There are eight players left in the 2023 Six Red World Championship draw with the quarter-finals scheduled for later on Thursday in Pathum Thani.
The lucrative invitational event is back on the calendar for the first time since 2019, and there is an interesting mix of competitors still in contention.
Let’s take a quick look at the four upcoming matches in the Six Red World Championship quarter-finals draw.
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh vs Zhang Anda
Zhang Anda denied the home crowd in Thailand what would have been a dream tie between their two most famous snooker exports.
The Chinese cueist edged local legend James Wattana 6-4 in the first knockout round earlier on Thursday.
But Thailand’s other major star is still in the fray, with former champion Thepchaiya Un-Nooh having got past countryman Dechawat Poomjaeng.
The shortened six reds format is suited to Un-Nooh’s natural flowing style, underlined by an excellent record in the competition.
The 37 year-old and former world number 15 emerged as the champion in 2015 and reached the final again two years later.
Zhang has been a somewhat surprise package so far this week and hasn’t lost a single game, having also come through his round-robin with a 100% winning record.
Judd Trump vs Hossein Vafaei
A heavyweight clash between a couple of the sport’s most exciting players to watch when in good form, Judd Trump entertains Hossein Vafaei.
In the last round Trump, who clinched glory in the Masters at the start of the year, overcame Mark Williams in a repeat of that Alexandra Palace final.
Vafaei, meanwhile, ensured that there would be only one representative from Thailand in the last eight by ousting Noppon Saengkham.
Trump boasts a 7-3 superior head-to-head record over the Iranian, and two of those victories have transpired using this very format.
John Higgins vs Tom Ford
Tom Ford won only one match in his group but still managed to squeeze through to the knockout rounds at the expense of Zhou Yuelong and Jimmy White on frame difference.
The Englishman has taken advantage so far and reached the Six Red World Championship quarter-finals with a 6-3 defeat of Shoot Out king Chris Wakelin.
John Higgins represents the next target to overcome after the Scot comfortably beat Joe Perry in the last 16.
Higgins – a runner-up in this tournament four years ago – is seeking back-to-back titles following his recent success in the Championship League.
Stuart Bingham vs Ding Junhui
A repeat of the 2016 Six Red World Championship final is what’s in store for the fourth and final quarter-final bout.
Stuart Bingham and Ding Junhui will battle it out for a place in the semi-finals after respective triumphs over Ricky Walden and Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Like Un-Nooh, Ding has strong pedigree in the six reds and came just short of a repeat victory in 2018 when he was denied in the final by Kyren Wilson.
It has been a while since Bingham or Ding have attained any silverware, and with around £100,000 on the line for the champion they will be taking it very seriously indeed.
Live coverage is available on Eurosport, discovery+, and Matchroom Live.
Featured photo credit: WST
