Latest news with #SaudiArabiaSnookerMasters
Metro
a day ago
- Sport
- Metro
How Chang Bingyu has exploded back from match-fixing ban to become snooker force
Chang Bingyu is enjoying a superb run at the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, ready to take on Ronnie O'Sullivan in the last 16, and it has been an eventful journey to this point. The 23-year-old has won five matches to book his clash with the Rocket, winning three deciders before ousting Dave Gilbert and then Mark Allen in the last 32. The Chinese star is ranked number 104 in the world but is clearly a better player than that, as these results suggest. Chang is languishing near the bottom of the rankings as he has only recently returned to the professional tour after two years away due to a match-fixing ban. The talented young cueist was one of the 10 players banned as part of the match-fixing scandal which emerged late in 2022, with punishments dished out in June '23. World champion Zhao Xintong was another, although he did not fix any matches and received the shortest ban of the 10 as a result. Chang is the first to return from a ban of any of the players found guilty of match-fixing and he is making the most of it as his eventful life in snooker continues. Chang was a wildly talented junior player, winning the 2018 IBSF World Snooker Championship at just 16 years old, having made a maximum in tournament play at just 14. He joined the professional tour in 2019 as a teenager, moving to Sheffield as a result, and he picked up some encouraging wins, but the global pandemic disrupted his progress as he returned to China and missed some events. A run to the 2020 UK Championship last 32 was probably the highlight of his early pro career, before he was suspended in December 2022 as part of the match-fixing scandal. Chang admitted to fixing a match against Jamie Jones at the 2022 British Open, losing 4-1, but did so as a result of pressure and influence from Liang Wenbo, who subsequently received a lifetime ban. The Disciplinary Commission's findings read that Chang 'accepted that he on 28th September 2022 had fixed a snooker match that he was playing in.' He gave evidence to the commission that he was called by Liang Wenbo on the morning of the match 'with a threatening tone' and told that Liang 'had placed a lot of money on his bet without my knowledge, for my match with Jamie Jones that evening.' Chang 'reluctantly agreed' but said he never received the money he was told he would be given for the fix. The independent tribunal's findings on Chang read: 'We have found that Chang fixed or contrived, or was a party to an effort to fix or contrive, the result or score of a snooker match on one occasion. 'We note that, at the time that his match fixing took place, Chang was aged 20. He was young and impressionable and under the influence of Liang, of whom he was scared. Chang has given evidence that he thought Liang would take action against him if he did not comply with Liang's demands. We accept that, in all probability, Chang would not have offended absent that element of threat. He was also suffering financial difficulties at the time, he has shown genuine remorse for his actions and he admitted his office at the earliest opportunity. There is no suggestion that Chang committed any betting offence.' Chang was given a three-year ban in June 2023 for fixing a match, reduced to two years following early admissions and his plea of guilty, which kept him out of snooker until December 2024 – backdated to his original suspension. Chang quickly won his place back on tour after being able to compete again, winning the Asia-Pacific Snooker Championship by beating Ryan Thomerson 6-1 in the final in April. Now 23 years old, Chang has made a fantastic return to the professional circuit, starting with back-to-back wins in June over Dan Wells and Kreishh Gurbaxani in the Wuhan Open and British Open qualifiers. He didn't progress through his Championship League group, but only suffered one loss, to Ricky Walden. A perilous draw awaited him at the Saudi Arabia Masters this month but he has been brilliant, winning a string of close games. The Chinese star downed Marco Fu, Scott Donaldson and Wells all by a 4-3 scoreline, before beating Dave Gilbert 5-3 to reach the last 32. Former UK and Masters champion Mark Allen awaited him there, but Chang beat the Pistol 5-4 to set up Wednesday's clash with the Rocket. Speaking to World Snooker Tour about his return to the game, Chang explained the huge amount of practice he was putting in with his coach Li Jianbing back in China, before a move back to Sheffield. 'I was based at Coach Li's academy and the schedule was very structured, I would practise from 9am to around 8:30pm every day,' he said. 