Last year’s runner-up Jak Jones became the latest seed to fall in the opening round of the Halo World Championship, losing 10-4 to Zhao Xintong who he described as a genuine contender for the title.
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Jones lost to Kyren Wilson in the Crucible final last year, and they could have clashed again in the last 16 this time, but both have lost at the first hurdle, along with Neil Robertson and Barry Hawkins as four of the first six matches have been won by the player who came through the qualifying rounds. Instead, Zhao will face Lei Peifan in a Chinese derby on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for a place in the quarter-finals. Today’s result means there will be at least four Chinese players in the last 16 – a record.
Winner of the UK Championship in 2021 and the German Masters in 2022, Zhao was subsequently banned for 20 months for breaching betting regulations, but will return to the pro tour next season and is competing here as an amateur. Having practised relentlessly during his time away from the circuit, he has lost none of his flair and scoring power. Winning four matches in the qualifying rounds, Zhao fired 12 centuries and 23 more breaks over 50, and against Jones he made a 142 and nine more runs over 50. He is into the last 16 for the second time having beaten Jamie Clarke in 2022 before losing to Stephen Maguire.
“I don’t see anyone who is playing better than him,” said Jones. “If he wins it, I wouldn’t be surprised at all and that would be good for the game. His long potting and scoring are good and he also has a good tactical game. There are players who have won a lot more, but I don’t see anyone in the tournament who is actually better than him.”
Zhao built a 7-2 lead in the first session on Sunday with top breaks of 84, 91, 142, 70, 76, 61 and 54. Jones rallied briefly this morning with 100 and 70 to close to 7-4. He als had first scoring chance in frame 12 but could only make 31. The Welshman failed to pot another ball as Zhao cleared with 70 then took the next two frames with 55 and 87.
“Overall I’m pleased with my performance, especially in terms of scoring,” said Zhao, the second amateur after James Cahill to reach the second round at the Crucible. “I put my opponent under a lot of pressure. Jak reached the final here last year, so I knew I had to play really well to have a chance of beating him. I lost the first two frames today but I just tried stay in my rhythm. That helped me recover and stay focused.
“This match was about regaining confidence. I won’t be back on tour until next season, so every match I play now is very important. I haven’t had many opportunities to compete this season, so whatever the outcome, I just wanted to do my best and show my game.
“The qualifiers were tough and intense, but they helped release some pressure and allowed me to build up momentum. My scoring was strong there, and it gave me a solid foundation to start the main event here. It felt great to be back. I’ve had some good matches here in the past, but I still haven’t achieved what I really want. Lei has played brilliantly and has shown he’s capable of winning titles. A lot of Chinese players are at that level now.”
Jones added: “I will try to forget this season. I have had a lot going on in my personal life for the last few years. I have time now to sort a few things out at home including my practice facilities, and I will hopefully come back stronger next season. I have my new born baby at home so I am looking forward to spending time with him.”
I must admit that I’m rather fed up to read about that James Cahill win. Yes, he won, he beat Ronnie who was seriously unwell but still tried to play. That was in the first round at the Crucible in 2019 and it was the only time Cahill beat Ronnie. If you can find the match on YouTube, or parts of it, you will see by yourself that Ronnie looked quite ill out there. He could heave withdrawn, and maybe he should have.
Zhao Xintong was awesome yesterday. It’s very obvious that he wants to redeem himself and that he has been working hard towards that goal.
Mark Allen’s biggest remaining ambition in snooker is to wear the Crucible crown and he got his Halo World Championship campaign off to a winning start by coming from 3-0 down to beat Fan Zhengyi 10-6.
Allen has won the UK Championship and the Masters, 11 ranking titles in all and started the current season as world number one, but admits that his career would be incomplete if he doesn’t lift the sport’s most famous trophy. “I am here to win the tournament and have four very tough opponents in front of me,” said the 38-year-old today after an impressive opening victory.
Despite a slow start in the early exchanges on Sunday, he recovered to lead 5-4 overnight and in today’s second session the world number eight converted that into a comfortable victory to reach the second round for the 14th time. The Northern Irishman will face Chris Wakelin in a last-16 clash which starts on Thursday afternoon and finishes on Friday evening.
Since winning the invitational Riyadh Season Snooker Championship in December, he has been below his best, and failed to qualify for the 12-man Tour Championship earlier this month. But today’s success will give him confidence, and he may take extra belief from the fact that Luca Brecel and Kyren Wilson both had quiet seasons before going all the way to the ultimate prize.
A break of 88 in the opening frame today extended Allen’s lead to 6-4. China’s Fan led 59-5 in frame 11 when he failed to convert a short-range plant on a red to a top corner, allowing Allen to claw his way back into the frame and eventually snatch it with a 33 clearance from the last red. The 12th also came down to the last red and Allen trapped his opponent in a tough snooker, creating the chance to clear for 8-4. A run of 102, his second century of the match, stretched Allen’s lead.
After the interval, former European Masters champion Fan fought back, making an excellent 86 for 9-5. Allen was on the brink of victory in frame 15 until he missed a red to centre on 57, and his opponent made 74 to narrow the gap again. But Allen remained composed and sealed the result with a 63 in the 16th.
“I didn’t do much wrong to go 3-0 down, but I am mentally stronger than I have been in the past and I just took one frame and one shot at a time,” added Allen, who reached the semi-finals in 2009 and 2023, but is the most successful ever player yet to appear in the final. “I got as much as I could out of that session to go 5-4 ahead and that’s probably where I won the match.
