Beijing, March 3 (ZXS) -- On the sixth day of the 22 WST Snooker Classic, China's "post-2023s" teenager Pang Junxu passed two consecutive levels in the third and fourth rounds, becoming the only Chinese player in this tournament to advance to the round of 00 and 16. Scottish Open newcomer Gary Wilson also advanced to the last eight, directly threatening China's billiards star Ding Junhui's qualification for the Tour Championship.
The 2023 WST Classic Snooker Classic, which is being played in the UK, ended on the morning of the 22nd Beijing time on the sixth day, and it was still a one-day double. In the first third round (32 to 16) tournament, the five Chinese players Pang Junxu, Si Jiahui, Tian Pengfei, Xu Si and Lu Haotian lost 5-1, except for Pang Junxu, who won 4:4 in the "Chinese Civil War" with Si Jia Hui and advanced to the "foreign war".
So far, among the 32 Chinese players who advanced to the round of 7 of this event, only Pang Junxu has advanced to the round of 1.
It is gratifying that in the fourth round (16 to 8) of the tournament, Pang Junxu became more and more courageous. Facing Jimmy White, a legendary British veteran in his sixties and runner-up of the six-time World Championships, China's "Dumiao" calmly faced the battle, and launched a strong counterattack in a passive situation of 6:0 behind, and finally won four consecutive games to win 1:4.
In the past two months, Pang Junxu has advanced to the top eight in three consecutive ranking tournaments - in the German Masters in early February this year, he and Xiao Guodong advanced to the last eight; At the Welsh Open in mid-February, he teamed up with Tian Pengfei to reach the last four.
It is worth mentioning that this WST Classic is the last ranking event before the Tour Championship this season, and only the top 8 players in the season can qualify for the Tour Championship. Previously, Ding Junhui was seventh in the season and Mark Selby was eighth. However, Selby, who won two consecutive games on the day, advanced to the last eight, replacing Ding Junhui in seventh place in the season ranking, and sealed early qualification for the subsequent Tour Championship.
Whether Ding Junhui, who has fallen to eighth in the current season, can qualify for the Tour Championship still depends on the color of his face. Gary Wilson, who is temporarily in place, has advanced to the last eight of this elite tournament. Once Gary Wilson wins one more game and advances to the last four, he will occupy the eighth position of the season, leaving Ding Junhui without the tour tournament and completely cutting off his last hope of going straight to the World Championship main event.
On the seventh (closing day) of the WST 2023 Snooker Classic, there will be a "wheel war", with 1/4 finals, semi-finals and finals. In the first 1/4 final, Pang Junxu will face the "post-90s" British player Oliver Lanes. The other three quarterfinals will be played between John Higgins and Mark Selby, Bingham and Ali Carter, Gary Wilson and Lucas Clyx. (End)