'Everything was very disciplined, and he really helped me get into good form. I'm now based at Ding Junhui's academy in Sheffield and I still have long, focused practice sessions daily, around six to seven hours.' More Trending He added that two of the brightest young talents in the game, Si Jiahui and Wu Yize, have been his rivals through their young careers and he intends to reach their level as quickly as possible. 'Over the past two years, I have gained perspective,' he said. 'Now I approach matches with a much calmer mindset. My goal is to catch up with players like Wu Yize and Si Jiahui. We grew up playing each other together, and they've both made great strides so I'd like to follow their lead. 'We've been close since we were kids. Seeing them succeed definitely motivates me to push harder.' Controversies and difficulties behind him, Chang appears to be ready to make a huge impact at the top end of the game. MORE: Ronnie O'Sullivan heaps praise on rival: 'Like playing Hendry in his prime' MORE: Shaun Murphy: Triple Crown events head and shoulders above Saudi Arabia Masters MORE: Defending champion Judd Trump stunned in Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters opener
Metro
a day ago
- Sport
- Metro
Ronnie O'Sullivan heaps praise on rival: 'Like playing Hendry in his prime'
Ronnie O'Sullivan has been blown away by Kyren Wilson's level of play of late, comparing the world number two to Stephen Hendry in his pomp. Wilson has started the season in style by winning the Shanghai Masters, downing the Rocket in the quarter-finals. The Warrior went on to beat reigning world champion Zhao Xintong in the semis and then Ali Carter in a brilliant final. Wilson made breaks of 58, 72, 75, 111, 91, 83 and 109 in his 6-3 win over O'Sullivan in Shanghai and the Rocket was thoroughly impressed. 'I got completely hammered by Kyren,' O'Sullivan told TNT Sports at this week's Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. 'To see him play the way he's playing, he is the motivation for a lot of players at the moment to try and get to that level. 'He's so strong, so so strong. It was a bit like playing Hendry in his prime, a bit like playing John Higgins in his prime. 'He's got that similar sort of game, he plays the right shot committed. Very good safety player, great temperament, great bottle, scores very well… he's got the all-round game really. 'He's definitely the yardstick, not that I can compete with him as he's got 18 years on me, but he's definitely someone who can motivate you and you can learn from him and try and put it into your own game.' Both O'Sullivan and Wilson won their opening games in Jeddah on Tuesday, although they were very different contests. The Rocket demolished Joe O'Connor 5-0, while the Warrior needed to win the last three frames to edge past Ukrainian teenager Iulian Boiko 5-4. O'Sullivan now faces Chang Bingyu in the last 16 on Wednesday, while Wilson takes on Si Jiahui. The seven-time world champion is looking to improve on a very disappointing season last time round and does look good early in the campaign, playing with a new cue made for him by fellow professional Sunny Akani. The Rocket snapped his old cue in January as he became so frustrated with his game and joked that he could smash one of his new ones just to get his hands on more of Akani's 'unbelievable' creations. 'I felt I played ok,' O'Sullivan told WST after whitewashing O'Connor. 'It's alright playing well in one match but you've got to put it all together for a whole tournament. That's what I was used to doing, so that's what I would like to do again. 'I've got a good cue here. Sunny's made me this one, which is great. So I asked Sunny to make a couple more, because you think it might be a fluke if he makes a good one, but he has given me three or four which are all great. I'm like, I might smash this one just to get another one! 'Making cues is like being an engineer with wood – I wouldn't have a clue but Sunny is a very intelligent guy and makes unbelievable cues.' The 49-year-old cut a frustrated figure last season, struggling with his game and then skipping a number of events before returning for the World Championship, where he reached the semi-finals. He is beginning to enjoy his game again, which he feels is key, before he can really focus on trying to win tournaments again. 'For me, after having such poor playing form, it's more important to play well and have some good matches one after another,' he told WST. 