“I have been working hard on the mental side recently, talking to (psychologist) Paul (Gaffney) every day. On that side I feel I am back where I was 18 months ago and that will help me win frames. I have also lost some weight by eating carefully, walking a lot and having ice baths and saunas. I feel in a good place.
“Chris Wakelin is one of the most improved players on tour this season and he would have learned a lot from his win over Neil Robertson. I like the way he plays because he is aggressive and goes for his shots no matter that the score.”
I can’t comment on that match as I saw next to nothing of it but I’m glad to read that Mark is finally seriously taking care of his physical fitness. The Crucible is an endurance test, mentally, nervously and physically. Allen is currently competing in the World Championship for the 23rd time. He has only reached the one table setup twice, which is disappointing for a player of his quality, and has never won a match at that stage. I’m certain that his lack of physical fitness in the past has a lot to do with it.
At the end of a day in which he reflected on three decades of competing at the Crucible and memories of his late father, all-time legend John Higgins switched his focus to the table and battled to a 10-7 victory over Joe O’Connor to reach the last 16 of the Halo World Championship.
It has been a tough time for the Higgins family as wife Denise’s father suffered a heart attack last Tuesday, though thankfully he is now recovering at home. After tonight’s match Higgins, who made his Crucible debut in 1995, said: “Today was the most emotional I have ever felt, going out to play, given everything over the last few days.
“There was a moment last night when I was sitting with my boy (second son Oliver), he’s going down to London studying for a few months. It brought so many memories back, when I was sitting with my dad 20 years ago. This morning on my way over I was in tears, thinking about different things. I was totally drained. To get out (of the first session) 5-4 was a result because Joe was playing brilliant. I got back to my apartment and crawled into bed, and slept for two hours which was the best sleep I have had in years. Tonight I felt so much better.“
Having passed today’s test, Higgins will hope for a steady nerve over the coming fortnight as he chases a fifth Crucible crown. Over the past two months he has shown vintage form, beating O’Connor in the final of the World Open and Mark Selby in the final of the Tour Championship, so his game could hardly be in better shape. Set to turn 50 in just four weeks, the Scot retains a burning ambition to win the biggest titles. Through to the second round in Sheffield for the 11th year in a row and 27th time overall, he will meet Xiao Guodong over 25 frames on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Higgins trailed 5-4 going into this evening’s session but dominated the first three frames with a top break of 101 to go 7-5 ahead. O’Connor pulled one back, then came from 37-0 down to take frame 14 for 7-7. The 15th lasted 37 minutes and came down to the colours, Higgins potting green, brown and blue to go 17 points ahead. O’Connor got the snooker he needed on the pink, but was then trapped in a snooker himself and escaped but left Higgins a straight-forward pink to a baulk corner to regain the lead.
That proved the key moment as world number three Higgins compiled breaks of 114 and 59 to win the last two frames.
“I will give it everything, which I have always done every year,” Higgins added. “Tonight there were a few shots where I had a bit more inner belief and steel because I have won a couple of tournaments. In the last few years here at pressure moments I was faltering, but I stood up well tonight.“
John Higgins is one of the all time greats and he was too clever for O’Connor yesterday. He’s too clever for most of the tour actually …
Ronnie is due to start today, in the afternoon. I hope that there will be no last minute withdrawal. I’m not sure I will watch it “live”.
Meanwhile in Belgium …
The 9th DMT tournament was played during the week-end in Glabbeek, Belgium. Organised by Gery De Mol It featured 166 participants, from 20 different countries. Iulian Boiko won the event, beating Julin Leclercq in the final. Iulian also scored the tournament HB, a 147.
Antoni Kowalski won the lottery, and gave half of his “lucky gain” to a local hospital. Thank you Antoni.
Why am I sharing this? To show, once again, that there IS interest for snooker in mainland Europe, and there are quality players on the continent. But the way WST is running the main tour is not helping them to develop to their full potential. When I read Ken Doherty’s bio, and him complaining about how hard it was for him to come and live in the UK… I was fuming. It is much, much harder for mainland Europe players, even nowadays. They are more isolated than Ken was, they have to cope with everything in a foreign language, in a foreign culture and, alas, probably more often than we know about with hostility. I was once verbally abused and threatened while sitting on a bus in London, simply because I was speaking French on the phone with my husband … just saying.
This will be a looong post … Four matches concluded yesterday and WST published a substantial report on each of them, and rightly so, because three of the four were hard fought thrillers. So here goes … but, maybe, first, grab a cup of coffee or tea and biscuits…
Xiao Guodong continued to build on his career-best season as he won a match at the Crucible for only the second time, beating Matthew Selt 10-4 to reach the last 16 of the Halo World Championship.
At the age of 36, Xiao has made a huge leap forward in his career in 2024/25, winning his first ranking title at the Wuhan Open, reaching the final of the Champion of Champions and climbing into the top 16. A seed at the Crucible for the first time, he is determined to finish the campaign on a high note, and today’s result doubled his tally of wins at the Crucible, his only previous success coming in 2017 when he beat Ryan Day. Xiao’s next opponent is John Higgins or Joe O’Connor.
