Facebook
Britain's News Portal
Around The Clock
BREAKING
Loading latest headlines…

O'Sullivan, Zhao, and Williams exit Shenzhen Open on opening day

Seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan, world number one Zhao Xintong, and defending champion Mark Williams were all knocked out of the Shenzhen Open on its opening day.

  • Ronnie O'Sullivan lost 5-2 to Jiang Jun, ranked 64th in the world.
  • World number one Zhao Xintong was defeated by Scott Donaldson in a final-frame decider.
  • Defending champion Mark Williams lost 5-4 to Fan Zhengyi.

Snooker fans witnessed a dramatic opening day at the Shenzhen Open as several top contenders, including seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan, world number one Zhao Xintong, and defending champion Mark Williams, were eliminated.

England's O'Sullivan, a formidable force in the sport, fell 5-2 to China's Jiang Jun, who is ranked 64th globally. Jiang secured his victory with a superb break of 108 in the final frame, setting up a third-round clash with Zak Surety.

Meanwhile, Scotland's Scott Donaldson, ranked 65 places below Zhao, stunned the 2025 world champion Zhao Xintong in a final-frame decider. Donaldson, who came from 3-2 down, will now face China's Pang Junxu in round three. Defending champion Mark Williams of Wales also exited, losing 5-4 to China's Fan Zhengyi after a foul on the final pink.

In other matches, England's Judd Trump advanced to the last 16 with a 5-0 win over Huang Jiahao, as his scheduled third-round opponent Anthony McGill withdrew on medical grounds. Neil Robertson, Chris Wakelin, Si Jiahui, and Ben Mertens also progressed, while Mark Allen withdrew for personal reasons.

Why this matters: The early exits of high-profile players like Ronnie O'Sullivan, Zhao Xintong, and Mark Williams create an open field for the Shenzhen Open, potentially paving the way for unexpected contenders.

Related Articles

Get the news that matters.

Join thousands of readers getting the best of British news straight to their inbox.