November 20th 2024.
Bai Yulu, a rising star in the world of snooker, is making history in the UK Championship qualifying rounds. In a thrilling match against Scott Donaldson, Bai showed her determination and skill by becoming the first woman to win three consecutive matches in a ranking event.
Despite being behind 5-3, Bai never gave up and made an impressive comeback with breaks of 54, 51, and 66, securing a 6-5 victory late on Tuesday night. The match had initially started in the morning session, but it was temporarily halted to avoid clashing with other matches in the afternoon. After an eight-hour break, Bai and Donaldson returned to the table, and Bai emerged victorious, winning all three frames.
The 21-year-old had already defeated Farakh Ajaib and Jamie Jones, a former quarter-finalist at the Crucible, before facing off against Donaldson, a former Championship League winner. With this win, Bai is just one match away from securing a spot in the main stages of the UK Championship. However, her next opponent is no easy feat, as she will face Jack Lisowski on Wednesday.
Reflecting on her victory over Donaldson, Bai admitted feeling nervous but was thrilled to have performed well. She also mentioned that she doesn't want to put too much pressure on herself for the next match and is proud of what she has achieved so far.
In her professional career, Bai has already made a name for herself by winning the Women's World Championship in March and earning a two-year tour card for the World Snooker Tour. Although her start in the professional circuit was slow, she has shown great form in this event, with her win over Ajaib being her first victory on the main stage.
Up next for Bai is Jack Lisowski, a six-time ranking event finalist and former world number 10. This match will surely be a tough test for Bai before she can secure her spot at the Barbican.
Another player who is just one win away from reaching the main stages of the UK Championship is former champion Zhao Xintong. This is his first professional event since returning from a ban for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal. Despite this, the 27-year-old has been in impressive form, winning two titles on the Q Tour, the amateur circuit below the professional ranks.
His success on the Q Tour earned him a wildcard entry into UK Championship qualifying, and he has already defeated three tough opponents in Sunny Akani, Jiang Jun, and Noppon Sanegkham. Zhao's final hurdle before the Barbican is against Ricky Walden in a match scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
The Judgement Days in Leicester, taking place on Wednesday and Thursday, will be filled with exciting matches, including Bai's match against Lisowski on the first evening session and Zhao's match against Walden on the second afternoon session.
Other notable matches to look out for include Elliot Slessor versus Stephen Maguire, Jimmy Robertson versus Stuart Bingham, and Matthew Stevens versus Neil Robertson. Fans can expect intense and thrilling performances from these players as they battle it out for a spot in the main stages of the UK Championship.
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