“Everyone wants to play their best at the Crucible, it’s such an important event,” said Xiao, who lives just one minute walk from snooker’s most famous venue. “This season I have won a title and been in nine quarter-finals. I want to be at my best in the last tournament. I have played Matt for many years, I know how good he is. He won his qualifying match from 8-3 down, he is very dangerous. I had to be at my best. I am very happy to win. I won’t think too much about the next round, I will just try to enjoy it with no pressure.“
Xiao built a 7-2 lead in the first session on Saturday with top breaks of 69, 120, 73, 109 and 57. Selt hit back this morning with runs of 54 and 83 to close to 7-4, and had a chance in frame 12 to clear from 53-8 down, but crucially missed the pink to a centre pocket after potting the last red on 33. Xiao took advantage by clearing the colours, and that proved the key moment as he added the last two frames with 62 and 52.
Along with Ding Junhui, Xiao is something of a father figure for the growing contingent of successful Chinese players as he has lived in the UK for 17 years. He helps them to learn English and settle into life away from their families. Back in his home city of Chongqing, he is also involved in coaching and nurturing young talent.
This year there are a record ten Chinese players among the 32 at the Crucible, and already Xiao and Lei Peifan are into the last 16, while Zhao Xintong could follow them as he leads Jak Jones 7-2.
“I am very proud,” Xiao added. “Lei was unbelievable last night (beating defending champion Kyren Wilson 10-9). When I look back 20 years ago there was only Ding and Marco Fu. Now to have ten Chinese players at the Crucible is amazing. In the future there will be many more young talents. I see them come to the UK, I am an older player and I can help them, I always try my best.”
Mark Williams summoned a sensational charge to come from behind and see off talented Chinese 21-year-old Wu Yize 10-8 and make the second round of the Halo World Championship in Sheffield.
Having lost an epic first round clash 10-9 against another of China’s finest young players Si Jiahui last year, three-time World Champion Williams was determined to come out on the right side this time around. With Wu seemingly in the ascendancy at 8-7 up this afternoon, Williams produced three brilliant frames to power over the line.
The Welshman has shown signs of his brilliant best this season, having won the Champion of Champions in November. Despite this, Williams turned 50 last month and has bemoaned the deterioration of his eyesight, citing his 10-3 loss to Ding Junhui at the Tour Championship as a particular low.
Although he is set for lens replacement surgery in June, he ditched his contact lenses today and it appeared to pay dividends with his performance.
Wu departs disappointed not to score a first match win at the Theatre of Dreams, having lost to Neil Robertson in his only other appearance. However, he can reflect on a fine season, where he reached finals at the English Open and the Scottish Open.
They came into this afternoon with Williams holding a slender 5-4 advantage. Wu immediately levelled up, before a break of 101 saw Williams regain the lead at 6-5. The next two frames were traded to leave Williams 7-6 ahead at the mid-session interval.
When play got back underway, Wu seized the initiative with two on the bounce to move 8-7 ahead. He crucially missed a red with the rest when on the verge of taking the 16th, Williams won the ensuing safety battle and cleared to steal on the black and restore parity.
That proved to be a key turning point, with the 26-time ranking event winner firing in breaks of 58 and 75 in the next two frames to secure a brilliant 10-8 victory. Williams will now face either Barry Hawkins or Hossein Vafaei.
Williams said: “I don’t like saying it, because I’ve just beaten him, but he has the potential to win this tournament. The long potting is just something as good as I’ve ever seen. Every time I broke off and left a long red he potted it, he was incredible. Once he tightens up on a few loose shots he is going to be amazing. I’m glad I’ll be finished before he gets much older.
“I’m not going to out-pot him or out-score him, but I definitely have a better safety game. That is what I had to try and do. I got stronger towards the end and potted a few good ones myself. It is in there, I just have to drag it out.
“It is hard to describe because there is a scoreboard by the black pocket and I can’t see the numbers. I’ve got to get to the blue spot before I can see it. That is nothing to be ashamed of it is just how it is. I’m at the stage where I have to try something like the lens replacement or it isn’t going to get any better.”
If Mark Williams eyesight is as bad as he describes, and I have no reason doubting him, it’s a miracle that he can play at all as well as a testimony how powerful the human brain can be if properly trained because Mark literally works on what his brain “remembers” and on the imprinted automatism rather on what he actually sees …. As for Wu, he’s a marvellous player, from 3-0 down to 4-3 up 466 unanswered points, but it wasn’t enough. Of course, he is still very young and still learning. If he evolves properly he’ll be a menace in a couple of years… and why should he not? As it is those two served the fans a thrilling and hugely entertaining match.
An ecstatic Hossein Vafaei couldn’t contain his joy, as he roared out mid-clearance during the deciding frame of a 10-9 win over Barry Hawkins in the opening round of the Halo World Championship.
A stunning display from the Iranian number one saw him battle to keep himself in contention. He fired in four centuries on his way to a final frame, having never led during the entire match. Vafaei was 50-0 up in the decider, but still some way shy of the winning post, when he roared out after potting a red to the green pocket.
The former Shoot Out champion went on to complete a break of 73 which saw him claim victory and set up a clash with three-time World Champion Mark Williams. Vafaei will be gunning for a first ever Crucible quarter-final.
This was only a second match win at the Theatre of Dreams for world number 24 Vafaei, who has come through qualifying in each of the last four years. He beat Ding Junhui in 2023, before falling foul of a 13-2 loss to Ronnie O’Sullivan in a fiery encounter. Last year Vafaei fell short against Judd Trump in the first round.
Defeat extends Hawkins’ torrid recent record in snooker’s showpiece event. He’s only won three matches at the Crucible since 2018 and hasn’t been beyond the second round during that period. However, he can reflect on a strong season which has seen him make finals at the UK Championship and the German Masters.
They came into this evening with Hawkins leading 5-4 and the Londoner took the opener to extend his cushion. Vafaei then responded with back-to-back century breaks of 104 and 107 to restore parity at 6-6.
