The 2024 Champion of Champions remaining will probably be contested between Mark Williams and Xiao Guodong on the Toughsheet Neighborhood Stadium in Bolton on Sunday.
The duo will make maiden appearances within the remaining of the invitational match after beating a few two-time former champions within the final 4.
On Friday, Xiao continued his outstanding run of improved type this season by outplaying reigning champion Mark Allen with a 6-3 scoreline.
Williams emerged from his fixture within the penultimate spherical on Saturday courtesy of a 6-2 defeat of Neil Robertson.
The Welshman will bid for his first piece of silverware of the 2024/25 snooker season having beforehand come so shut on the inaugural Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters in Riyadh.
Williams, who turns 50 in a number of months, was inside a few balls of touchdown that record-equalling £500,000 high prize however ultimately missed out on glory in a dramatic deciding body towards Judd Trump.
Xiao, in the meantime, already boasts a trophy from this time period following his profession breakthrough success ultimately month’s Wuhan Open.
That victory, coupled with one other high-quality show to succeed in the semi-finals of the latest Worldwide Championship, has seen the 35 year-old turn out to be a top-16 member for the primary time.
The increase in confidence that the Chinese language competitor has acquired on the again of these optimistic outcomes has been apparent.
He fought his manner again from 3-0 down in each of his opening affairs of this week’s competitors the place he beat all-time greats Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Selby.
In reaching the Champion of Champions remaining, Xiao has offered himself with the chance to turn out to be the primary participant from China to win the celebrated occasion.
Williams may have his eyes on the £150,000 jackpot as properly, nevertheless, as the previous world primary makes an attempt so as to add to the Tour Championship title that he received earlier in 2024.
There are not any rating factors on provide right here, however the Champion of Champions has turn out to be one of many extra sought-after trophies with the elite area that’s at all times assembled.
Williams has received most different notable titles within the historical past of the sport and a Champion of Champions crown could be a becoming addition to the legend’s assortment.
Xiao and Williams have clashed 5 instances on the principle tour in all competitions, however their matches have normally been brief battles.
Certainly, solely two matches have taken place over the best-of-seven frames, with their remaining three battles even shorter than that.
Williams beat Xiao on the WST Professional Sequence en path to victory in that rating match and boasts a superior 4-1 head-to-head document general.
Their most up-to-date conflict was ultimately 12 months’s English Open when Williams edged a high-scoring showdown in a deciding body.
That match occurred within the spherical of 64, so the situation and the ambiance will probably be markedly totally different for this bout.
Xiao has been a totally remodeled power this time period, and given the gamers he has already crushed this week, he ought to maintain little worry of the duty at hand.
Both manner, it guarantees to be an exhilarating conclusion.
The Champion of Champions remaining takes place on Sunday over the best-of-19 frames, with periods starting at 1pm and 7pm UTC.
2024 Champion of Champions draw
Group 1
Mark Allen 4-2 Igor Figueiredo
Gary Wilson 2-4 Jak Jones
Group 1 Ultimate
Mark Allen 6-4 Jak Jones
Group 2
Judd Trump 4-0 Ding Junhui
Ali Carter 3-4 Neil Robertson
Group 2 Ultimate
Judd Trump 4-6 Neil Robertson
Group 3
Kyren Wilson 4-1 Luca Brecel
Mark Williams 4-1 Bai Yulu
Group 3 Ultimate
Kyren Wilson 5-6 Mark Williams
Group 4
Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-4 Xiao Guodong
Mark Selby 4-2 Shaun Murphy
Group 4 Ultimate
Xiao Guodong 6-5 Mark Selby
Semi-Finals (bo11)
Mark Allen 3-6 Xiao Guodong
Mark Williams 6-2 Neil Robertson
Ultimate (bo19)
Sunday at 1pm and 7pm UTC
Xiao Guodong vs Mark Williams
Click on right here to view the complete up to date draw
(snooker.org)
Featured picture credit score: WST
