Zhou Yuelong Beats Yuan Sijun 4-2 to Reach English Open Snooker Quarterfinals

In the English Open snooker round of 16 held on September 10, China's Zhou Yuelong faced fellow countryman Yuan Sijun in a fierce contest. In this match, world No. 34 Yuan Sijun met world No. 18 Zhou Yuelong, with both players reaching the last 16 through strong performances and demonstrating excellent competitiveness.

Yuan Sijun had previously defeated Tom and Oliver in succession, while Zhou Yuelong also responded strongly by overcoming Moody and Wakelin. Their previous meetings had been evenly contested, with each player winning one of their last two encounters, meaning the outcome of this match would depend heavily on their performances on the day. Since both players were familiar with each other's styles and approaches, there were few secrets between them. The ability to handle key shots better would directly determine the result.

In the opening frame, Yuan Sijun took the lead with a 62-6 win. However, Zhou Yuelong quickly adjusted his form and levelled the match with an 87-34 victory in the second frame, showing his strength. Although Yuan Sijun moved ahead again with a 93-14 win in the third frame, Zhou Yuelong performed strongly in the following frames, especially in the fourth, where he responded with a dominant 141-0 victory to fully demonstrate his technical ability.

In the final two frames, Yuan Sijun suffered consecutive defeats, losing 36-72 and 8-68 respectively. In the end, Zhou Yuelong eliminated Yuan Sijun with a 4-2 scoreline and advanced to the English Open quarterfinals, becoming the first player to reach the last eight. In the upcoming quarterfinal, he will face the winner between Gong Chenzhi and Carter, with Zhou Yuelong aiming to maintain his form and achieve a better result.