Hawkins went 8-7 ahead when Vafaei made 110 to draw level once more. It was the Englishman that first moved to the verge of victory, making 106 to lead 9-8. A tight 18th frame went the way of Vafaei and he then made that emotional run of 73 in the last to get over the line. The moment of victory was the first time that he had led during the entire match.
“In the moment, during the deciding frame, my mind went negative. I had to change something around. I needed to give something a go and let the animal come out again. It was a trick to my mind. When you get close to crossing the line, people can make mistakes. That was the only way,” said 30-year-old Vafaei.
“I was under lots of pressure. All the way I was down. What can I do? I’m always under pressure. I couldn’t handle it at the end. I had to show some emotion or I’m not human. I had to show to the fans that we feel the pressure. People want to see this.
“Beating the world number 11 in the Crucible with four centuries is the best performance I have had. The numbers don’t lie. I could easily have given up and not continued. I kept believing in myself that the game was there.”
I didn’t actually watch that match. Some people can look at two or more screens simultaneously, I can’t … so I missed it. Still, there is something I want to comment on. Some fans may have been shocked or upset by Hossein’s emotional outburst. First, I find it strange that fans are upset by a player’s reaction when the said player opponent clearly is not. Of course, people in the north of Europe, especially males, are taught to keep their emotions in check, that crying is not on, that they have to be “strong”. In the eastern Mediterranean regions and in the Middle-east, men showing emotions are not “judged” that way. Emotions are expressed much more openly, positive emotions as well as negative ones like sorrow or anger. I now live in Greece for several years and I see it every day. Sometimes tourists don’t know how to react to this, and may even feel upset. Yet, I think this “emotional openness” is much healthier than the constant “restrain” that is expected to be the norm in Northern Europe.
Chris Wakelin thwarted a Neil Robertson comeback to prevail 10-8 and score his first ever match win at the Crucible on day two of the Halo World Championship.
Wakelin has endured some difficult defeats in snooker’s biggest event. The last two years have seen him lose in the final round of qualifying. Before that, there were three first round losses at the Crucible, including a gut-wrenching 10-9 defeat to Judd Trump on debut. This time the Rugby cueman says he is thrilled to finally make some positive memories in Sheffield.
It comes off the back of a tremendous season for world number 20 Wakelin, who reached the final of the International Championship and made his Masters debut in January. Off the table, he also became a father for the first time with the birth of his daughter.
Defeat for world number nine Robertson means he will have to wait another year in his hunt for a second Crucible crown. The 2010 World Champion hasn’t been beyond the second round for four years and failed to even qualify 12 months ago.
However, tournament victories this season at the English Open and World Grand Prix have seen him return to the world’s top 16 and give him optimism for the future.
Wakelin held a hefty 7-2 advantage coming into tonight, but that was soon wiped out. Breaks of 117, 69 and 53 helped Robertson to five on the bounce and parity at 7-7. Former Shoot Out winner Wakelin then stopped the rot with 90 in the 15th to lead 8-7.
Robertson made it 8-8, but just couldn’t find a way to get in front, with Wakelin taking two near 30-minute frames to emerge victorious. He will now face either Mark Allen or Fan Zhengyi.
“A lot of the memories in my career, up until two years ago, were negative. It was the match I nearly won or the ball I nearly potted. It is amazing now to think that some of my matches will be remembered in years to come for good things,” said 33-year-old Wakelin.
“The psychological part of this game, is the game. We all have the skill to play out there, but doing it on the day, when it matters, and dealing with the fact this is the World Championship adds a lot of extra pressure.
“It’s what you expect from Neil. He is a champion for a reason. I was prepared for it to go close today. I was ready for him to come back at me and I managed to get over the line in the end.”
Robertson said: “Yesterday was a really cruel session. I don’t think I’ve ever played so well to be 7-2 down. I only missed one ball and Chris played really well. He was aggressive and rode his luck and I was the opposite.
“I’ve been really consistent throughout the season and won a couple of titles to fly up the rankings. I came into this with a positive mindset. It isn’t the end to the season that I wanted, but I would have taken this overall.”
This was another thrilling high quality match. I have come to really appreciate Chris Wakelin. Here is someone who, in the past, struggled badly with mental health issues. I remember him at tournaments, some years ago, looking utterly miserable and physically unfit. But Chris didn’t surrender to his problems, he looked for solutions and found answers. He took on ballroom dancing in an attempt to improve both his mental health and his physical fitness. It may look like a rather peculiar “move” but it worked well for him. Here is someone whose career has been transformed by winning the Shoot-out. Positive experiences can work miracles for a person and Chris is a prime example of that.
Debutant Lei Stuns Wilson As Crucible Curse Strikes Again
Kyren Wilson became the 20th first-time Crucible champion to fail to defend the title the following year as he suffered a dramatic 10-9 reverse against debutant Lei Peifan on the opening night of the Halo World Championship.
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In a match of momentum swings, Wilson won six frames in a row to lead 6-2, then lost seven in succession to trail 9-6, before a late fight-back, only to lose the decider. Having conquered the Crucible 12 months ago, it’s a massive blow for the 33-year-old who had high hopes of retaining the title after a prolific season in which he has won four trophies. Wilson becomes the eighth first-time Crucible champion to lose in the first round the following year, and it ends a streak of nine consecutive years in which he has reached at least the second round.
