Both semi-finals today will feature a former World Champion and prolific ranking events winner against a far less experienced1 opponent as Liam Highfield will play Mark Selby and Jak Jones will play Judd Trump, although Jak of course has reached the final at the Crucible, but he also currently has other things on his mind with the imminent birth of his second child. Let’s just hope that he doesn’t need to abandon the competition mid match because baby has decided to show up a week earlier than scheduled 😉.
World number 69 Liam Highfield, who turned pro in 2010, reached a ranking event semi-final for the first time by beating Stan Moody 5-2 at the Unibet British Open.
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Stoke’s 35-year-old Highfield will face Mark Selby over a possible 11 frames on Saturday from 1pm for a place in the final in Cheltenham. China Open champion Selby built on his fine start to the season by crushing Jack Lisowski 5-0.
Highfield’s career was at a crossroads in 2024 when he was relegated from the tour, but his enthusiasm for snooker did not waver and he regained his card a year later by winning the EBSA European Championship. Since then, with the help of experienced mentor Anthony Hamilton, he has shown the best form of his life, notably reaching the Crucible last season and making his first official 147 during the qualifying rounds of this week’s event.
And in Cheltenham he has conceded just six frames in his four matches, making three centuries and ten more breaks over 50. He took the opening frame today with a run of 73 before 19-year-old Moody – who was also seeking a first ranking semi – levelled with a break of 87. Highfield regained the lead with a 74 then dominated frame four for 3-1.
Moody got the better of a scrappy fifth, then frame six came down to a safety exchange on the final blue. Trapped in a snooker, Moody played a rash hit-and-hope escape, handing his opponent the chance to slot the blue into a centre pocket for 4-2. A run of 56 in the next proved enough for Highfield to continue his best week on the baize.
“It’s a bit surreal after so many years on tour, struggling away in the qualifiers, it’s nice to have a day in the sunshine finally,” said Highfield. “I’ve been playing well all week, pretty much all season so far. I’ve been scoring heavily and my safety’s been tight. When you’re doing those couple of things, if you pot the odd long ball, you’ve got a chance in every match.
“In the sixth frame, we were both feeling it at that stage in the match. He was trying to get back into it and I was trying to get two ahead. I settled down, got my chance in the last and got over the line. Any time I play Mark Selby I’d feel excited and nervous anyway, whether it’s a semi-final or any other match. So I’ll go out and try to savour it, and try to just play some snooker.”
Selby is into his 71st ranking event semi-final and remains on target for his second ranking title of the season and 27th of his career. The Leicester cueman took advantage of an out-of-sorts display from home favourite Lisowski today to score a comfortable victory.
A break of 82 gave world number four Selby the opening frame, and he added the second with 43 and 40. In the third he enjoyed a slice of fortune, escaping from a snooker on the last red and fluking a snooker in return. Lisowski failed to hit the red, left a free ball, and Selby took the chance to clear for 3-0. He added the next two with a top run of 64 as he maintained his superb recent record in this event, having finished runner-up 2023, lifted the trophy in 2024 and reached the semi-finals last year.
Four-time World Champion Selby said: “I felt better today than I did in my previous matches. The third frame was a big moment because he would have been back in the match at 2-1. I know what a talent Jack is and I had to keep him at bay so I tried not to take too many risks. If his shots are going in he’s a world beater, that’s the way he plays and he’s great to watch.“
Judd Trump may have relinquished the world number one position, but he gave a timely reminder of his enduring class with a 5-1 victory over new incumbent Zhao Xintong to reach the semi-finals of the Unibet British Open.
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Trump had a two-year spell as top dog in the rankings until he was eclipsed last month by 2025 World Champion Zhao, and the Englishman admits he was highly motivated tonight to land a blow on his rival. He was by far the superior player as he marched into the last four of this event for the first time. On Saturday from 7pm he will face Jak Jones over a possible 11 frames – the 76th ranking semi-final of Trump’s career and he is hoping to win a 32nd title. He’s also aiming for a second trophy of the season having landed the invitational Shanghai Masters last month.
Breaks of 101 and 57 helped Trump to a 2-0 lead before Zhao pulled one back with a run of 100. China’s Zhao failed to pot a ball in the next two frames as his opponent compiled runs of 51, 54 and 72 for 4-1. In frame six, Zhao had the chance to start a fight-back, but he missed an awkward pink to centre on 18, and Trump’s break of 49 sealed the result.
