The top 16 have been determined for the Snooker Saudi Masters: China occupies 4 spots, with the four top seeds facing unexpected defeats. Zhao Xintong will compete against Wakelin again.

On August 13, Beijing time, the Snooker Saudi Masters continued, and the first round matches have concluded, revealing many surprises. Four top seeds were eliminated in the first round: Trump, Higgins, Mark Allen, and Zhang Anda. Meanwhile, among the eight Chinese players, four advanced: Ding Junhui, Si Jiahui, Zhao Xintong, and Chang Bingyu. Now, the top 16 have been finalized, and it’s noteworthy that in the round of 16, Zhao Xintong will face Wakelin again—what a coincidence!

The champion of this Saudi Masters has a prize fund of £500,000. Although it is a ranking event, the format is short frames, making it easy for upsets to occur. Indeed, the unexpected defeats of the four top seeds in the first round were shocking. The world number one, Trump, the defending champion, was in poor form, falling behind significantly early on and struggling to recover, eventually losing 3-5 to Oliver Lines and facing an early exit!

World number four Higgins had an incredible last season, winning two ranking titles, but in this event, he faced Slessor in the first round and unexpectedly lost, battling to a deciding frame but ultimately falling 4-5 to his opponent, leaving everyone astonished. Could it be that Higgins is truly aging?

World number eight Mark Allen was defeated by our young player Chang Bingyu. Despite trailing 3-4, Chang Bingyu showed great composure under pressure, winning two consecutive frames to upset Mark Allen 5-4 and also advancing unexpectedly!

Chinese star Zhang Anda, ranked 12th in the world, faced World Championship winner Bingham in the first round and suffered a disappointing 2-5 loss, performing poorly and being eliminated in a slow-paced match.

Among the eight Chinese players, the first round performances were mixed, with only four advancing to the top 16: Ding Junhui, Zhao Xintong, Si Jiahui, and Chang Bingyu. Except for Chang Bingyu, the other three are well-known players. Special praise goes to Chang Bingyu, who practiced intensely during his suspension and improved significantly. He has won five matches in a row to reach the top 16, often battling to deciding frames, which is quite impressive!

The top 16 have all been determined. According to the latest schedule, the round of 16 matches will take place today, with a format of best of 11 frames, requiring 6 wins. Notably, Zhao Xintong will face Wakelin again. The two have met several times this year, and it’s likely that Wakelin has been left with psychological scars from their encounters. For specific matchups and the lineup, please refer to the image above!

Written by/Ti Tan Xiao Shuo