Early Exits
First time champions to lose their opening match the following year
Terry Griffiths 1980 Steve Davis 1982 Dennis Taylor 1986 Graeme Dott 2007 Neil Robertson 2011 Stuart Bingham 2016 Luca Brecel 2024 Kyren Wilson 2025
China’s 21-year-old Lei won his first ranking title earlier this season at the BetVictor Scottish Open, but said that tonight’s win was the biggest of his career so far as he rose to the occasion on his maiden appearance at snooker’s most famous venue. From 6-2 down, he hit his opponent with a barrage of high scoring, and after a late wobble he regained his composure to make an excellent break in the deciding frame.
The world number 39, who nearly missed out on the Crucible as he had to come from 7-4 and 9-8 down to beat Gao Yang 10-9 in the final qualifying round, is through to the last 16 and will face Zhao Xintong or Jak Jones from Friday next week.
“It feels amazing. The Scottish Open was my first title and this was my Crucible debut — both moments are very special to me. The emotions were just as intense,” said Lei.
Lei trailed 6-3 after the first session but dominated from the start tonight, firing breaks of 50, 53, 60, 75 and 89 to take the first four frames and lead 7-6. After the interval, Wilson had the first scoring chance in frame 14 but made just 19 before missing a red to a top corner and Lei punished him with 69. Another Wilson missed red to a corner pocket early in the 15th proved expensive as his opponent compiled a superb 92 for 9-6.
World number two Wilson pulled one back with a break of 106. In the 17th, Lei was two pots from victory on a run of 60 when he over-cut the third last red to a top corner, and Wilson later cleared with 45 to close the gap to 9-8. Lei led 40-10 in the 18th when he missed a mid-range red and Wilson’s 60 drew them level.
Kettering’s Wilson had one clear chance in the decider but made just 14 before failing to split the pack off the blue. He later made a safety error and Lei’s tremendous break of 66 made him the first player to beat a defending champion in their debut match at the Crucible since Stuart Bingham knocked out Stephen Hendry in 2000.
Wilson said: “It’s really hard to take, it really hurts. Lei potted some incredible balls and held himself together in the end, he seems like a cool character and I wish him all the best. It has been a long season, I have done so much. I am proud of the way I have handled it and hopefully I have given you guys (the media) plenty to write about. We are all trying to grow the game, make it more popular and help the younger generation to see it as a great sport to get into.“
Lei added: “I didn’t think I had much chance when the draw came out. But the moment I stepped into the arena and saw the crowd, I just felt so excited. It really lived up to what I saw on TV all those years ago. I was definitely feeling pressure towards the end. I calmed myself down and told myself not to over-think — just to let go and play freely.
“I really enjoyed playing here – the crowd, the lighting, the whole atmosphere was amazing. I was fully immersed and happy throughout the match. In the deciding frame when the curtain came up, it felt like I was in a final. I used to watch that scene on TV when I was a kid – now it was real, I was actually sitting next to that table. It brought back so many childhood memories. And of course, it made me want to win even more – I’ve worked hard to get here, and I wanted to give something back to the fans and to myself.“
On the other table, Barry Hawkins took a 5-4 lead over Hossein Vafaei. World number 11 Hawkins, runner-up here in 2013, top scored with 93 in taking a 3-1 lead. After the interval, Iran’s Vafaei rallied with breaks of 56 and 123 to restore parity at 3-3. Hawkins pulled away again to 5-3, but Vafaei made an important 64 in the last of the evening to trail by just one frame overnight.
Kyren Wilson has been a fantastic World Champion all season, a great ambassador for his sport. Yesterday he came up short, just, against an inspired Lei Peifan. Lei is very strong under pressure, he showed that earlier this season, the way he won the Scottish Open, his first ranking title. Obviously, Kyren must be very disappointed right now but he should be proud of himself and of the way he represented his sport. I hope that, in a few days, he can see how well he did as a first time World Champion. Thank you Kyren.
Hereafter, the ES pundits, including Ronnie, discuss various topics, among other things, why/how the Crucible is special and Zhao Xintong’s as well as Judd Trump’s, Mark Selby an John Higgins’ chances. This was before the evening session . Zhao starts today…
Zhao served his ban, came back hungry, regained his tour card via an official route, and earned his invite via an official route as well. He deserves to be here.
The 10 days long qualifiers for the 2025 World Snooker Championship came to an end yesterday. It proved to be a great event in itself – it always is – and this time the fans came in huge numbers for the latter stages of qualifying which is fantastic. It’s fantastic for the players involved, of course, but it’s also fantastic news for the sport and its future. Why? Because it shows that there is a shift in the “fans mentality”. Since I started following snooker closely, 15 years ago, until very recently, most fans appeared to be “focussed” on a very small group of top players, and barely knew the lower ranked players, nor were they interested in them. The huge attendance at the EIS this year shows that things are changing and it’s for the best.
Wu Yize will be one of a record ten Chinese players at the Crucible after beating Matthew Stevens 10-9 in a dramatic finish in the final qualifying round of the Halo World Championship.
The previous record of six Chinese players in the televised stages has been smashed as top 16 seeds Ding Junhui, Zhang Anda, Xiao Guodong, and Si Jiahui will be joined by six more who have come through the qualifying rounds: Zhao Xintong, Zhou Yuelong, Fan Zhengyi, Pang Junxu, Lei Peifan and Wu.
Two-time runner-up Stevens came from 9-7 down to 9-9 to set up a tense 35-minute decider. Wu missed the final green when he led 45-40, but he got another chance after a loose safety from Stevens and this time potted a tremendous green and added brown, blue and pink for victory.
