Defending champion Mark Williams and world primary Zhao Xintong are among the many gamers who’ve already crashed out of the 2026 Shenzhen Open.
Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins, and Ding Junhui have been additionally despatched packing because the held-over fixtures from the spherical of 64 befell throughout Monday and Tuesday.
Regardless that that is technically the inaugural Shenzhen Open, Williams was attributed reigning champion standing because the occasion was a direct substitute for the Xi’an Grand Prix, which the Welshman received a 12 months in the past.
However the 51 year-old bowed out on the first hurdle after shedding a dramatic deciding body to Fan Zhengyi.
Zhao and Higgins have been each pipped in 5-4 thrillers as effectively, the previous struggling an surprising reverse to Scott Donaldson and Higgins bowing out to David Grace by the identical slender margin.
For Zhao, it represents a second early loss in a row following his defeat to Oliver Strains on the English Open and continues a poor run of kind usually since he claimed the world primary spot for the primary time in his profession.
One other residence hero in Ding succumbed to a 5-4 loss as effectively with Ricky Walden heaping additional strain on the 15-time rating occasion winner, whose provisional Race to the UK Championship rating is approach outdoors the highest 16.
It was rather more simple in O’Sullivan’s case, although, with the Rocket’s temporary look ended by means of a 5-2 loss to Jiang Jun.
A number of heavy hitters are nonetheless in concerned and stay within the hunt for the £177,000 high prize, in the meantime.
World champion Wu Yize survived an epic encounter with Jamie Clarke, lastly rising with a 5-4 win over the Welshman.
There have been extra complete victories for Judd Trump, who thrashed Huang Jiahao 5-0, and Shaun Murphy – a 5-1 winner over Marco Fu.
Mark Selby, Neil Robertson, and Kyren Wilson have been different notable gamers to make it safely by means of to the final 32.
Arguably the efficiency of the opening exchanges got here from Chris Wakelin, who compiled three consecutive century breaks in a 5-3 success over rising star Liam Davies.
Barry Hawkins, Si Jiahui, and Michael Holt moreover reached the following stage.
With the held over fixtures full, the match can get below approach correctly for gamers who already negotiated the qualifiers again in July.
Current English Open champion Ali Carter, former world champion Stuart Bingham, and seven-time rating occasion winner Stephen Maguire are amongst those that might be reentering the fray.
The subsequent spherical commences throughout Tuesday’s third session of play.
Trump, who’s the favorite within the outright market following Zhao’s demise, has been given a bye by means of to the final 16 after the withdrawal of Anthony McGill.
2026 Shenzhen Open
Spherical of 32 (bo9)
Fan Zhengyi vs Yuan Sijun
Jiang Jun vs Zak Surety
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh vs Michael Holt
David Gilbert vs Kyren Wilson
Scott Donaldson vs Pang Junxu
Ben Mertens vs Jimmy Robertson
Stuart Bingham vs Chris Wakelin
Lei Peifan vs Neil Robertson
Judd Trump w/o Anthony McGill
Si Jiahui vs Gary Wilson
Jackson Web page vs Mark Selby
Stephen Maguire vs David Grace
Shaun Murphy vs Hossein Vafaei
Barry Hawkins vs Elliot Slessor
Ali Carter vs Ricky Walden
Xu Si vs Wu Yize
Featured photograph credit score: WST
