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World Snooker Championship qualifying: 12 Chinese players still in Crucible race
- Zhang Anda and Cao Yupeng set to lead the Chinese charge in the final round of qualifying for the Crucible tournament
- They could be joined by several compatriots on Monday, but Hong Kong’s hopes are over
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The battle to qualify for the Cazoo World Snooker Championship reached the midway point of its third round of four with 12 Chinese players still in the hunt.
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Already into the final round was Zhang Anda, after he followed his victory over much-hyped 16-year-old Stan Moody by eliminating compatriot Xiao Guodong 10-5. Also there is Cao Yupeng, who beat Ben Woollaston 10-6 at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
The all-China tie between Tian Pengfei and Wu Yize guaranteed one more mainland Chinese would reach the last hurdle on Tuesday and Wednesday, despite 10 of the country’s best prospects being absent to face a hearing on match-fixing charges.
Hong Kong’s interest is over, after Ng On-yee and Andy Lee Chun-wai followed Marco Fu Ka-chun in exiting. Three-time women’s world champion Ng at least left her mark during her 10-8 loss to Michael Holt: her break of 115 was the highest ever by a woman in this tournament.
Monday sees Pang Junxu taking on 1997 world champion Ken Doherty, who at 53 is eyeing a first appearance in the event proper since 2014.
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