Fan Zhengyi compiled the 2024/25 campaign’s second 147 break with a superb effort at the English Open on Friday.
The former European Masters champion trailed his round-of-96 opponent Liam Pullen 2-0 but responded with contributions of 68, 92, and 69.
Fan saved his best for last, though, as he completed the turnaround and a 4-2 triumph with a magnificent maximum in the last frame.
It’s the 23 year-old’s first professional 147 break, and it marks the second of the season following Noppon Saengkham’s perfect knock in Saudi Arabia.
With the win, Fan Zhengyi joins the main stages of the English Open and will face Ryan Day in the last 64 on Monday in Brentwood.
Elsewhere, it was another busy day of action as the preliminary phase of the first Home Nations event of the season continued.
Among the others to qualify for the last 64 – where they will join the top 32 seeds – were Wu Yize, Oliver Lines, and Aaron Hill.
Liu Hongyu, Ben Woollaston, Ian Burns, and Zak Surety also safely advanced to the next round of the ranking competition.
Earlier on day two, the likes of Jimmy White and Marco Fu made it through as the opening round reached its climax at the Brentwood Centre.
White beat Joshua Cooper 4-2 to set up a clash with fellow veteran Joe Perry, while Fu outplayed rookie Haris Tahir and will next face David Grace.
The round-of-96 concludes on Saturday with the main stages of the 2024 English Open to commence on Monday.
Friday’s English Open Results
(Round of 128)
Jimmy White 4-2 Joshua Cooper
Xing Zihao 4-2 Paul Deaville
Oliver Sykes 4-1 Julien Leclercq
Louis Heathcote 4-3 Iulian Boiko
Hammad Miah 4-0 Huang Jiahao
Mostafa Dorgham 4-1 Allan Taylor
Joshua Thomand 4-3 Liam Graham
Cheung Ka Wai 4-2 Stan Moody
Alexander Ursenbacher 4-2 Mohammed Shehab
Mitchell Mann 4-2 Robbie McGuigan
Marco Fu 4-1 Haris Tahir
(Round of 96)
Liu Hongyu 4-1 Ashley Carty
Fan Zhengyi 4-2 Liam Pullen
Oliver Lines 4-1 Scott Donaldson
Wu Yize 4-1 Chris Totten
Ian Burns 4-2 Martin O’Donnell
Zak Surety 4-1 Elliot Slessor
Ben Woollaston 4-2 Dylan Emery
Aaron Hill 4-2 Lei Peifan
Saturday’s English Open schedule
(Round of 96)
9am UTC+1
Robbie Williams vs Artemijs Zizins
Tian Pengfei vs Jiang Jun
Jordan Brown vs Andrew Pagett
Matthew Stevens vs Dean Young
11:30am UTC+1
Graeme Dott vs Ishpreet Singh Chadha
He Guoqaing vs Wang Yuchen
Sanderson Lam vs Long Zehuang
Joe Perry vs Jimmy White
2pm UTC+1
Daniel Wells vs Andrew Higginson
Mark Davis vs Xing Zihao
Jackson Page vs Mostafa Dorgham
4:30pm UTC+1
Anthony Hamilton vs Louis Heathcote
Jamie Clarke vs Hammad Miah
Jamie Jones vs Joshua Thomand
Xu Si vs Cheung Ka Wai
7pm UTC +1
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh vs Oliver Sykes
David Lilley vs Ross Muir
Jimmy Robertson vs Alexander Ursenbacher
David Grace vs Marco Fu
Featured photo credit: WST
Yes, I was lucky to see Fan’s 147 live. About 10 people were watching Table 2, plus another 10 who could see from Table 1 seats, including Wu Yize’s father who was watching his boy get 8 reds and blacks at exactly the same time! I’m sure the crowd numbers will get better today and next week, but at £12 for the whole day it wasn’t a great turnout. The Brentwood Centre is an out-of-town sports complex. It’s about 25 minutes walk from the station, and the last bus leaves at 7pm. There is a small cafe at the venue, serving sandwiches and hot sausage rolls. It’s a typical UK event – i.e. not very accessible.
But there were some great matches, and many talented young players on view.
The crowds have been strong for the main event since it moved there. Qualifying is rarely well attended despite the excellent value it provides.
Fan’s 147 is the 204th made in professional competition.