of Woollaston saw Higgins charge out of the blocks. Breaks of 66, 51, 84 and 58 saw him move into a 5-0 lead and one from the win.
Woollaston showed his steel and provided resistance in the sixth. Higgins was in first with 58, but a fine clearance of 70 saw the Leicester cueman steal on the black and keep the game alive. He then made it 5-2 with 65 in the seventh and apply some pressure. However, Higgins stood up to it and took a 21-minute eighth to get over the line.
“I’m hoping to come here and play well. It is a tough match with Shaun Murphy next but I’m into the tournament now. I’m going home for a couple of days then I’ll come back down and get ready for that match,” said 50-year-old Higgins.
“Shaun hits the ball like a dream. I managed to get the better out of him in Nanjing the last time we played but he beat me a couple of times before that. It is always a nice game. He goes for his shots and when you see that it makes you do it too. I can’t wait for it.
“Scotland qualifying for the World Cup has just given the country such a lift. Hopefully I will be out in a city in Mexico, Canada or America in the summer. I’d dearly love to go. The amount of people you speak to and they are all trying to get flights booked up. It will be an incredible atmosphere.
“One of the guys I went to Paris with in 1998 is no longer with us and it makes you think what a long time ago it was. A lot of things have passed under the bridge since then. It is great we are there again and I’d love to go and savour it again.”
On the other table, Murphy set up his mouth watering meeting with Higgins after taking five frames on the trot to defeat Lyu Haotian 6-2.
The Magician was trailing 2-1 when he stepped up with breaks of 58 and 63 on his way to moving 4-2 ahead. There was then a 147 attempt in the seventh, but his run ended on 80. It was enough to seal the frame and a contribution of 57 in the next saw the 2005 World Champion secure victory.
Murphy is also in fine form having won the British Open earlier this season and is savouring going toe to toe with Higgins.
Murphy said: “I was sat this morning having my breakfast watching the news and there was a lovely piece about the Class of 92. There is no escaping these guys and what they continue to achieve is remarkable. I’ve enjoyed watching John throughout my career. He has been a big help to me and helped me a lot as a junior player. I have watched him a lot, I just hope I don’t have to watch him too much in the next round!
“It has shown what the rest of us can do if we keep our heads down. When I started snooker you used to think your career would be over by 40. The Class of 92 have been trailblazers all of their lives and they continue to do that.”
In the evening I watched part of the Murphy v Lyu game. Shaun won the match by 6-2 with five breaks over 50 and yet the match was closer than what those numbers suggest. Lyu had chances in every frame, he potted some good balls but, for some reason, he appeared to struggle with his positional game and, of course, eventually it cost him. He isn’t the tallest guy and had to play a lot of shots with the rest. He’s not bad at it but it’s not the same as playing “naturally” without the implement.
Victorian Plumbing UK Championship 2025: Last 32 Draw
Judd Trump will face Stephen Maguire when he gets the defence of his Victorian Plumbing UK Championship title underway in York on Saturday at 1pm.
The random draw for the last 32 as been made, with the 16 seeds picked out against the 16 qualifiers. World number one Trump faces a tough test against 2004 UK Champion Maguire on the opening afternoon at the Barbican.
World Champion Zhao Xintong will meet Long Zehuang on Monday at 1pm, while eight-time UK Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan will take on Zhou Yuelong on Tuesday at 1pm. The full draw is:
Eight of the 16 qualifiers are from outside the UK/Ireland. Seven of them are Chinese, the eighth one is Julien Leclercq from Belgium, the only qualifier from mainland Europe, and the lowest ranked player in the draw. Julien is currently ranked 79 . He’s drawn against Neil Robertson, not an easy draw but not the worse either.
Julien Leclercq reached the last 32 of a Triple Crown event for the first time as he beat He Guoqiang 6-4 in the final qualifying round of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship.
…
Nicknamed the Belgian Beast, 22-year-old Leclercq can look forward to an intriguing clash with three-time UK Champion Neil Robertson at the York Barbican on Sunday afternoon.
