In a remarkable display of skill and determination, three Chinese snooker players—Ding Junhui, Xu Si, and Xiao Guodong—have advanced to the semifinals of the World Snooker Tour (WST) International Championship in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province.
Ding Junhui, a celebrated figure in Chinese snooker, overcame England’s Kyren Wilson with a 6-4 victory in the quarterfinals. Ding took an early lead, scoring impressive breaks of 57, 72, and 84 to go up 4-1. Wilson, the reigning World Champion, fought back to level the match at 4-4 with breaks of 57, 70, and 80. However, Ding sealed the win with two consecutive century breaks of 129 and 123.
“I could really feel the support from the crowd—they wanted to see me perform well and get a good result,” Ding shared after the match. “Kyren is a world champion and one of the most consistent top players at the moment, so this wasn’t an easy win. If I hadn’t played as well as I did today, it would have been tough to beat him.”
Next, Ding will face fellow countryman Xu Si in the semifinals. Xu staged an impressive comeback from 5-3 down to defeat England’s Gary Wilson 6-5. Despite Wilson’s strong performance, including breaks of 105 and 136, Xu clinched the final three frames with breaks of 58, 81, and 68.
“I grew up watching Ding play and have been greatly inspired by him,” Xu said, anticipating their upcoming match. “So I’m really looking forward to the chance to play him in the semifinals. I’ve been able to stick to my approach this week without giving up in tough situations.”
Meanwhile, Xiao Guodong secured his place in the semifinals by defeating Wales’ Jackson Page 6-4, propelling himself into the world’s top 16 for the first time in his career. After trailing 2-1, Xiao rallied with breaks of 135, 110, and 50 to take a 5-2 lead. Although Page narrowed the gap, Xiao closed out the match with a decisive run of 73 in the final frame.
“Playing a tournament in China makes a difference,” Xiao reflected. “The promoters provide us with so much support, and having my family nearby is encouraging too. Playing abroad, I’m usually competing alone, but in China, it feels more like a team effort. Competing at home makes us feel more at ease.”
Xiao will face England’s Chris Wakelin in the semifinals. With three Chinese players reaching the final four, the home crowd is eagerly anticipating the possibility of an all-Chinese final.
Reference(s):
Three Chinese players reach WST International Championship semifinals
cgtn.com