“It was a big game, I have not been that up for a game for a while,” said 37-year-old Trump. “You always have something to prove when someone takes the limelight and you want to prove to everyone you’ve still got it. I wouldn’t say it was a grudge game, but there was a bit more on the line than normal.
“Sometimes I need that kind of rivalry, or someone there just to really get me back on the practice table and get that determination back. When you get older and you’ve been around so long, you can be a bit flat. These are the kind of games you can really get up for.
“I always enjoy being the underdog and I could feel that inside today. It’s always nice to beat the player that’s number one. The atmosphere tonight was much better, there was a lot more cheering and support out there.“
Jones got the better of a fierce battle against Aaron Hill, winning 5-4 to reach his fifth ranking semi-final. The world number 31 from Cwmbran made the perfect start to the season by winning his first ranking title at the Championship League and is now just two wins away from a second.
After losing the opening frame, Hill took the next two with breaks of 63 and 67, and he had a clear chance in the fourth but missed the final green to a baulk corner and that allowed Jones to square the tie at the interval. A run of 94 from Jones put him 3-2 ahead and he snatched a 45-minute sixth with a 35 clearance.
Hill took the next two frames in just 17 minutes with breaks of 47 and 78 to set up the decider, and he had first scoring chance but made just 14 before missing a red to a top corner. Jones, who was runner-up to Kyren Wilson at the Crucible in 2024, spotted a four ball plant and executed it perfectly, enjoying a slice of fortune as he landed position on the pink. The 33-year-old Welshman went on to make 70 to clinch the tie.
“It was really tough, Aaron is such a good player,” said Jones, whose wife Inna is due to give birth to their second child next week. “We were both under pressure. It was a big frame to go 2-2 when he missed the green because my head was gone at that point. Then from 4-2 he started walking around the table with confidence, so I was very happy to get the chance in the decider and make a good break. Judd has been the best player of the last ten years so it will be very difficult.”
I watched the Highfield v Moody game and one could see that both players were feeling the pressure as none of them has that much experience in matches of such importance. Clearly working with “the Sheriff” has been beneficial for Highfield. Anthony Hamilton may not be everyone’s cup of tea but he’s a very, very knowledgeable person when it comes to snooker2, and is very clever on and off the table. He probably wouldn’t be the best coach for a young aspiring player, but Liam has been on and around the tour for years and is mature enough to be able to fully benefit from “Ants” advice.
I mean experienced at the semi-finals stage of a ranking event ↩︎
and not just when it comes to snooker BTW, he’s a bit special but very clever ↩︎
China’s Chang Bingyu defeated compatriot and 2025 World Champion Zhao Xintong 10-7 to win the Wuhan Open and claim ranking event glory for the first time.
There were emotional scenes after Chang got himself over the line with a remarkable clearance. Chang got a required snooker in the decisive frame, with several of the balls still close to cushions. He then cleared with 34 from the final red, in a sequence of shots which involved a double on the blue. Prior to attempting the final ball he went back to his chair to steel himself, before stepping up and depositing the black.
Victory sees Chang become the tenth ranking event winner from mainland China. He exorcises the demons of his first ranking final appearance last season, when he was soundly beaten 9-2 by Chris Wakelin at the 2025 Scottish Open.
24-year-old Chang showcased his vast potential across the whole of the 25/26 campaign. Alongside his run to the Edinburgh title match, he also pocketed a bumper £147,000 bonus by virtue of making 147s in UK Championship and World Championship qualifying.
The result moves Chang up 23 places in the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings from 45th to 22nd. Zhao was already guaranteed to become world number one for the first time before a ball was struck today and moves to top spot from third position.
Defeat for Zhao ends his perfect record in ranking event finals, having won each of his previous six. He falls one short of Steve Davis’ record of consecutive victories in his first seven ranking title matches.
Chang came into the evening holding a narrow 5-4 advantage and he added to it immediately with breaks of 64 and 57 to move 7-4 ahead. Zhao halted Chang’s momentum by taking the 12th on the black and then made a break of 60 to draw within one at 7-6.
A pulsating 14th frame saw Zhao miss a straightforward brown and leave it over a baulk pocket at Chang’s mercy. In a bid to find position on the blue Chang went cushion-first and missed the ball altogether. Zhao made no such mistake and drew level at 7-7.
