Snooker Report: Ding Junhui Advances Steadily, Wu Yize Shows Composure

2026 English Open Snooker!

Twelve Chinese players competed! Six reached the last 16! Six packed away their cues!

This situation of half fire and half cold water is more eye-catching than simple defeats.

The 2026 English Open took place in Brentwood on September 9. The biggest talking point was not only who reached the last 16, but that two centuries could not secure a win. Zhang Anda faced Mark Selby and produced 108 and 106 breaks plus an 87 break. The match went all seven frames, with Zhang losing 3-4. He held a 49-point advantage in the deciding frame before Selby won with two visits to make it 59:49.

No matter how many centuries are made, they only decorate the scorecard. In a short match, one missed red can erase all previous high breaks. Two centuries without victory was a painful result.

In the same round, 12 Chinese players competed, six advanced to the last 16 and six were eliminated. The mixed result made the round especially dramatic.

The most frustrating example was Chang Bingyu. After winning the Wuhan Open, he faced Kyren Wilson in the last-32 stage. Wilson made an 83 break in the opening frame to win 95:21. Chang levelled with 89:35 and led 64:50 in the third. Wilson recovered with a 70:69 fourth-frame win and took the fifth 63:28 for match point. Chang forced a decider by winning frame six 71:21, but missed a simple red while on 56 points in the decider, allowing Wilson to clear for a 67:56 win.

Chang did not produce a sustained 50-plus break in the match. Against an elite defensive player, losing attacking momentum made him vulnerable.

Zhang Anda suffered in another way. His single-frame quality was even better than Selby's, but a missed tight red in the decider allowed Selby to overturn the match through patience and tactical play. Their high-quality performances still ended in two 3-4 defeats, showing that the seven-frame format rewards finishing at key moments.

Among the veterans, Ding Junhui was the quietest performer. Against Ashley Hugill, Hugill won the first frame 78:45. Ding made an 88 break in the second and a 61 break in the fifth. After 2-2 in the opening four frames, he won two straight frames for a 4-2 victory. Without spectacular 139 or 140 breaks, Ding controlled the pace and safety exchanges to reach the last 16 with efficient play.

This was Ding's first consecutive ranking-event last-16 appearance this season and has practical significance ahead of his match against Joe O'Connor. O'Connor beat Sam Craigie 4-2 and is strong in tactical battles. If Ding continues converting chances like his 88 and 61 breaks while avoiding unnecessary long-pot attacks, he can draw the match into his preferred safety rhythm.

Zhou Yuelong again showed his comeback ability. Against Chris Wakelin, Wakelin made a 101 century in the first frame and led 3-1 after four. Zhou responded with 71 and 78 breaks to level, then used safety play and a clearance in the decider to win 4-3. He had also recovered from 1-3 down in the previous round. The ability to adjust is impressive, though the physical cost remains a concern.

Yuan Sijun's match was like walking a tightrope. Opponent Oliver Lines had just eliminated Zhao Xintong and was confident. Yuan made a 140 break in frame two and had a chance at 147 before missing the fourth tight red. Lines responded with 113, 87 and 50 breaks to lead 3-2. Yuan survived with a 61 break in frame six, then cleared 66 in the decider after Lines scored 55, winning 4-3.

The derby between Wu Yize and Xu Si followed a different pattern. Wu made a 139 century in the opening frame and a 111 century in frame three, leading 3-0. Xu fought back with 100 and 96 breaks, but Wu returned with an 87 break in frame six to win 4-2. Wu's 139, 111 and 87 breaks and Xu's 100 and 96 showed the quality on the table, but Wu's ability to stay calm after being reduced to 3-2 stood out.

Gong Chenzhi had a more straightforward win over Luo Zetao. Luo won the opening frame 83:34 with a 63 break, but Gong won four straight frames, including 89 and 56 breaks, for a 4-1 victory. Luo had just eliminated Neil Robertson, but the derby tested adaptation and understanding of an opponent's habits.

Pang Junxu first absorbed pressure before fighting back. Against Ross Muir, Muir won frame one 65:17, made a 78 break in frame three and pushed again in frame six as the match reached 3-3. Pang made a 138 century in frame four and an 80 break in frame five. In the decider, Muir scored 57 first, but Pang combined attack and defence to win 71:61.

The last-16 matchups are set: Ding Junhui vs Joe O'Connor, Wu Yize vs Liam Davies, Gong Chenzhi vs Ali Carter, Pang Junxu vs Shaun Murphy, Zhou Yuelong vs Yuan Sijun in a Chinese derby, Selby vs Kyren Wilson, Trump vs McGill, and Mark Williams vs Barry Hawkins. Prize money: £9,000 for the last 16, £13,200 for the quarter-finals, £100,000 for the champion, a £5,000 high-break prize, and total prize money of £550,400. The last 16 uses best of seven frames, the quarter-finals onward use best of 11, and the final is best of 17. Short matches require bursts of form, while long matches require consistency.

The message from this round of Chinese snooker is clear: more centuries do not guarantee a place, more comebacks do not remove risk, and more derbies do not automatically mean faster development. Six players reaching the last 16 shows progress, but Zhang's two-century defeat and Chang's one-shot loss in the decider show the old problem of high-scoring losses remains.

If another three Chinese players are eliminated in the last 16, China may have only two or three representatives in the quarter-finals. With strong tactical execution in domestic derbies and outside matches, Wu Yize, Ding Junhui, Zhou Yuelong and Yuan Sijun all have paths toward the semi-finals. The table does not recognize reputation; it only recognizes who reaches four frames first.

The table does not recognize headline statistics; it only recognizes who gets to four frames first. Six Chinese players remain in the last 16 and will continue pushing forward.

Six Chinese players have reached the last 16, and the tournament continues.