After turning pro in 2022, Leclercq reached the final of the Shoot Out in his first season and was named Rookie of the Year. Since then he has had only a handful of deep runs and currently lies 81st in the world, but is now through to the last 32 of a ranking event for the fifth time and he is thrilled by the prospect of playing on a televised table at snooker’s second-oldest ranking event.
“I can’t wait to play at the Barbican, it will be amazing especially as I have never played Neil before,” he said. “Last year I lost on Judgement Day (to David Gilbert) so I am very happy to win this time. I had trouble with my focus tonight because I have been sick all week and not sleeping well. But in the last two frames I made good breaks.”
Leclercq eased into a 4-0 lead with breaks of 66, 103, 63 and 58, then after the interval China’s He stormed back to 4-4 with a top run of 120. But Leclercq finished strongly with 88 and 70.
Wins for Zhang Anda, Lei Peifan and Xu Si mean that 12 of the 32 players in York will be Chinese, a record for a Triple Crowd event.
Zhang, who made a 147 at the Barbican last year, earned his return with a 6-4 win over Thepchaiya Un-Nooh. Breaks of 89, 75 and 63 helped Zhang to a 5-1 lead, and he eventually sealed the result in frame ten with a run of 58.
“Thepchaiya didn’t play well at the start of the match and gave me chances, I made some good breaks,” said Zhang, who now meets Gary Wilson. “Before it was only Ding Junhui, now we have many more good Chinese players. Wu Yize and Xiao Guodong have already won titles this season and I hope my second one is coming soon.”
Scottish Open champion Lei beat Jimmy Robertson 6-5 in a high quality match, making breaks of 50, 59, 72, 122 and 54 as he earned a fixture with Mark Selby. “I didn’t play that well in the first half, after the interval I knew I needed to be more focussed, and I got myself back into the game,” said Lei. “I knew if I won I would play Selby and he’s one of my favourite players. I will try to be the best version of myself.“
Xu enjoyed a 6-3 victory over Tom Ford with a top run of 72. “Neither of us played at a high level, I just tried to be patient and wait for my chances,” said Xu, who now faces Ding Junhui. “Over the past few years, all of the Chinese players have improved a lot, we are moving in the right direction. I am really excited to play Ding, I hope I can enjoy the atmosphere.”
After yesterday’s matches we know eight of the qualifiers who will feature in the draw of the 2025 UK Championship, but we don’t know yet who they will face at the Barbican. The draw will be made today, early in the afternoon.
One thing that’s already a certainty is that the seeds will not have it easy. There is a lot of quality down the tour and they will come cold against players who have already secured some good money and ranking points. All the pressure will be on the seeds.
Maguire Through To York – And Has Sights On Top 16
Stephen Maguire, who lifted the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship trophy back in 2004, secured his return to the Barbican with a 6-1 win over Ian Burns on Judgement Day, and still targets a return to the world’s top 16 having dropped out in 2022.
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Glasgow’s 44-year-old Maguire has a tremendous record in this event, having reached the final three times as well as the semi-finals on four other locations. And he’s into the last 32 again and in the hat for the random draw to be made on Thursday at 3pm. None of the top 16 seeds will want to face an in-form Maguire given his record in York.
Breaks of 55, 51, 72 and 75 helped Maguire to a comfortable victory against Burns. “I will have to play better than I did today, that was a dog fight,” he said. “But I do play better in York, it’s a good place.”
Currently ranked 25th, Maguire has been as high as second in the world, though he has not featured among the top 16 in the past three years. “I need to get back in the top 16,” said the Scot, who won the Championship League at the start of the current season. “I am not happy floating about where I am, coming to these qualifiers. You still have to tell yourself this is the UK Championship, and that’s the hardest bit. I can see the rewards the top 16 or top eight have now, and I want a piece of that. I missed most of that when I was in the top 16. I am not there, so something’s missing.”