Chang then made 73 to hit the front again and claimed a tight 16th to move one from victory at 9-7. The following frame provided high drama, with Chang eventually getting over the line with his incredible 34 clearance. As he returned to his chair, he found himself in tears following a momentous triumph.
“I’d been very tense throughout the match, so I wanted to let myself go a little bit. In the last frame I just thought I had to go for the double on the blue. Fortunately it went in, and I was able to clear up,” said an elated Chang.
“Last year I was really disappointed to lose the final in Scotland. After losing that final, I wanted the title so badly. From then on, I kept telling myself every day that if I reached another final, I had to take the opportunity.
“Before the match, I honestly didn’t think I could beat him. He is the new world number one after all, so I just wanted to learn from him. I’ve watched a lot of his matches over the past few years and learned a great deal from him. So I went into the final with the same attitude of learning.
“I’m really grateful to my parents. They’ve really sacrificed a lot for me. When I was very young, my dad sold our house and quit his job so that he could accompany me to practise in Guangdong. He also accompanied me when I went to England. Over the last couple of years my mum has been with me every day, looking after my day-to-day life. I’m really thankful to them.”
Zhao said: “Although I’m a little disappointed with the result today, I think for me personally it’s just one match. I can’t be in finals forever or win every time. Of course, I didn’t play particularly well today, so I think it was quite normal that Chang was able to win the match. His game, and that of many of the younger Chinese players, has already reached a very high level.“
I like both of them as players, I like their positive attitude, I like that they go for their shots1. I’m very happy for Chang. I know that many “fans” of a player tend to “hate” that player opponents when they beat their favourite. I’m not at all like that. When a player beats Ronnie, I want them to win the tournament because I’m much happier with the thought that Ronnie went out at the hands of the eventual champion than I am with the thought of him being beaten by someone who lost and exited the tournament the next day…
Ronnie was beaten 6-3 by Chang Bingyu this morning, and I can’t say I’m surprised. Chang has played very all week, and Ronnie hasn’t been anywhere near his best. Actually, the way he played, it’s an achievement that he reached the semi-finals … The little pen “magic” wasn’t enough today 😔 …
Chang Bingyu scored his first ever win over seven-time World Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, prevailing 6-3 to make the final of the Wuhan Open.
The 24-year-old possesses a vast amount of talent and announced himself on the world stage last season. A superb run to the Scottish Open final saw him fall one match shy of a maiden ranking crown, losing out to Chris Wakelin. He also made 147s at UK Championship and World Championship qualifying to scoop a massive £147,000 bonus.
Chang’s previous two meetings with O’Sullivan had ended in defeat, losing 4-1 at the 2020 Scottish Open and 6-5 at last season’s Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. The Chinese cueman’s win today sees him progress to a second ranking event final.
Standing in the way of Chang and a maiden ranking crown will either be world number one-elect Zhao Xintong or back-to-back defending champion Xiao Guodong, who contest this evening’s second semi-final.
O’Sullivan exits after a week where he has admitted exasperation with his form due to what he describes as a “disease” within his game. However, despite his troubles he still managed to score wins over the likes of Stephen Maguire and Mark Selby.
After claiming the first this afternoon, Chang followed up with 73 to win the second before O’Sullivan replied with 82 to make it 2-1. The next frame saw O’Sullivan clear from blue to black to steal and head into the mid-session all square at 2-2.
When play resumed, Chang took the first two frames and establish a 4-2 advantage. O’Sullivan pulled one back but it was to no avail. Breaks of 69 and 48 saw Chang run out the victor and book his place in the title match.
Chang said: “Every time I play against Ronnie, it’s a pleasure. He probably wasn’t in the best form today, and I managed to take some of the opportunities that came my way. I think my safety play was probably better right from the start today, and I could clearly feel that my safety game was much better than it had been before.
“Last year in Saudi Arabia, I was 5-2 ahead but ended up letting him come back and win the match. My safety play probably wasn’t as good then as it is now. When I was ahead and he started pulling a few frames back, my mindset wobbled a little. Today I also had some of that, but I tried my best to stay calm.”