'I'd be really happy with that. More Trending 'Once I get that bit then I start wanting to win tournaments and sacrificing not playing so great. I know you can't play well al the time but it would be nice to get into the flow of putting good matches together and then once you can do that you can think about winning ugly for a few matches to get some trophies.' Wednesday August 13 11am Oliver Lines vs Ali Carter Neil Robertson vs Mark Selby Elliot Slessor vs Stuart Bingham Shaun Murphy vs Mark Williams 5.30pm Kyren Wilson vs Si Jiahui Chang Bingyu vs Ronnie O'Sullivan Ding Junhui vs Barry Hawkins Chris Wakelin vs Zhao Xintong The draw opened up a touch for the likes of O'Sullivan and Wilson with a couple of notable upsets on Tuesday, most surprising being Judd Trump's defeat to Oliver Lines. The defending champion was beaten 5-3 in his opening contest in Jeddah, with Lines booking a last 16 clash with Ali Carter. John Higgins was downed by Elliot Slessor, while Mark Allen lost to Chang Bingyu as the Chinese talent secured a clash with the Rocket. MORE: Ronnie O'Sullivan opponent ready to channel hero Mark Selby in Saudi Arabia MORE: Ronnie O'Sullivan says three players are 'level above' at Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters MORE: Top 16 learn Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters opponents and hopefully bring crowds
Arab News
a day ago
- Sport
- Arab News
Trump exits Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters in Jeddah
JEDDAH: Defending champion Judd Trump was knocked out of the 2025 Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters on Tuesday night after a 5-3 defeat to Oliver Lines in the opening round in Jeddah. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The world No.1 won the first edition of the tournament last season in Riyadh, memorably beating Mark Williams 10-9 on the final black in an epic final. Commenting on the shock loss, Trump said: 'I'm disappointed to be eliminated from the tournament as the defending champion. Losing is part of the sport, but my opponent deserved to win, and I wish him the best in the rest of his tournament. I'll come back even more determined in the upcoming competitions, as experiences like these give me even more motivation to win back the title in the future.' In other matches on Day 5, world No.4 John Higgins also left the competition after a dramatic 4-5 defeat to Elliot Slessor, bringing his campaign to an early end. Mark Williams, ranked third in the world, booked his place in the last 16 early with a thrilling 5-3 victory over promising Chinese player Yuan Sijun. He was joined by English snooker legend Ronnie O'Sullivan, who defeated compatriot Joe O'Connor 5-0. Shaun Murphy eased to a 5-1 victory over Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in just 72 minutes with top breaks of 125, 66 and 118. Chinese world champion Zhao Xintong beat England's Steven Holworth 5-0 in an exceptional performance that confirmed his potential to compete strongly for the title.
Metro
2 days ago
- Sport
- Metro
Shaun Murphy: Triple Crown events head and shoulders above Saudi Arabia Masters
Shaun Murphy feels the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters is still some way behind the more traditional Triple Crown events in standing, saying: 'You can't buy legacy.' The tournament is in just its second year, being played in Jeddah this week after a move from the first edition in Riyadh last season. The event boasts an enormous prize fund which is only just shy of the World Championship and offers the same £500,000 winner's cheque as the Crucible. With a 10-year deal in place and the whopping prize pot, the Saudi Arabia Masters has been dubbed the 'fourth major' by World Snooker Tour, putting it alongside the World Championship, UK Championship and Masters. Many fans are not entirely impressed with a brand new event being lumped in with the three most prestigious tournaments on the calendar, but the substantial investment from Saudi Arabia has bought the 'fourth major' tag. However, despite the big money on offer, Murphy does not see the Saudi Arabia Masters as on a par with any of the Triple Crown events just yet, believing history and legacy cannot be matched just by cash. 'I've still got one foot in the history camp,' Murphy told Metro. 'I still think the history and the legacy of the existing three majors, the Triple Crown events, I think they're stand alone events. 'This event obviously rivals the World Championship in terms of prize money and it's a 10-year deal, so it's got the potential to become in great standing, but at the moment, for me, the other three would still be ahead of this one, despite the prize money.' He added: 'You can't buy legacy. The prize money here is massive and we're all enjoying competing and somebody is going to walk away with £500,000 this week, it's an amazing opportunity and we're all very grateful for it. 