Michael Holt, a quarter-finalist at the Barbican last year, will be back again as he came from 3-1 down to beat Yuan Sijun 6-3 with a top break of 104. “I was good today, towards the end I didn’t miss anything,” said Holt. “This season has gone the same as the last one. I was all chipper at the start, then I was useless, then it came to the UK Championship and I had a good run. I said to myself that I need to do something to break this cycle. I just get nervy, and if I bottle it I am useless. If I don’t bottle it, I’m a decent player. My attitude has been good this week, it has been nice to play ok and not be embarrassed out there.”
China’s Lyu Haotian got the better of a tense decider to beat Mitchell Mann 6-5. “I felt fine before the decider, I was calm and I was able to take my chance,” said Lyu. “I made a few mistakes in my last two matches and didn’t play that well. But I just told myself not to go for risky shots and to wait for my chances, I am happy I could pull it off.”
David Gilbert got the better of a high quality match against Daniel Wells by a 6-4 scoreline. Wells compiled breaks of 75, 62, 52, 102 and 106, but still Gilbert finished on top with a high break of 90. He said: “I have hardly played in the last few weeks, I am a bit of a numpty now but we’ll see what happens in York.”
Inspired by his late father who sadly passed away last month, Scott Donaldson pulled off an astonishing comeback as he recovered a 5-0 deficit to beat Stuart Bingham 6-5 in the final qualifying round of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship.
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Donaldson was contemplating the long trip back to Scotland when he lost the first five frames against former World Champion Bingham, but then won the last six to earn a place in the televised stages in York which start on Saturday.
The 31-year-old’s triumph is all the more remarkable given that he is mourning the death of his father Hector. “It was my dad. There is no way I could win that match normally,” said an emotional Donaldson. “I can’t believe it, I’m struggling for words. There’s no way I have done that, I couldn’t play. The run of the ball I had in the last three fames, it was incredible. Stuart must be sick, he had chances.
“At the very end when I potted match ball, I thought ‘what is going on here?’ This game is stupid, you can go from feeling nothing, then at the end felt I could pot anything on the table.
“I always used to travel together with my dad to the UK Championship, so that will be tough. He was meant to come to Belfast (for the Northern Ireland Open) with me but passed away a couple of weeks before. I was playing and looking up to see where he was, but he was nowhere. It’s hard for me to think about anything to do with snooker, but when out there I’m alright because I am used to being like a robot out there. That’s the value of this game. My wife will still be with me, she’s everything to me.“
Bingham reeled off the first five frames with a top break of 117 but the tide turned in the sixth and world number 52 Donaldson fired runs of 56, 64, 110, 51, 91 and 64. Equivalent comebacks have only been made a handful of times in the history of the UK Championship, notably in 2014 when Nigel Bond fought back from 5-0 down to beat Barry Hawkins 6-5.
Zhou Yuelong, a semi-finalist in this event in 2020, enjoyed a 6-2 success against amateur Jamie Clarke with top breaks of 103 and 109. “I really enjoy playing in York, the crowd is always great there,” said China’s Zhou. “I’d rather not play Xiao Guodong because we live together, or Zhao Xintong because he is my best friend. It’s an exciting time for the game because lots of young players are improving, like Wu Yize who has won a big tournament and Liam Pullen who made a 147 here.”
Elliot Slessor is enjoying his best season as a pro as he lies ninth on the Sportsbet.io One Year Rankings, and he earned his Barbican spot with a 6-4 win over Zak Surety. At 3-1 down, Slessor punched the table so hard he was fortunate not to break a bone. But his fortunes improved after that as he won five of the last six frames with a top break of 105.
“The big difference this season is that I am sticking in there and trying my best, even when I am playing garbage,” said Slessor. “I was frustrated during that game but I didn’t chuck the towel in. It’s like a pressure cooker, and when I did that (hit the table) I felt a lot better afterwards. Before that I was holding it in, and playing rubbish so I needed a release. I know you wouldn’t tell a junior player to do that, but I have been like that all my life. I have never won a match at the Barbican but I’ll try to put that right.”