“I am very happy. I thought I was going to lose, he gave me too much pressure and I made mistakes in the last frame. I didn’t think he would give me one more chance,” said 21-year-old Wu, runner-up in two ranking events this season.
In an even closer finish, Matthew Selt beat Jimmy Robertson 10-9 on the final black to book a fifth trip to the Theatre of Dreams. From 8-3 down, Selt fought back to 9-9 with a top break of 112. The decider lasted 49 minutes and Robertson missed match-ball pink to a top corner before Selt slotted in pink and black. However the Essex cueman admitted his victory was tarnished by the fact that his friend Robertson had pulled him aside earlier in the match as he found Selt’s antics off-putting.
“I have to apologise to Jimmy. After one of the frames I won he said I was distracting him and putting him off. So this win has no good feeling whatsoever,” said former Indian Open champion Selt. “Jimmy is one of my closest friends so for him to feel so strongly, I feel dreadful about it. I am gutted for him that he didn’t win so I want to say sorry to him. Everyone knows I commentate to myself during matches. He felt strongly enough to say something so I would have definitely been in the wrong.”
Two-time Crucible finalist Ali Carter overcame a neck injury to beat He Guoqiang 10-5. The Captain is through to the Crucible for the 21st time and will become one of only 12 players to make more than 20 appearances.
“I don’t now where it has come from but I have had a terrible neck ache with excruciating pain,” said Carter. “In my first match against Ian Burns if I had gone 6-3 down at the end of the first session I was going to withdraw. I managed to clear up to go 5-4 and then played some decent stuff in the second session, but I was in agony. It is still not right now but I’m battling through. I will have to see a physiotherapist over the next couple of days. A lot of players have neck trouble and I have been playing this game for 39 years. I am a competitive animal and I hate losing at anything. I don’t suppose many of the seeds will want to draw me.”
Maximum man Jackson Page, who banked a £147,000 bonus for making two 147s in his previous match, will not be at the Crucible as he lost 10-7 to Joe O’Connor. On his debut last year, O’Connor knocked out Mark Selby before losing to Kyren Wilson. “It’s great to be back there, I really enjoyed it last year,” said O’Connor, who was runner-up to John Higgins at the World Open last month. “I didn’t feel much pressure today because I don’t get too attached to the outcome of matches, I think I was born like that and it’s an advantage.”
Hossein Vafaei scored five centuries in a superb 10-4 win over Wang Yuchen. Breaks of 113 and 123 helped Iran’s top player Vafaei take a 7-4 lead and he finished with three consecutive tons, 104, 135 and 111, to earn a fourth consecutive Crucible appearance.
“The atmosphere today was unbelievable, it felt like the Crucible,” said Vafaei. “I had to perform for the fans and my best game came out. I started the season really badly so at least I can finish it in a better way and hopefully continue playing like that. I love playing in the big events.“
BetVictor Scottish Open champion Lei Peifanedged out Gao Yang 10-9 to earn his first trip to the Crucible, and will be one of three debutants alongside Zak Surety and Daniel Wells. Lei won his first ranking title in December in Edinburgh and will finish the season at the perfect location. Amateur Gao led 7-5 before Lei made breaks of 102 and 123 in taking an 8-7 lead. Gao took the next two frames and had chances for victory, but Lei took frame 18 on the final pink and the decider with a run of 66.
“Gao played really well and put me under a lot of pressure,” said 21-year-old Lei. “In the second session I made some adjustments to my game and that’s what won me the match. I kept telling myself to stay calm. Reaching the Crucible is just as exciting as winning the Scottish Open.“
Fan Zhengyi beat Michael Holt 10-4 with a top break of 135 while Pang Junxu saw off Jamie Jones 10-6 with a top run of 94.
So, here is the complete list of our qualifiers: Chris Wakelin, Zak Surety, Zhao Xintong, Zhou Yuelong, Ryan Day, Ben Woollaston, David Gilbert, Daniel Wells, Fan Zhengyi, Hossein Vafaei, Ali Carter, Pang Junxu, Joe O’Connor, Lei Peifan, Wu Yize and Matthew Selt.
I must admit that I would happily do without Selt. He may apologise all he wants, it isn’t the first time he’s involved in this kind of controversy and he’s no kid. He should know, and I’m certain he does know, that this kind of behaviour puts his opponents off. This is gamesmanship, this is cheating and he should at the very least have been warned for it. That’s how I see it and I would tell it in his face if I had the opportunity. To be honest, I can’t stand the guy. I met him on tour countless times. He’s got an opinion on everything and is prone to criticising fellow players. A good hard look at himself in the mirror is on order …
And now … we wait for the draw, and we can only hope that Ronnie turns up. Several players have expressed opinions about his absence/presence. John Higgins has been bluntly honest, he’d rather do without him in the draw. Mark Selby has said that he can relate to Ronnie’s feelings, as he suffers from depression himself. Mark said that he’d love to have Ronnie at the Crucible but only if he’s feeling well enough and that his health should come first. He added that depression never goes away, that the best you can do is “manage” it.
Where should I start ??? “Extraordinary” doesn’t even come close to accurately describe what happened yesterday at the EIS as Jackson Page made not one but TWO maximum breaks in his match against Allan Taylor, and earned by far his biggest pay day as a professional snooker player. Those were and the 215th and 216th maximums in professional snooker. Page actually became the first player ever to make two maximums in one match. They came in frames 8 and 12. Jackson had never made a 147 in professional play before and it earned him the “147,000 pounds Triple Crown bonus”.
