Si Jiahui reached the second round of a World Snooker Championship for the second successive year after pipping Mark Williams in a decider on Tuesday.
The rising star from China, still only 21, compiled a timely break of 77 in the last frame to deny the three-time former world champion in 10-9 thriller.
Si, who also prevailed in the qualifiers by the same margin against Ben Mertens before thrashing Wu Yize on Judgement Day, was a surprise semi-finalist last year.
The former WSF Open champion beat Shaun Murphy and Anthony McGill on that run 12 months ago, with a memorable debut ultimately ended by eventual champion Luca Brecel.
Overcoming recent Tour Championship winner Williams this year provides further indications that Si is not only a star of the future but could also be challenging for majors honours on a more regular basis in the present.
“Because I’m not familiar with this table, my cue ball control wasn’t particularly good,” Si Jiahui, this season’s German Masters runner-up, told the World Snooker Tour (translated from Chinese).
“But I was gradually adjusting back. I’m happy, I resisted the pressure, that’s why I feel so happy.”
“His accuracy is particularly scary – the most accurate man in the world – so I was thinking it was going to be a comeback.
“I didn’t feel sorry for myself, because my opponent was really playing well. So I didn’t put too much pressure on myself in the decider.
“I did [learn a lot from Williams]. He’s an offensive player, and overall he seems to be a bit more offensive than I am.
“I’m not going to be more offensive. I wish I had better defence, that’s why I don’t play so recklessly now.
“I’m in a much better frame of mind than I was before.
“I really didn’t have any pressure last year, but this year there’s a little bit of pressure. I can’t play particularly bad.
“Then people will think, as a last-four player how did you play like this? I might have that concern. So it will be different now than it was last year.”
Si’s encounter with Welshman Jones, who thumped Zhang Anda in round one, will take place on Friday and Saturday in Sheffield.
The pair remain outsiders to win this year’s World Snooker Championship in the outright betting market.
Si and Jones feature in the same half of the draw as pre-tournament favourites Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump, who have odds of about 6/4 and 3/1 respectively.
By contrast, Si has odds of 16/1 to go all the way to glory this year while Jones is priced at about 66/1.
For more odds including game betting at the 2024 World Snooker Championship, Fanduel’s Sportsbook has a range of options to bet on.
2024 World Snooker Championship Draw
Round 1 (bo19)
Luca Brecel (1) 9-10 David Gilbert
Robert Milkins (16) 10-9 Pang Junxu
Ali Carter (9) 7-10 Stephen Maguire
Shaun Murphy (8) 10-5 Lyu Haotian
Mark Selby (5) 6-10 Joe O’Connor
Kyren Wilson (12) 10-1 Dominic Dale
John Higgins (13) 10-6 Jamie Jones
Mark Allen (4) 10-6 Robbie Williams
Judd Trump (3) 10-5 Hossein Vafaei
Tom Ford (14) 10-6 Ricky Walden
Zhang Anda (11) 4-10 Jak Jones
Mark Williams (6) 9-10 Si Jiahui
Ding Junhui (7) 9-10 Jack Lisowski
Gary Wilson (10) 5-10 Stuart Bingham
Barry Hawkins (15) 8-10 Ryan Day
Ronnie O’Sullivan (2) 10-1 Jackson Page
Round 2 (bo25)
David Gilbert 13-4 Robert Milkins (16)
Stephen Maguire 13-9 Shaun Murphy (8)
Joe O’Connor 6-13 Kyren Wilson (12)
John Higgins (13) 13-12 Mark Allen (4)
Judd Trump (3) 13-7 Tom Ford (14)
Jak Jones 13-9 Si Jiahui
Jack Lisowski 11-13 Stuart Bingham
Ryan Day 7-13 Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
Quarter-Finals (bo25)
David Gilbert 13-8 Stephen Maguire
Kyren Wilson (12) 13-8 John Higgins (13)
Judd Trump (3) 9-13 Jak Jones
Stuart Bingham 13-10 Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
Semi-Finals (bo33)
David Gilbert 11-17 Kyren Wilson (12)
Jak Jones 17-12 Stuart Bingham
Final (bo35)
Kyren Wilson (12) 18-14 Jak Jones
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Featured photo credit: WST
I do think it’s a poor look for an event called a World Championship to have Si as the only non British player in the last 16.
Yes, I was think that too. It’s pretty bad. Still feels like the sport is going sideways in terms of making it global.
It certainly has been in regards to the spread of nationalities on the tour. They seem to be making progress again with staging tournaments globally but all bets are off as to where this game will be in five years time.