50-year-old O’Sullivan said: “The disease came back big time today. If I’m honest I don’t think I will ever get over it. I will see out the next 18 months and see how we go. I don’t want to throw the towel in just yet. I’ve committed to playing until then. I want to give myself a chance. I’d hate to finish my career on performances like that.“
Nobody goes on forever, and we, fans, must accept that. Me, as a Ronnie fan, I will try to enjoy his good moments in the future, knowing they may not come that often anymore, and I will cherish them all the more for it.
Wuhan Open Day Three: Robertson Remains In World Number One Hunt
Australia’s Neil Robertson kept his hopes of returning to the world number one spot alive with a 5-3 defeat of Iran’s Hossein Vafaei to make the last 16 of the Wuhan Open.
The Thunder from Down Under’s last stint at the summit of the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings ended in 2015. Fast forward 11 years and he is now embroiled in a four-way fight with Zhao Xintong, Mark Selby and Judd Trump to end this week as world number one.
Trump currently occupies top spot, but alongside Selby he must win the event to remain in contention. This is due to Trump’s points for winning the 2024 Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters dropping off at the tournament’s conclusion. Robertson knows he must better Zhao’s performance in this week’s event to stand a chance.
A 41-minute opener this afternoon went the way of Vafaei, before 2010 World Champion Robertson restored parity and then claimed the third with a double on the final black to lead 2-1. Vafaei showed his resolve, though, and took the fourth to head into the mid-session all square at 2-2.
When play resumed, Robertson pulled out to a 4-2 lead. Vafaei pegged one back, but it was the Melbourne cueman who got over the line to book a meeting with Welsh youngster Liam Davies.
“I don’t think we’ve been in this position before when there is a run of a couple of events with four or five players in the hunt (for world number one). That is really exciting,” said 44-year-old Robertson.
“It is really meaningful the first time that you do it. I was World Champion and world number one at the same time and that was a great feeling. It would be pretty special if I could get back there. It will be up and down, you might see three or four players jockey that position this season. It is good for the fans.“
2025 World Champion Zhao continued his pursuit of top spot with a 5-2 win over Jak Jones, which ended with a century run of 121. He now faces a tough test against Barry Hawkins.
Four-time Crucible king Selby was a 5-2 winner against China’s He Guoqiang. Next up for the Englishman is Pang Junxu, who beat Shaun Murphy 5-3.
Selby spent four consecutive years as world number one between 2015 and 2019 and would dearly love a return.
“The world number one spot gives me another goal to work to apart from just the Triple Crown events. It keeps me practising and hungry to get back there. There is no better feeling than being called out as world number one. I’ve got a chance, but if I don’t then I’ve managed to achieve what I’ve set out to do when I was a young lad just turning professional.“
Seven-time World Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan’s despair with his form continued, but he did score a straightforward 5-1 win over Yao Pengcheng.
Next up is a mouth-watering showdown with Stephen Maguire. The Scot ended the run of Artemijs Zizins, who beat World Champion Wu Yize yesterday, prevailing 5-4 from 4-1 down.
O’Sullivan said: “I just miss playing well. I don’t care whether it is when I’m practising or when I’m on the match table. I miss hitting the ball well. I’ve always said it. You can look back on my interviews. Since I was 17, I’ve always just wanted to hit it well. I’ll tell you if I have and if I’ve not then I’m sad I haven’t. Before I might have gone one or two months without doing it, but to go four years without hitting the ball well is far too long for any human to take, hitting poor shot after poor shot.”
That report is exhaustive enough, I have nothing much to add … only this:
It is really sad to see/hear Ronnie so unhappy but he’s a perfectionist, and he has always been a perfectionist. That perfectionism is most certainly the main drive that got him so much success as a professional but it has also been a curse, preventing him to fully enjoy that success. 😢
Here are the scores for Ronnie’s match:
As you can see, he made a break over 50 in four out of five frames he won. Most players would be over the moon … he’s not, he’s unhappy because the artist in him wants it to be beautiful, not just efficient.
Anyway, here, some images of that match, as shared on weibo
Wuhan Open Day Two: Zizins Conquers World Champion Wu
Latvia’s first snooker professional Artimijs Zizins scored the biggest win of his life so far, defeating World Champion Wu Yize 5-4 in front of a packed crowd at the Wuhan Open.
Zizins turned pro in 2024, when he successfully ran the Q School gauntlet at the first time of asking. The 20-year-old reached the last 16 of a ranking event for the first time in his career a few months ago at the World Open. He will now face Stephen Maguire to reach the same stage here in Wuhan.
