The ultimate spherical of qualifiers for the 2024 UK Championship, often known as Judgement Day, will happen on Wednesday and Thursday in Leicester.
A discipline of 128 gamers has been whittled right down to the ultimate 32 contenders for the 16 remaining spots in the primary draw of the season’s opening Triple Crown occasion.
The highest 16 from the world rankings have already been seeded by way of to the venue phases on the Barbican Centre in York, which start on Saturday.
The likes of defending UK champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, reigning world champion Kyren Wilson, and world primary Judd Trump are ready to see who they could draw within the opening spherical.
There are a number of heavy hitters concerned on Judgement Day, so let’s take a short take a look at the 16 ties within the ultimate spherical of the 2024 UK Championship qualifiers.
Wednesday, 1pm UTC
Jak Jones vs Fan Zhengyi
Because the world quantity 17, Jak Jones missed out on an computerized spot in York by only one place, however the World Championship finalist comfortably beat Ian Burns in his first qualifying tie.
The Welshman faces former European Masters champion Fan Zhengyi, the 23 year-old considered one of 9 gamers representing China on the final hurdle.
Elliot Slessor vs Stephen Maguire
Stephen Maguire scored his a hundredth profession century break within the UK Championship throughout his victory over Artemijs Zizins – rating behind solely Ronnie O’Sullivan and Stephen Hendry within the event’s all-time listing.
The Scot, who gained the UK title 20 years in the past, meets Elliot Slessor subsequent – an opponent he has solely performed as soon as earlier than on the primary tour.
Jimmy Robertson vs Stuart Bingham
The match between Jimmy Robertson and Stuart Bingham represents the one all-English conflict of Judgement Day.
The latter wants a UK title to finish the profession Triple Crown and has crushed Robertson in 4 out of their prior 5 matches in all competitions.
Jackson Web page vs Hossein Vafaei
It has been a quiet interval on the World Snooker Tour for Hossein Vafaei, who went all the best way to the semi-finals of the UK Championship in 2023.
Jackson Web page reached the ultimate of the season-opening Championship League Snooker and has a chance right here to proceed his progress up the rankings.
Wednesday, 7pm UTC
Jack Lisowski vs Bai Yulu
All eyes can be firmly on Wednesday night’s tussle between Jack Lisowski and reigning girls’s world champion Bai Yulu.
The latter has produced a terrific hat-trick of triumphs to achieve this level, together with a 6-5 defeat of Scott Donaldson on Tuesday night time.
Few count on the 21 year-old from China to beat somebody of Lisowski’s calibre, but when she may spring a monumental upset and safe qualification, it could be a watershed second for the ladies’s sport.
Ryan Day vs Sanderson Lam
Ryan Day appeared to be in bother when he trailed Louis Heathcote 3-0 earlier this week however responded by successful the next six frames to advance.
Within the ultimate spherical of the 2024 UK Championship qualifiers draw, Day meets Sanderson Lam who was a 6-5 winner in opposition to Yuan Sijun.
David Lilley vs Wu Yize
The match between David Lilley and Wu Yize is considered one of seven England-versus-China battles on Judgement Day.
Wu, buoyed by his run to the English Open ultimate, isn’t far off a provisional end-of-season rating contained in the world’s high 20.
Wang Yuchen vs Barry Hawkins
Initially from China however now representing Hong Kong, Wang Yuchen is a win away from matching his greatest ever run in a rating occasion.
The skilled Barry Hawkins is without doubt one of the more durable challenges he may have acquired, the Hawk having safely progressed from the penultimate spherical with a 6-1 thrashing of Alfie Burden.
Thursday, 1pm UTC
Lei Peifan vs Ben Woollaston
Lei Peifan and Ben Woollaston arrange a gathering in opposition to each other after recording 6-5 victories over two former UK Championship semi-finalists.
Lei heaped additional distress on Tom Ford’s depressing season whereas Woollaston edged veteran Joe Perry in a deciding body as effectively.
