David Gilbert continued his effective begin to the 2026/27 snooker season with a 6-2 victory over Wu Yize within the China Open on Wednesday.
The Englishman produced a robust show to comfortably see off the world champion, having additionally thrashed dwelling favorite Ding Junhui 6-1 earlier within the event.
Gilbert, who reached the ultimate of Championship League Snooker initially of the marketing campaign, has compiled 4 century breaks and appears like a real challenger for the title in Taiyuan.
He by no means regarded troubled in opposition to Wu, compiling breaks of 132, 122, 80, 56, and 54 in motoring by means of to the quarter-finals.
“I really feel good,” Gilbert instructed the World Snooker Tour. “I’d wish to say it’s simply one other recreation, nevertheless it isn’t.”
“I beat a legend of China in Ding and the world champion who’s going to be an entire legend of the sport.
“That’s good to have on my CV, so I hope I can construct on this. I’m simply attempting to get pleasure from enjoying once more, it’s been some time.
“If I attempt to benefit from the recreation and assume clearly, I can play alright.
“I’ve had some huge runs in China – I’ve been to a few finals. However I really feel like I’m enjoying correct snooker now.
“My security wants a bit of labor, however I feel that’s extra the circumstances of the desk. They’re a bit of bit heavy at instances, so that you’ve received to adapt.
“Other than that, the event is implausible, the prize cash is unimaginable, and the way we’ve been handled on the resort is superb.”
Though Gilbert reached the Championship League Snooker ultimate final month the place he narrowly misplaced to Jak Jones, the season-opening occasion was performed solely behind closed doorways.
Amazingly, it has been greater than two years for the reason that 45 year-old has reached the semi-final of a extra conventional rating occasion in entrance of followers.
“I’d like to make the weekend,” mentioned Gilbert, whose final semi-final look at an enormous event was on the 2024 World Championship.
“It might be nice to play at one other one-table once more, because it’s been a very long time. I gained’t get forward of myself, I’ll simply stay up for the following recreation.”
Subsequent up for the Indignant Farmer will probably be Zhou Yuelong, who has equally been in terrific scoring kind and compiled 4 century breaks in a 6-4 defeat of Liu Hongyu.
Elsewhere, Noppon Saengkham prompted one other big upset by dispatching of crowd favorite Ronnie O’Sullivan.
The Thai added a 6-4 defeat of the Rocket to his rising record of conquests in China, having already overwhelmed world primary Judd Trump within the first spherical.
Within the quarter-finals, Saengkham will face Shaun Murphy after the Magician ousted Xiao Guodong with a 6-2 scoreline.
The remaining matches from the spherical of 16 will probably be performed on Thursday, in the meantime.
Neil Robertson is in motion in opposition to Si Jiahui, and the Australian will certainly now remember that his probabilities of regaining the world primary place have significantly improved.
With Trump, Wu, and Zhao Xintong every out of the occasion already, Robertson can assure his return to the highest spot later this month if he wins this week’s profitable occasion.
The opposite last-16 video games see three-time China Open champion Mark Selby face Kyren Wilson, Stuart Bingham encounter Hossein Vafaei, and Chris Wakelin play Zhang Anda.
Featured picture credit score: WST