A dramatic encounter this afternoon swung back and forth. Zizins made a brilliant start, crafting breaks of 58, 85 and 85 to lead 3-1 at the mid-session interval.
When play resumed, a three-frame burst from home hero Wu, which included breaks of 129 and 87, moved him one frame from victory at 4-3. However, Zizins showed his steel with 80 to force a decider.
A thrilling finale saw both players spurn opportunities to get over the line. Ultimately Wu failed to deposit the black whilst seeking position on the final yellow. Zizins cleared to the pink to secure a famous win.
An elated Zizins said: “There are no words for how I feel. I began on the World Snooker Tour two years ago, now I am playing the World Champion on table one in a full arena and winning. It felt unbelievable. I’m just beginning my journey and I was nervous. Hopefully I can experience this more and get better.“
2025 World Champion Zhao Xintong was in action on the other table in what was a bumper afternoon session of action, with over 3,000 fans watching on. He enjoyed contrasting fortunes to compatriot Wu, thrashing Gao Yang 5-0 to progress.
Zhao knows that if he can equal or better Neil Robertson’s performance this week, then he will put himself in a strong position to end the event as world number one. Robertson kept his own hopes alive with a 5-1 defeat of Ben Mertens.
For Zhao, breaks of 107, 118, 75, 82 and 67 helped him to victory this afternoon and set up a meeting with former Crucible finalist Jak Jones in the next round. Though he admits that is a lifelong target, he’s currently looking at things with a bigger perspective.
Zhao said: “When I was very young, becoming world number one was probably my biggest dream. But now that I’m at this stage of my career, I think it’s better to just let things happen naturally. If you play well and something is meant to be yours, then it will be yours.“
Current world number one Judd Trump knows he must win the title to stand a chance of remaining at the summit of the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings. He scored a 5-0 whitewash win over Yuan Sijun this evening and now plays either Si Jiahui or Dylan Emery.
Seven-time World Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan earned a hard-fought 5-2 win over Ashley Carty, but says he’s been missing producing his top form in recent times.
The Rocket recently admitted that the 2028 World Championship may be his last and has stated that his main remaining ambition is to capture a record-breaking eighth Crucible crown. However, defeats to Kyren Wilson at the Shanghai Masters and Noppon Saengkham at the China Open have meant both of his appearances this season have ended at the second hurdle.
The first two frames this morning were shared, before a break of 59 saw O’Sullivan steal the third on the black. He then dominated the fourth to lead 3-1 at the mid-session interval.
Carty pulled one back after play resumed, but he couldn’t build any momentum and 50-year-old O’Sullivan claimed the next two on the bounce to emerge a 5-2 victor and book a meeting with China’s Yao Pengcheng.
O’Sullivan said: “My performance was pretty bad really. You have to call it out. I’m not going to lie. I’m not going to try to delude myself and say there was some good stuff. It has been pretty bad for a long time, so I expect to play pretty bad every time I go out there. I know I don’t have anything to prove and that is what everyone keeps telling me. However, for my own selfish reasons I miss playing well and dominating the table, beating anyone who is in front of me. I miss that feeling, but there is nothing I can do about it.“
Regarding Ronnie’s match … here are the scores :
Whaterver Ronnie says, there was some good stuff in there, but, it can be denied, there were some really unexpected mistakes as well. Ronnie always sets very high standards for himself and, right now, he is is not able to play at the level he wants to play at. He looked extremely frustrated at times during this match, but he didn’t allow his frustration to “overpower” him and he tried his best from start to finish. That alone is a huge positive, and he deserves credit for it … but himself won’t see it that way of course, certainly not right after the match anyway.
Here are some images from that match, most shared on weibo.
Next for Ronnie is Yao Pencheng who whitewashed Jack Lisowski… with theese scores …
Well THAT looks seriously scary and if the guy can sustain that level … he should win a tournament soon.
Having written that … I haven’t seen the match, it wasn’t shown on HBO Max, and Jack, of course, plays a very open game. Safety is not his main strength and that’s an understatement 😎 …
All the same, it means that, in that form, Yao punishes most, if not all, of his opponents’ mistakes and scores heavily when in. That’s a worrying prospect for whoever has to face him.