Jackson Page made history by becoming the first ever player to craft two 147 breaks in a single match, claiming a massive £147,000 bonus in the process.
The Welshman made two maximums during his 10-2 win over Allan Taylor in the third round of Halo World Championship qualifying. His first came yesterday afternoon and astonishingly a second came in the last frame of the match today.
As a result, Page earns the £147,000 bonus on offer for making two maximums across snooker’s four majors this season. The 23-year-old is also in line to scoop a further £10,000 for making a 147 in the qualifiers and the £15,000 high break prize for the event. That could potentially take the total payout to £172,000, by far the biggest payday of his career.
The two perfect breaks were the first and second 147s of Page’s fledgling career. There have now been 14 maximums so far this season, which breaks the record for a single campaign. Today’s break was the 216th maximum in the history of professional snooker.
World number 35 Page said: “It feels great. Breaking records is brilliant. I’ve made a lot of 147s leading up to this event in the club. It felt routine out there in the end. I’m over the moon to have got it done.
“I never ever go for them in matches. I do when I’m practising. When I’m at the club I could be on the first black and think that the maximum is on. Here you try and win the frame. After I made the first one yesterday, I had to have a go for the second. It paid off, maybe I’ll start going for more.“
And this came in the last frame of the match as well!
Here is the first one:
Hitman Halts The Ballrun
Michael Holt moved one match away from a first Crucible appearance in nine years, after a 10-6 win over 2015 World Champion Stuart Bingham at Halo World Championship Qualifying.
The Hitman’s professional career came under threat in 2022, when he fell off the circuit. During two years away from the World Snooker Tour, he set about a career coaching amateur players. However, Holt’s performances on last season’s Q Tour ensured the 46-year-old regained his professional status.
He’s enjoyed a good first season back, highlighted by a run to the quarter-finals of the UK Championship before Christmas.
Defeat for Bingham ends a 14-year run of consecutive Crucible appearances. He last missed out back in 2010.
Victory for Holt sees him earn a Judgement Day meeting with Fan Zhengyi, who beat Robbie Williams 10-6. The Nottingham cueman last appeared at the Theatre of Dreams in 2016, when he beat Neil Robertson before losing to Mark Williams.
Looking ahead to the final qualifying round, Holt is fully aware of the unique tension it comes with.
Holt said: “It’s a funny one. There’s a slightly different atmosphere. I think you can just sense it. The Crucible is such a special place to play snooker. You never forget it, whether it has been good or bad. You just want to get there. It is a twitchy game, you have to put it to the back of your mind and get to ten.
“It was great qualifying for the UK Championship. It was a nice story after being off the tour and now being back on. It would be great to get back to the Crucible again. When you drop off the circuit you don’t know whether you will get there again or even play professional snooker again. I’ve got another mountain to climb and ironically if I do manage that I’m only at base camp.”
Jackson Page made history by becoming the first ever player to craft two 147 breaks in a single match, claiming a massive £147,000 bonus, following a 10-2 win over Allan Taylor.
The £147,000 bonus is for any player who can make two 147s across snooker’s four majors. However, Page is also in line to scoop a further £10,000 for making a 147 in the qualifiers and the £15,000 high break prize for the event. That could potentially take the total payout to £172,000.
Page will now face Joe O’Connor on Judgement Day, but whatever happens he has comfortably secured the biggest payday of his career so far.
World number 35 Page said: “It feels great. Breaking records is brilliant. I’ve made a lot of 147s leading up to this event in the club. It felt routine out there in the end. I’m over the moon to have got it done.
“I never ever go for them in matches. I do when I’m practising. When I’m at the club I could be on the first black and think that the maximum is on. Here you try and win the frame. After I made the first one yesterday, I had to have a go for the second. It paid off, maybe I’ll start going for more.”
Ali Carter put on a battling display to come from 7-6 down and beat Ian Burns 10-8. The Captain will now play He Guoqiang, who scored a 10-9 win over Scott Donaldson. Despite a strong run, Burns suffers tour relegation after today’s result.
Former European Masters champion Jimmy Robertson held his nerve to beat 18-year-old Stan Moody 10-9. He now faces Matthew Selt, who beat Anthony Hamilton 10-3. Defeat for Hamilton means he will require Q School to return next season.
This is what comes for us, and the players of course, today and tomorrow:
Screenshot – snooker.org
Who do I believe will go through?
Gary Wilson, Zhou Yuelong, Zak Surety, Ben Wollaston, Zhao Xintong, Ryan Day, Chris Wakelin, David Gilbert, Hossein Vafaei, Michael Holt, Joe O’Connor, Pang Junxu, Matthew Stevens, Lei Peifan, Jimmy Robertson, Ali Carter
Who do I want to go through?
Gary Wilson, Zhou Yuelong, Rick Walden, Ben Wollaston, Zhao Xintong, Sunny Akani, Chris Wakelin, David Gilbert, Wang Yuchen, Michael Holt, Jackson Page, Pang Junxu, Wu Yize, Lei Peifan, Jimmy Robertson, He Guoqiang
Anyway… all of them are there on merit.
Good luck to all the players involved in the grueling Judgement Days!
World number 20 Chris Wakelin says that becoming a father has released the on-table pressure after beating Xing Zihao 10-5 to earn his place in the final round of Halo World Championship Qualifying.
Wakelin’s baby daughter was born prematurely in January, but thankfully she is now doing well and her health has stabilised.
The experience over the last few months for Wakelin has placed snooker in perspective. He admits that the pressure he once felt at events such as Crucible qualifying has now dissipated.
