2024 Snooker Northern Ireland Open- Zhou Yuelong was reversed, Tian Pengfei advanced to the top 16

On October 22, during the third day of competition at the 2024 Snooker Northern Ireland Open, Chinese player Zhou Yuelong faced a tough defeat against his rival Shaun Murphy, marking his exit in the second round. Veteran player Tian Pengfei continued his impressive form by defeating Robert Milkins 4-1, securing his spot as the first Chinese player to advance to the round of 16.

The day kicked off with the last few matches in the 64-to-32 round. Two young Chinese players, Ma Hailong and Wu Yize, took the stage, resulting in one victory and one defeat. Ma Hailong stunned the audience by eliminating higher-ranked player Ali Carter with a score of 4-1, showcasing impressive breaks of 72, 73, and 59. However, Wu Yize, who has been in spectacular form this season, could not maintain his momentum and lost 1-4 to Oliver Lines, who ranks 83rd in the world, ending his run in the first round.

Overall, seven Chinese players have advanced to the round of 32 in this tournament.

As the competition progressed to the 32-to-16 round, Tian Pengfei and Zhou Yuelong returned to the table. After a strong performance that saw him eliminate rising star Si Jiahui in the previous round, Tian Pengfei continued to shine. Despite dropping one frame early, he rallied back to win four consecutive frames against Robert Milkins, making him the first Chinese player to reach the round of 16.

Facing off against renowned player Shaun Murphy, Zhou Yuelong started strongly, taking a 2-0 lead. However, the match took a turn when Murphy delivered a break of over 100, turning the tables to win four consecutive frames and ultimately eliminate Zhou with a 4-2 victory.

Looking ahead to the fourth day of the tournament, the remaining matches in the 32-to-16 round will feature five Chinese players. Pang Junxu will take on Belgium’s sixth-ranked Luka Brecel, while Lei Peifan faces 17th-ranked Tom Ford. Long Zehuang, who entered this round due to Ronnie O’Sullivan’s withdrawal, will go up against 35th-ranked Elliott Slessor. The surprising Ma Hailong will face off against 22nd-ranked Chris Wakelin, and Hong Kong’s Wang Yuchen will compete against Australia’s 16th-ranked Neil Robertson.