And last but not least, as a mainland European snooker fan, I’m over the moon for Artimijs Zizins 🥰1
And I do like Wu Yize very much, I really do but … ↩︎
Can Ronnie O’Sullivan end title drought at Wuhan Open as Stephen Hendry and Neil Robertson highlight key Rocket asset.
Ronnie O’Sullivan won the last of his record 41 ranking titles in January 2024 when he claimed the World Grand Prix. The snooker GOAT has appeared in three major finals since then, but has yet to end his 31-month trophy drought despite putting in the hours in practice ahead of the Wuhan Open.
O’Sullivan described himself as “a very poor snooker player at the moment” after losing to 6-4 to world No. 27 Noppon Saengkham in the second round of the China Open in Taiyuan last week.
Upon reflection, it was a defeat that was probably not that bad, with the inspired Thai potter also brilliantly seeing off Judd Trump (6-3), Shaun Murphy (6-4) and Zhou Yuelong (6-5) before losing the final 10-6 to Mark Selby.
O’Sullivan returns to the table when he opens his Wuhan Open campaign against Ashley Carty on Monday morning at 02:30 am…
The Essex player has come up short three times in finals, losing at the 2024 Tour Championship (10-5) to Mark Williams, last year’s Saudi Arabia Masters against Neil Robertson (10-9) and the World Open (10-7) to Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in March.
O’Sullivan is not faltering through lack of preparation, with world No. 2 Robertson praising the work ethic of O’Sullivan during his run to the quarter-finals of the China Open.
“I was watching Ronnie O’Sullivan on the practice table the other day, he was there for three-and-a-half hours,” said the Australian.
“I was on the other table and I felt that if he is still putting the hours in at the age of 50, then I should be too.
“I feel I have done everything right for this trip, and it’s nice to get the results.“
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Fellow seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry feels it is only a matter of time before O’Sullivan comes good in a blue-chip event providing he can minimise the misses.
“We know at his best he can produce unbelievable performances and if he can string them together, I think he will win a tournament.
“Which is not the greatest of predictions. He seems to be working his n*** off. He is pounding the practice table as soon as he is out of the tournament.
“All of a sudden he misses something you can’t believe out of nowhere, like John Higgins and Mark Williams, and it’s those unforced errors on easy shots which cost him.
“The concentration has to weaken a bit, the ability to keep that massive focus through a whole match or tournament, that has to waver as you get older.
“It is just natural. These easy misses and mistakes get punished more than they used to, Ronnie has always been quick to blame himself when he is not playing well.“
After Wuhan, the snooker roadshow moves back to the UK, with the British Open in Cheltenham and English Open in Brentwood.
I wish I had their confidence in such prediction … but, no, right now I can’t see it. That said, those two guys are/were professional snooker players and are multiple ranking event winners and former World Champions. They are probably better judges than me … hopefully they, and Ronnie, prove me wrong.
So far this season, Ronnie has played in two events, losing in round two both times, and on both occasions the player who beat him went on to reach the final. They were clearly playing very well. On both occasions, I feel that Ronnie showed some very good stuff in patches and could have won those matches, but was guilty of the odd mistakes that cost him dear. And it wasn’t even the hardest balls he missed either, and that kind of “silly” errors are typically caused by lapses in concentration. I’m not sure what the answer is if that is indeed the main issue. Time waits for no one …
The Wuhan Open in China runs from August 23-29. All matches up to and including the quarter-finals are best of nine frames, the semi-finals are best of 11 frames and the final is best of 19 frames. All times BST.
Sunday 23 August
Round 1 (Held Over)
02:30 Hammad Miah v Wildcard #1 Gao Yang v Wildcard #2 Ben Mertens v Wildcard #3 Jiang Jun v Wildcard #4
Round 2 (Held Over)
07:00 Chris Wakelin v Jordan Brown Xiao Guodong v Wang Xinbo Mark Williams v Robbie Williams
12:30 John Higgins v Liu Hongyu Ding Junhui v Liam Davies Judd Trump v Florian Nuessle
Monday 24 August
02:30 Si Jiahui v Jiang / wildcard Neil Robertson v Mertens / wildcard Barry Hawkins v Miah / wildcard Ronnie O’Sullivan v Ashley Carty
07:00 Mark Selby v Fan Zhengyi Shaun Murphy v Alfie Burden Wu Yize v Artemijs Zizins Zhao Xintong v Gao / wildcard