On a night of fight backs, Ben Woollaston came from 4-1 behind to beat Joe O’Connor 6-5, winning a tense 67-minute deciding frame. “That was probably craziest match I have ever been involved in,” said Woollaston. “I played really well from 4-1 down but it felt everything was going against me. Then Joe had me in a lot of trouble when he needed snookers at the end. I have lost a lot of deciders this season so it’s nice to win one like that.“
Personally, I miss the time when the UK Championship was best of 17 from start to finish. It added more prestige to the event and, importantly, gave the lower ranked player some invaluable experience with multi session matches, and the challenges they bring, notably the “how to handle the in between session time”.
I was still active on tour when the decision to shorten the matches was made. From what I heard, the change of format was driven by the BBC. Sessions that didn’t yield a result had poor viewing figures and there were lots of empty seats in the venue as well. In that respect, the decision is understandable but, to me at least, it diminished the prestige of the event.
York is a beautiful city, and “Christmas time ” in York is especially enjoyable. The weather can be very cold, but the Northerners are warm and welcoming. The historical city is full of lights and festive decorations and the Minster is more beautiful than ever in its Christmas lights…
Zhao Xintong landed his first title since conquering the Crucible as he beat Neil Robertson 5-2 in the final of the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship in Saudi Arabia.
Described by Stephen Hendry in commentary as “the best ball striker I have ever seen”, China’s 28-year-old Zhao gave another wonderful demonstration of his talent as he saw off Shaun Murphy and Judd Trump then Robertson in this 12-man invitation event to bank the £250,000 top prize.
In May this year, Zhao reached a landmark in snooker history by becoming the first Asian player to win the World Championship, and he looks set to be a huge force at the top of the sport for many years to come. After a relatively quiet start to the current season, with just one previous semi-final appearance, the left-hander delighted fans in Riyadh with his effortless potting and unflappable character. With another trophy to his name, the weight of expectation that comes with the World Champion status has been eased.
World number ten Zhao has now won all four of the finals he has contested as a pro and will go into the upcoming UK Championship – a title he captured in 2021 – full of self belief. He is the 11th different winner in 11 tournaments so far this season.
Robertson had hoped to complete the ‘Saudi double’ by adding this crown to the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters title he won in Jeddah in August. The world number three may have been considered favourite going into the final but crucially failed to take opportunities to win the third frame, and couldn’t recover.
Zhao got the better of the opening frame and had a chance to snatch the second from 46-0 down, but on 33 he left a black to top corner short of the pocket, handing Robertson an opening to make it 1-1. In the third, Robertson potted six reds with blacks before running out of position, and his opponent clawed his way back to eventually take it on the colours. A rapid run of 131, his second century of the tournament, put Zhao 3-1 ahead, and he continued that momentum after the interval with a 134 to go three up with four to play.
Australia’s Robertson pulled one back with a run of 91 for 4-2 and he led 37-17 in frame seven when an attempted red to centre hit the far jaw. The balls were not ideally placed for Zhao, but he fashioned an excellent 57 to clinch the title.
“I feel so happy, it’s amazing to win this title,” said Zhao. “I was nervous but I just tried to concentrate on the table. It’s my first time in Riyadh so I will have a lot of good memories here and I look forward to coming back. Lots of people from China were here, they gave me huge support and that was so important to me. My only target now is just to keep getting better.“
I don’t have much to add really. Zhao is a player I really enjoy watching. He’s agressive, he’s elegant, he’s creative in his shot selection. What’s not to like?
I’m sure some will come again about the “match fixing” affair. Let me remind you this: in June 2023, the independent disciplinary commission ruled that Zhao had not himself fixed any matches, and that his involvement was limited to placing bets on behalf of Yan Bingtao on two of Yan’s matches. The same commission also recognised that the young Chinese players were “heavily reliant on each other socially and financially“, especially during and shortly after the “covid” period, making them vulnerable to pressure from the likes of Liang Wenbo1. Zhao admitted his errors, showed genuine remorse and worked hard to redeem himself. We all make errors, we should remember that. The important thing is to learn from them and move forward.
