Champion of Champions snooker – Day 2: victory for Fan Zhengyi

On the first day of the Champion of Champions tournament, Mark Selby performed incredibly to advance into the final four, edging out John Higgins in a close-fought match. Today, another player would advance, but it could only be one of Neil Robertson, Fan Zhengyi, Kyren Wilson and Ryan Day. Here’s how things went down on day two.

The first match of the day pitted Robertson against Zhengyi, the former having triumphed in both the 2022 Masters and Players Championship, the latter the winner of the European Masters for the 2021-22 season. It was first time Zhengyi, who made a 30 break before a surprising miss. A battle ensued, and Zhengyi eventually did enough to secure the frame – but Robertson responded in fine form, producing a 122 to level the match. Both players struggled to get going in a third frame full of misses and strange shot choices, and it was Zhengyi who ultimately compiled enough points to win it. The fourth frame went the way of Robertson, who made it 2-2 and a best-of-three match for the win.

Zhengyi had an incredible fluke after missing a red by a long way, but he couldn’t convert it into a chance, and Robertson moved to within one of victory. Robertson sunk an excellent red, but then missed a green to left-centre, and Zhengyi punished him for it, making 94 to move things to a decider. And, after a session of struggling play, it was an excellent clearance to round things out – after Robertson missed a red, Zhengyi replied with 98 to knock the Australian out of the Champion of Champions.

The table was at the mercy of the Chinese player, who soon racked up the necessary points to win the match

Then, it was Wilson against Day – Wilson’s place was secured after a victory in the European Masters for the 2022-23 season, while Day had performed incredibly under the pressure of a resurgent Mark Allen to win the British Open. The first frame went to Day, after a 61 break and an error by Wilson, but the match was soon levelled after good shots by Wilson secured an awkward second frame. Day won the third frame, and after a battle in a tense forth, he secured that too, moving within one frame of victory.

Wilson needed to rally, and he did, making a 58 on a difficult table and forcing Day to concede after a missed red made things academic. Day had a chance in frame six, and he soon made 41 – after a snooker on the final red and the subsequent black, it was a second decider. Much like the first, there was little contest – once Day had a chance, he swiftly made an 86 break to eliminate Wilson

That set up a Zhengyi vs Day quarter-final. Zhengyi put the first frame on the board with a great 135 clearance, and Day responded with an 87 to level. Breaks of 33 and 46 were enough to put Day 2-1 in front, and it was 3-1 at the interval as Day produced 72. Zhengyi dominated the fifth frame with a superb 130, and then the attacking style went a little wrong for Day, giving Zhengyi a chance to level which he seized. The Chinese player scored 75 without reply in frame seven, but Day punished him after he missed a blue on a break of 57 – Day’s 72 levelled at 4-4.

Zhengyi responded, scoring 96 without reply to secure the ninth frame, before a Day clearance of 93 made it 5-5 – it would be the third deciding frame of the day. Zhengyi missed a red to the centre, but Day failed to pot a difficult red in response – the table was at the mercy of the Chinese player, who soon racked up the necessary points to win the match and advance in the Champion of Champions.