Snooker German Masters: Quarterfinals Set, China Records 1 Win and 3 Losses, Xiao Guodong Shocks Higgins 5-3!

On January 30th Beijing time, the Round of 16 in the Snooker German Masters wrapped up. Four Chinese competitors attempted to reach the quarterfinals but ended with a poor 1-3 result. Among them, Xiao Guodong surprisingly defeated the World Champion Higgins 5-3, whereas Si Jiahui, Zhang Anda, and Xu Si all suffered heavy defeats and exited the tournament embarrassingly!

Xiao Guodong versus Higgins. Xiao has made significant progress over the past two years and has become one of the more consistent players in the Chinese squad, maintaining a very steady mindset. In this match for a quarterfinal spot against one of the “Class of ’75” trio, Higgins, a tough and experienced opponent, Xiao started aggressively and took the lead with a break of 64. In the second frame, despite Higgins leading by a large margin and seeming to have the frame, Xiao fought back with a 56 break to complete a dramatic turnaround and lead 2-0. In the third frame, Xiao lost a good chance as Higgins steadily accumulated points, reversing the score 63-50. The fourth frame saw Higgins improve his accuracy, producing a 64 break to even the match at 2-2. The next frames were evenly matched, with both players scoring breaks over 50, leveling again at 3-3. The crucial seventh frame saw Xiao take control with a 78 break, securing a 4-3 lead and match point. In the eighth frame, although Higgins led by a large margin without overtaking the score, Xiao remained calm and composed under pressure, delivering a break above 50 to complete the upset and win 5-3, advancing to the semifinals!

Zhang Anda against Kyren Wilson. Facing the world’s second-ranked and strongest young player Kyren Wilson, Zhang started aggressively with two breaks over 50, grabbing a dream 2-0 lead. However, he soon collapsed, showing poor offense and defense. Wilson then dominated with four breaks over 50, winning five frames straight to overturn the match 5-2 and eliminate Zhang!

The other two Chinese players faced very strong opponents. Si Jiahui was passive throughout and lacked fighting spirit, quickly losing 2-5 to world number one Judd Trump. Xu Si showed no resistance at all, failing to win a single frame and suffering a crushing 0-5 defeat to Carter. With that, the quarterfinal lineup is finalized: China’s sole representative Xiao Guodong, Trump, Robertson, Murphy, Carter, Bingham, and Jimmy Robertson. Looking forward to the semifinals — let’s stay tuned and cheer on!

Written by / Sports Novel