'But the legacy and how special the Triple Crown events are, you can't buy that. For me, those events are head and shoulders above everything else.' Murphy got his campaign in Jeddah off to a very good start on Tuesday with a 5-1 win over the in-form Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, who had made a 147 earlier in the tournament. In a packed session which featured eight top 16 players, the match was confined to table eight, which was not able to be watched in the UK, but the Magician didn't mind that his tricks were not on show. 'I couldn't care less what table I play on, I'm delighted just to play snooker, whether it's table one or table 10,' he said. 'When you look at the people in competition this afternoon with Judd, Mark [Selby], Neil [Robertson], Stuart Bingham, John Higgins, everybody's got to go somewhere! It doesn't matter what table you play on, you've got to get the ball in the pocket wherever it is.' Murphy's win over the Thai star has set up a clash with Mark Williams after the Welshman beat Yuan Sijun 5-3 in his opening contest. The three-time world champion was in the World Championship final last season at 50 years old, further cementing his legendary career, with Murphy rating him among the very best in the history of the sport. 'He's right up there, despite his very self-deprecating view on his career,' said the Magician. 'Whether he likes it or not he's an all-time legend and on his day he still beats anybody.' Williams and Murphy meet on Wednesday in the last 16 in Jeddah when Oliver Lines will take on Ali Carter after his huge upset win over Judd Trump. More Trending Neil Robertson and Mark Selby will meet in a blockbuster clash and Elliot Slessor faces Stuart Bingham. The remaining last 32 games are on Tuesday evening as Ronnie O'Sullivan plays Joe O'Connor, Zhao Xintong takes on Steven Hallworth, Kyren Wilson faces Iulian Boiko, Mark Allen meets Chang Bingyu. Si Jiahui and Wu Yize play an all-Chinese affair, Chris Wakelin faces Farakh Ajaib, Barry Hawkins faces Farakh Ajaib and Ding Junhui meets Stephen Maguire. Winner: £500,000 Runner-up: £200,000 Semi-final: £100,000 Quarter-final: £50,000 Last 16: £30,000 Last 32: £20,000 Last 48: £11,000 Last 80: £7,000 Last 112: £4,000 Last 144: £2,000 Ronnie O'Sullivan says three players are 'level above' at Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters MORE: Ronnie O'Sullivan opponent ready to channel hero Mark Selby in Saudi Arabia MORE: Top 16 learn Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters opponents and hopefully bring crowds MORE: Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters 2025 results, schedule, TV channel and prize money
The Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Ronnie O'Sullivan stunned by three snooker rivals who are ‘a level above everyone at the moment'
RONNIE O'SULLIVAN has revealed the three players he thinks are a "level above" the rest. The seven-time world champion plays in the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters today against Joe O'Connor. 3 The biggest names in the sport are all in Jeddah to battle it out for the £2million prize pot, with the winner pocketing a whopping £500,000. O'Sullivan has predicted where the cash will go ahead of the second ranking event of the year. The Rocket said: "Kyren Wilson is strongest at the moment, closely followed by Judd Trump and Zhao Xintong is the world champion. "Those three are a level above everyone at the moment. "There are seven or eight others behind them who are very good and experienced who can win this week. It's a very strong field." Last year's inaugural tournament at the Green Halls saw Trump beat Mark Williams 10-9 in a thriller. O'Sullivan loves the new event and believes snooker is growing in Saudi Arabia. He has even opened an academy in the capital Riyadh. O'Sullivan said: "It's an amazing event and I'm really excited to be here. The future is very strong here. This is big tournament. "We have the Riyadh Season event and the academy in Riyadh. Youngsters will learn the game and get better. Snooker fans baffled as star who's not won a match all year knocks in staggering 147 break "I will be interested to see in ten years how it looks because maybe we'll have one or two professional players from Saudi." Meanwhile, O'Sullivan's opponent this evening, O'Connor, is relishing the challenge. He said: "I am playing solid this season, though I feel there are plenty of gears to come. I have been taking chances and not missing easy balls. 'This could be the season where I do really well and lift my first trophy. I come to every tournament trying to win it." 3 3