Zhou Yuelong vs Matthew Selt
Zhou Yuelong could really feel somewhat left behind contemplating the current success of his countrymen on the primary tour.
The 26 year-old, who beat 2008 runner-up Marco Fu within the final spherical, has been absent from the enterprise finish of occasions this time period and faces a tough ultimate take a look at in Matthew Selt.
Ricky Walden vs Zhao Xintong
If all eyes are on Bai Yulu on Wednesday, Thursday’s Judgement Day motion will probably revolve round Zhao Xintong.
The 2021 UK champion, invited as a top-up by the WPBSA this yr by way of his performances on the novice Q Tour, has blown away his three opponents within the 2024 UK Championship qualifiers draw.
Zhao has appeared like a decided drive since coming back from his ban, and at this level it could nearly be a shock if Ricky Walden had been to disclaim him a ticket again to the Barbican Centre.
Julien Leclercq vs David Gilbert
It had been a horrible marketing campaign for Julien Leclercq, however a first-round bye set him on his approach and the previous Shoot Out runner-up beat Dominic Dale to achieve the final spherical.
David Gilbert can be one other powerful prospect, this yr’s World Championship semi-finalist having simply scraped previous Xing Zihao in a deciding body.
Thursday, 7pm UTC
Robert Milkins vs Xu Si
Robert Milkins has suffered a dip in type and his end-of-season rating is provisionally all the best way down at quantity 43.
However the former Welsh Open winner beat Ross Muir to arrange a contest with Xu Si, who he has by no means performed earlier than on the World Snooker Tour.
Stan Moody vs He Guoqiang
It’s turning into a formidable marketing campaign for teenager Stan Moody, who continues to document sturdy outcomes amid beating Pang Junxu on Tuesday.
One other younger Chinese language participant stands in Moody’s approach of a last-32 berth, final season’s Rookie of the Yr He Guoqiang having pipped Anthony McGill in a 6-5 thriller.
Liu Hongyu vs Michael Holt
When Michael Holt suffered a shock relegation from the primary tour in 2022, he will need to have thought that his profession within the big-time was at an finish.
However right here the 46 year-old is standing only one win away from a return to York, with Liu Hongyu hoping to crush the previous Shoot Out king’s ambitions.
Matthew Stevens vs Neil Robertson
With six appearances in finals and 4 UK titles between them, it doesn’t get a lot greater than a Judgement Day showdown between Neil Robertson and Matthew Stevens.
Robertson struggled to beat Oliver Strains within the third spherical whereas Stevens comfortably held Martin O’Donnell at arm’s size, with the pair set to face each other for the primary time since 2016.
2024 UK Championship qualifiers
Spherical 4 – Judgement Day (bo11)
Wednesday, 1pm UTC
Jak Jones vs Fan Zhengyi
Elliot Slessor vs Stephen Maguire
Jimmy Robertson vs Stuart Bingham
Jackson Web page vs Hossein Vafaei
Wednesday, 7pm UTC
Jack Lisowski vs Bai Yulu
Ryan Day vs Sanderson Lam
David Lilley vs Wu Yize
Wang Yuchen vs Barry Hawkins
Thursday, 1pm UTC
Lei Peifan vs Ben Woollaston
Zhou Yuelong vs Matthew Selt
Ricky Walden vs Zhao Xintong
Julien Leclercq vs David Gilbert
Thursday, 7pm UTC
Robert Milkins vs Xu Si
Stan Moody vs He Guoqiang
Liu Hongyu vs Michael Holt
Matthew Stevens vs Neil Robertson
Click on right here for up-to-date outcomes
(snooker.org)
Methods to watch the UK Championship qualifiers
Watch worldwide on WST’s Fb or YouTube channels (outdoors China). You can even watch reside on discovery+ all through Europe together with the UK and Eire.
Featured picture credit score: WST
