There is a mix of proven winners and wannabe champions as the 2025 Xi’an Grand Prix reaches the quarter-finals in China.
Five of the remaining contenders understand what it takes to step onto the winner’s podium, with three pretenders hoping to get their hands on silverware for the first time.
Let’s take a look at the four upcoming games on Saturday.
Shaun Murphy vs Ding Junhui
Shaun Murphy is riding a wave of top form at the moment that culminated in his outstanding performance against Kyren Wilson in the last 16 on Friday.
The Magician thrashed the reigning champion 5-0 amid a dazzling display in which he scored 533 unanswered points – just 23 shy of the record.
Murphy, who won the British Open at the end of September, will next face home favourite Ding Junhui with a spot in the semi-finals on the line.
Ding has been scoring strongly this week as well but hasn’t yet been tested by anyone from inside the world’s top 50.
Murphy has a superior head-to-head record against the 15-time ranking event winner and won their last meeting on Chinese soil at the World Open in February.
When is it? Saturday, 12:30pm UTC+1 (BST)
Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Gary Wilson
Ronnie O’Sullivan has coasted through the early rounds of the competition to safely reach the quarter-finals of the Xi’an Grand Prix for the second year in succession.
The Rocket has looked in good form and in a good mood too as he bids to add to his ranking haul for the first time since early 2024.
Next up for O’Sullivan is Gary Wilson, who reached the final of the last Chinese ranking event on the calendar when he was narrowly pipped to glory at the Wuhan Open by Xiao Guodong.
Wilson has only beaten once before and he’ll have to be at his very best if he’s to improve on that strike rate here.
When is it? Saturday, 12:30pm UTC+1 (BST)
Lyu Haotian vs Mark Williams
A steady start to the 2025/26 season has seen Mark Williams reach the quarter-finals or better in four out of the five ranking events he’s participated in.
The Welshman, who contested the World Championship final in May, fought his way back from behind to edge Barry Hawkins in a deciding frame on Friday.
In the last eight, Williams encounters Lyu Haotian after the Chinese potter ousted former world champion Stuart Bingham.
It marks a first quarter-final appearance for Lyu in two years – a timely run considering he has been hovering just inside the world’s top 64 in the rankings, the cut-off point for tour survival.
Williams has a positive 4-1 record against Lyu, but the pair have only once crossed paths in a match over nine frames and that was 12 years ago at the China Open.
When is it? Saturday, 7am UTC+1 (BST)
Liam Pullen vs Daniel Wells
Daniel Wells is one win away from matching his semi-final run in Xi’an from a year ago, the Welshman beating Robert Milkins in the last 16.
Next up for the 37 year-old is Liam Pullen, who has reached this stage of a ranking event for the first time in his career.
The latter beat John Higgins in the first round – a qualifying fixture held in Leicester last month – and has certainly taken advantage of his opportunity to go further in a tournament.
There has been a lot of talk about Stan Moody of late, but fellow young Englishman Pullen rose up through the amateur ranks at the same time and is held in similar regard.
Wells will be hoping his experience can get the job done, but could a new 20 year-old star be primed to make a breakthrough?
When is it? Saturday, 7am UTC+1 (BST)
2025 Xi’an Grand Prix
Round of 32 (bo9)
Kyren Wilson 5-2 Yuan Sijun
Shaun Murphy 5-4 Wu Yize
Elliot Slessor 4-5 Oliver Lines
Louis Heathcote 3-5 Ding Junhui
Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-0 Stephen Maguire
David Lilley 3-5 Jak Jones
Gary Wilson 5-4 Mateusz Baranowski
He Guoqiang 5-4 Neil Robertson
Matthew Stevens 4-5 Lyu Haotian
Stan Moody 0-5 Stuart Bingham
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 2-5 Barry Hawkins
Zhou Yuelong 2-5 Mark Williams
Liam Pullen 5-0 Noppon Saengkham
Mark Davis 1-5 Aaron Hill
Daniel Wells 5-3 Si Jiahui
Jimmy Robertson 4-5 Robert Milkins
Round of 16 (bo9)
Kyren Wilson 0-5 Shaun Murphy
Oliver Lines 1-5 Ding Junhui
Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-2 Jak Jones
Gary Wilson 5-0 He Guoqiang
Lyu Haotian 5-3 Stuart Bingham
Barry Hawkins 4-5 Mark Williams
Liam Pullen 5-1 Aaron Hill
Daniel Wells 5-2 Robert Milkins
Quarter-Finals (bo9)
Shaun Murphy vs Ding Junhui
Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Gary Wilson
Lyu Haotian vs Mark Williams
Liam Pullen vs Daniel Wells
Click here for the updated draw and results (snooker.org)
Featured photo credit: WST
