Live now! Snooker Hong Kong Masters schedule: Xiao Guodong opens the tournament, Ding Junhui faces Hawkins

On February 3rd Beijing time, the Snooker Hong Kong Masters begins today. The updated schedule features 6 key matches, each a highlight, determining 6 qualifiers for the round of 16. The Chinese team fields six players on the first day, including Xiao Guodong who will face the prominent post-90s player Kyren Wilson in the opening match. The games are set to start promptly after 1 PM. The event is underway and eagerly anticipated!

This tournament is a ranking event held in Hong Kong, open only to the world’s top 32 players. The winner’s prize is a generous £180,000, attracting many elite competitors. The Chinese team is having a breakout performance this time, with 10 players qualifying to compete and aiming for the title. The first day features 6 matches with 6 Chinese players participating, but the opponents are very strong, making advancement quite challenging!

The opening match features Xiao Guodong against Kyren Wilson, who is ranked second in the world and recently won one of the three major tournaments, the Masters, in excellent form. Xiao Guodong faces a tough challenge in his first match, making progression difficult. However, Xiao has steadily improved over the past two years and plays consistently, being the best performer on the Chinese team with the ability to compete against anyone. Therefore, if Xiao plays exceptionally well, an upset is possible. The match will start promptly at 1 PM. Simultaneously, Zhou Yuelong will face Maguire, which is a favorable draw for Zhou since Maguire is not among the top 75 or the elite five from the 80s. However, Maguire is a strong player with multiple ranking titles and is known for performing well against Chinese players. This season, Zhou Yuelong must withstand his opponent’s pressure and seize the opportunity to advance!

At 7 PM, four matches will begin. Ding Junhui will face the four-time semifinalist Hawkins, a very tough challenge as Ding has recently struggled against top-tier opponents. Zhang Anda will play against the evergreen Mark Williams, a highly skilled opponent, making an upset difficult for Zhang. Wu Yize faces McGill, a decent opponent, and if Wu performs well, advancing to the last 16 should be achievable. Chang Bingyu will challenge Lisowski, who recently claimed his first ranking title this season and is a formidable adversary, so Chang’s victory will be hard-earned!

Written by/Titan Sports Fiction