On November 7th, Beijing time, the fifth day of the Snooker International Championship saw the top 8 players from the previous day's matches compete in the quarter-finals, which were played in a best-of-11 format.
In one of the most anticipated matches, Chinese player Xiao Guodong advanced to the semi-finals with a decisive 6-4 victory, securing his place among the top four contenders.
The International Championship is a major ranking event held in China, second only in prestige to the World Championship and the UK Championship within the WST (World Snooker Tour). The tournament carries significant weight, with a champion's prize of £175,000, a runner-up prize of £75,000, and a total prize pool of £825,000. Additionally, there is a £5,000 bonus for the highest single break. Players can convert their winnings into points that contribute to their world rankings, making this event highly valued by professional players. It has attracted many top players, including the "Three Musketeers" of '75 and the "Five Tigers" of '80, with none of the top 16 ranked players absent. This underscores the high stakes and fierce competition at the event.
Following the conclusion of this year's International Championship, the entry lists and seedings for the upcoming Champion of Champions and UK Championship will be determined. Currently, 15 players have been confirmed for the Champion of Champions, with the International Championship set to decide the final spot. Two Chinese players have already qualified: Bai Yulu, the women's world champion, and Xiao Guodong, who recently won the Wuhan Open. Ding Junhui, known as China's number one player, has yet to secure a championship title and would need to win the International Championship to directly qualify, which presents a considerable challenge. The UK Championship rules allow the top 16 ranked players to automatically advance to the main event's round of 32, while others must compete through qualifying rounds. Therefore, players ranked lower in the top 16 must guard against being overtaken and potentially missing out, necessitating strong performances in ranking events like this one.
A total of 29 Chinese players, led by Ding Junhui and reigning champion Zhang Anda, participated in the competition. After the qualifying rounds, 14 advanced to the main event. As of the end of the last eight matches on the previous day, only three players—Ding Junhui, Xiao Guodong, and young Xu Si—had progressed. Unfortunately, defending champion Zhang Anda was eliminated in the round of 32. Among the top 16 ranked players, legendary player Ronnie O'Sullivan lost to Chinese player Pang Junxu and also exited in the round of 32, while Judd Trump was stopped in the round of 16. As of the previous day, notable players such as Kyren Wilson, Higgins, and Gary Wilson had advanced, along with Chris Wakelin, who has been in excellent form recently, and Jackson Page, the dark horse of the tournament.
In the last eight matches on the previous day, Ding Junhui defeated Jiang Jun 6-3 in a derby match, while Xiao Guodong also achieved a 6-3 victory over Jack Lisowski with three breaks over 70 and one century break. Notably, young Xu Si displayed remarkable form with four breaks over 50 and a century break, upsetting favorite Judd Trump with a 6-4 victory. Both Kyren Wilson and Gary Wilson advanced with 6-2 victories, while Higgins had a tough battle with Lyu Haotian, ultimately winning in the deciding frame after an 11-frame duel. Chris Wakelin and Jackson Page both won their matches 6-4.
Here are the details of the quarter-final match between Xiao Guodong and Jackson Page:
Xiao Guodong, a successful Chinese player born in the 80s, turned professional in 2007. After 17 years of competition, he experienced a breakout performance at this season's Wuhan Open, winning his first ranking event title. Prior to this, he had already achieved two runner-up finishes. Currently ranked 18th in the world, Xiao's temporary ranking has risen to 16th following his progress to the quarter-finals of the International Championship, setting a new career-high. He is in scintillating form. Page, on the other hand, is a promising young Welsh player who emerged as the dark horse of the International Championship, impressively eliminating established players like David Gilbert and Ali Carter en route to the quarter-finals. He recently finished as runner-up in the Championship League and is ranked 42nd in the world, demonstrating considerable potential.
First Frame: Xiao Guodong started with a long-range shot, scoring continuously with a break of 60 before transitioning to defense without a clear continuation. He then capitalized again to win the frame 72-0.
Second Frame: The two players traded shots in a fragmented and tense game, with numerous exchanges of attack and defense. Xiao Guodong made a crucial mistake, allowing Page to seize the opportunity and eventually win the frame 79-32.
Third Frame: Xiao Guodong took the lead first with a break of 60 but missed a key red ball. Page capitalized on his solid defense, gaining multiple chances and scoring 50 points to reverse the frame 74-64.
Fourth Frame: Page made a mistake on a long-range shot, leaving an opening for Xiao Guodong, who seized the chance to complete a clearance with a break of 135, leveling the score at 2-2.
Fifth Frame: Page struggled with his touch, only managing 22 points before interrupting his play. Xiao Guodong seized the opportunity to make a century break of 110.
Sixth Frame: Xiao Guodong capitalized on Page's mistake, scoring 50 points in a single stroke to win the frame 81-40.
Seventh Frame: The two players took turns scoring in a scattered and tense game, with Xiao Guodong finally potting a key colored ball to win the frame 68-41, securing the match point with a 5-2 lead.
Eighth Frame: Page capitalized on his opponent's mistake to save the match point with a break of 86 and a frame-winning shot.
Ninth Frame: Xiao Guodong made a long-range red ball shot for 50 points but interrupted his play. He then made a defensive error, allowing Page to take over and clear the table with a break of 82 to reverse the frame.
Tenth Frame: The two engaged in a prolonged safety battle, with Page eventually making a mistake, leaving an opening. Xiao Guodong seized the chance, unleashing a barrage of shots with a break of 73 to win the match 6-4, eliminating the dark horse Page and securing his place in the semi-finals. Congratulations to Xiao Guodong!