Tonight’s encounter was finely poised at 5-5, until Wakelin blitzed for the line. Breaks of 62, 66 and 68 helped him to five on the bounce and victory. He now faces Martin O’Donnell, who beat Jordan Brown 10-8 with the clock just past 1am.
An appearance at the Crucible would cap off what has been an amazing campaign for Wakelin. He was runner-up to Ding Junhui at the International Championship and then went on to qualify for the Masters for the first time in January.
However, the Englishman says that irrespective of what happens on Judgement Day, he will be delighted with his season.
“It will be an amazing season regardless of what happens this week. I have missed out narrowly in the last couple of years and it would be a shame to not cap off the season. I am delighted with that win because he is a good player,” said 33-year-old Wakelin.
“The bottom line is that if I don’t get through, then I don’t really care. I’ve not had the best few months. I’ve had a nervous start to becoming a dad. The results over the last couple of months haven’t gone my way, but I’m aware the reason for that is I have a family now.
“It is absolutely magic being a dad. I never wanted children until I found out Lucy was pregnant. As much as it was scary when she was born prematurely, I am really grateful to all the people who have reached out to me. We are through the worst of it now, she is coming up to four months old and I’m looking forward to the future.
“I want to win, but if I lose I can say to myself that I can win the next tournament and I go home to a loving and beautiful partner and a little baby girl who is doing amazingly. The results aren’t as important anymore. I’ll try my absolute best, but the reality is I’m very lucky in my life with the people around me.”
Zhao Xintong is just one win away from a Crucible return after defeating Chinese compatriot Lyu Haotian 10-4.
Former UK Champion Zhao will regain his professional status next season after returning from suspension and playing on the amateur Q Tour this term. Victory in four of the seven events saw Zhao comfortably top the standings and earn a tour card.
The hugely talented 28-year-old crafted runs of 90, 137, 59 and 116 in the last five frames to seal victory. He now plays Elliot Slessor, who defeated Marco Fu 10-6.
Ben Woollaston and Mark Davis battled it down to the final black, but after a 58-minute decider, it was Woollaston who prevailed 10-9. He moves on to face Ross Muir in the final round. Muir is gunning for a Crucible debut and defeated Tom Ford 10-7.
.As usual this report by WST is far from exhaustive. One results that has been overlooked but pleased me is the Sunny Akani’s win over Noppon Saengkham, although I would have preferred that it came at the expense of some other player because I really like Noppon as well. Sunny is currently ranked 93, and, as it stands is the lowest ranked player already “booked” in round 4, other than Zhao Xintong who competes here as an amateur…
Sunny and his father should be proud of what they achieved. I remember them when Sunny started as a pro: they lived in their car, literally, because they couldn’t afford renting a place to live in, nevermind paying for hotel rooms. Despite this Sunny always came to play neat and properly dressed and he always gave it everything at the table.
Jackson Page fired in his first ever 147 break during his third round Halo World Championship Qualifying match at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
The Welsh 23-year-old crafted a perfect break in the eighth frame against Allan Taylor to blitz to a 7-1 lead. His previous best break was a run of 142 in last year’s World Championship.
It puts Page in line for a £10,000 bonus on offer for maximum breaks made at Crucible qualifying and places him in pole position for the £15,000 high break prize for the entire event. If Page can conjure another perfect run during the tournament, he will receive an eye watering £147,000.
There have now been 13 maximum breaks this season, which equals the record first set in 16/17 and equalled in 22/23 and 23/24. It is the 215th official 147 in snooker history.
The match schedule for the top 16 players at the 2025 Halo World Championship is now available, with snooker’s greatest tournament to run from April 19th to May 5th at the Crucible in Sheffield.
…
Defending champion Kyren Wilson will take to the stage on the opening morning at 10am on Saturday April 19th, and he’ll complete his first round tie on the same evening from 7pm. The other seeds in action on the opening day will be Xiao Guodong, Neil Robertson, Mark Williams and Barry Hawkins.
John Higgins, the man in form having won two ranking titles in as many months, will play on the morning and evening of Monday April 21st. Ronnie O’Sullivan begins his bid for a record eighth Crucible crown at 2.30pm on Tuesday April 22nd and concludes the following afternoon. World number one Judd Trump plays in the evening sessions on the same two days.
The top 16 seeds will be drawn at random against the 16 players who come through the qualifying rounds, currently being contested at the English Institute of Sport. The draw will take place around 8.45am on Thursday April 17th and you can listen on BBC Radio Five Live or watch on the BBC Sport website. Four-time Crucible king Mark Selby will be in the studio to react to the draw.
The seeds are ordered in the draw as follows:
Kyren Wilson (1) v qualifier Jak Jones (16) v qualifier Neil Robertson (9) v qualifier Mark Allen (8) v qualifier ——- Ronnie O’Sullivan (5) v qualifier Zhang Anda (12) v qualifier Si Jiahui (13) v qualifier Mark Selby (4) v qualifier ——- John Higgins (3) v qualifier Xiao Guodong (14) v qualifier Barry Hawkins (11) v qualifier Mark Williams (6) v qualifier ——- Luca Brecel (7) v qualifier Ding Junhui (10) v qualifier Shaun Murphy (15) v qualifier Judd Trump (2) v qualifier
So, Ronnie is scheduled to play his first match on Tuesday 22 May and Wednesday 23 May, both times in the afternoon session. Of course, whether he will play or not remains to be seen. Should he play, and win, the next seed he could face is Zhang Anda.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 