China News Service, Beijing, August 23. The 2022 European Snooker Masters has just ended, and another ranking match has ignited war-the 2022 Snooker Northern Ireland Open kicked off the qualifying round on the 23rd local time. Twenty-seven Chinese players led by the "first brother" Ding Junhui of billiards will play again.
This Open is the fourth ranking competition of the new season, and will usher in the first meeting of the world's top 16 players this season.
Ranked fourth in the world, "Melbourne Machine" Neil Robertson will make his debut this season, and the world number one "Rocket" O'Sullivan, who missed the European Masters due to injury, will also appear again.
Chinese star Ding Junhui, who just won his season debut in the British Open qualifying match, will make his second appearance this season.
On the first day of the qualifying matches on the evening of the 23rd and the morning of the 24th, Beijing time, 4 Chinese players will be the first to appear.
Among them, Shaanxi player Chen Zifan will start a "China Derby" and "gender war" with Hong Kong star Wu Anyi. The latter knocked out world champion Dahdi in the British Open qualifying match and became the first woman in snooker to defeat the men's world champion. player.
Another famous Hong Kong player, Li Junwei, will face Welsh player Jamie Jones, and "post-90s" Cao Yupeng will face Dylan Emery.
Ding Junhui, who has received much attention, will debut on the evening of the 25th, Beijing time. His opponent is the 43-year-old "Captain" Ali Carter, who has just reached the semi-finals in the European Masters.
This "World Championship runner-up derby" has also become a major attraction of the Northern Ireland Open qualifying tournament.
The Northern Ireland Open once left Ding Junhui's highlight moment.
In 2006, Ding Junhui, who was only 19 years old, won his third ranking championship in this event, becoming the second player in snooker history to win three ranking championships before the age of 20.
But now, the former "billiard prodigy" has fallen into a long-term slump. After winning the 14th ranking championship at the 2019 British Championships, not only did he miss the top ranking in the ranking competition in the past three years, but he also has many times in different rankings. Out of the tournament early, the world ranking has dropped to 30 away.
Therefore, Chinese fans also look forward to Ding Junhui's recovery this season and the return of the king.
The Northern Ireland Open qualifying round will be held from August 23 to 28 local time, and the main match will be held from October 16 to 23.
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