Lan Yuhao produced arguably the performance of the World Snooker Championship qualifiers so far to reach round two on Wednesday in Sheffield.
The 17 year-old, competing in his rookie season as a professional player, produced a devastating display of heavy scoring to beat Chatchapong Nasa 10-5 at the English Institute of Sport.
The opening round of four in the preliminary competition features the lowest-ranked competitors on the main tour plus top-up amateurs.
In theory, the level is supposed to be at its weakest, but Lan showed off precisely why he is regarded as one of the hottest young emerging talents from China.
A lightning-fast first session ended in just a couple of hours with Lan contributing breaks of 132, 114, 83, 81, 79, 57, 56, and 51 to orchestrate a commanding 8-1 lead.
To Nasa’s credit, the Thai player responded strongly in the second session and won four frames out of five with breaks of 118 and 94 to make the scoreline respectable.
But Lan got his winning opportunity in the 15th frame and almost even constructed a maximum 147 break, only to break down on the last red.
Lan qualified for the main tour through his performances on the CBSA China Tour, and he represents the second-youngest player on the circuit behind only Michal Szubarczyk.
Next up for the teenager is Fan Zhengyi, and it’ll be interesting to see if he can sustain that kind of level against a more experienced opponent.
Another young Chinese player similarly impressed as the second round got under way on day three in Sheffield.
Wang Xinbo was invited by the WPBSA to participate in this year’s World Championship through his run to the final of the WSF Junior Championship.
The promising 18 year-old amateur consigned Mitchell Mann to tour relegation in the first round, and round three beckons after he built up a 7-2 overnight lead against Iulian Boiko.
Wang lost two out of the opening three frames, but his confidence grew after the opening session’s interval – compiling a 143 total clearance and two more tons to pull away from the Ukrainian.
Polish 15 year-old Szubarczyk, meanwhile, was back in action again and continued to impress as he established a 5-3 cushion over Sanderson Lam.
Szubarczyk became the youngest-ever winner of a World Championship match when he beat Ng On Yee in the first round on Monday.
There isn’t much pressure on his shoulders as he tries to add valuable experience to his locker, which is hardly what can be said for Lam.
The Leeds potter knows that defeat to Szubarczyk would send him back to Q School.
Veteran Mark Davis is also struggling in his tour survival efforts, the former world number 12 currently 6-3 down to 21 year-old Gao Yang.
Elsewhere in round two, Michael Holt leads Bai Yulu 7-2, Peter Lines is 6-3 up on Scott Donaldson, and Yao Pengcheng has a three-frame advantage against David Lilley.
These games, among others, will conclude on Thursday with the likes of Ricky Walden, Robert Milkins, and Jamie Jones entering the fray.
More information on the draw, including the schedule and results, is available by clicking here.
Wednesday’s Results (R1)
Ashley Hugill 10–4 David Grace
Zhao Hanyang 10–3 Mahmoud El Hareedy
Liam Highfield 10–4 Oliver Brown
Mark Lloyd 10–3 Liu Wenwei
Lan Yuhao 10–5 Chatchapong Nasa
Jamie Clarke 10–5 Haydon Pinhey
Fergal Quinn 10–4 Hatem Yassen
Umut Dikme 10–7 Farakh Ajaib
Latest Scores (R2)
Iulian Boiko 2–7 Wang Xinbo
Scott Donaldson 3–6 Peter Lines
Sanderson Lam 3–5 Michal Szubarczyk
Mark Davis 3–6 Gao Yang
David Lilley 3–6 Yao Pengcheng
Duane Jones 4–3 Leone Crowley
Michael Holt 7–2 Bai Yulu
Gong Chenzhi 4–4 Robbie McGuigan
Featured photo credit: WST
This information is absolutely essential for a new fan like myself. During the beginning of the year I always wondered in the back of my mind how and when players fall off the tour and how players find their way either back on the tour or complete newbies.
It is kinda funny, because the hormone induced 20 something men would much rather show/watch Bai Yulu be manhandled by Michael Holt at 10-4 than watch three other Chinese crush their counterparts.
Yao Pengcheng, Xinbo Wang and Gao Yang with Mark Davis coming closest winning six frames.
Actuall, I rate Wang Xinbo higher than Lan Yuhao, but only just. Both are ranked around 150 in the world, in my estimation, but improving rapidly. Wang has won several CBSA events this season, making him a proven winner. Lan Yuhao qualified for the tour by doing well on the CBSA tour last year, but was a distant 2nd behind Yao Pengcheng. But Lan has a full season of professional snooker behind him, living in the UK, so has more international experience. It’s Wang Xinbo’s first tournament in the UK.
Both played in the CBSA Pro-Am a couple of weeks ago. Wang made the semi-final whilst Lan lost in the last-16 to eventual winner Jiang Jun.