November 20th 2024.
The battle for a spot in the York UK Championship is nearing its end, with only one win separating former champion Zhao Xintong from securing his place. After two intense Judgement Days in Leicester, the top 16 players in the world have already secured their spots at the prestigious Barbican event. As they prepare for the first Triple Crown event of the season, the rest of the tour is fighting tooth and nail in the qualifiers for a chance to join them in York.
The final round of qualifying promises some exciting stories, with women's world champion Bai Yulu making headlines with her impressive three victories so far. At just 21 years old, she has already made history and one more win would certainly turn heads in the wider sporting world. Another player to watch out for is Zhao Xintong, who is making his return to the professional circuit after serving a 20-month ban as part of snooker's match-fixing scandal. Although he did not fix any games himself, he was aware of corruption and bet on matches, leading to his ban. But he seems to be in top form upon his return, making his way through the qualifiers with ease.
In the final round of qualifying, Bai Yulu will face off against Jack Lisowski, while other top players such as Elliot Slessor, Stephen Maguire, and Stuart Bingham will also be battling it out for their spot in York. The Judgement Days schedule is packed with exciting matches, and fans can catch all the action on Discovery+ and World Snooker Tour's Facebook and YouTube channels.
The draw for the main event will be made on Thursday afternoon, between the last two sessions of qualifying. Fans and players alike will be eagerly waiting to see who they will face in the first round of the UK Championship.
The top 16 players in York include big names like Ronnie O'Sullivan, Shaun Murphy, Ding Junhui, and Mark Selby. But there is one big surprise this year - Neil Robertson, currently ranked number two in the world, has to qualify after dropping out of the top 16. It will be interesting to see how he fares in the qualifiers and if he can make it to the main event.
The prize money for the UK Championship is also quite impressive, with the winner taking home a whopping £250,000. The runner-up will receive £100,000, while the semi-finalists will get £50,000 each. Even those who are eliminated in the earlier rounds will walk away with a decent amount, making the stakes even higher.
The qualifying rounds have already seen some intense matches, with players giving it their all for a chance to play in York. Some notable results include Louis Heathcote reaching the quarter-finals of the Northern Ireland Open, and Zhao Xintong earning his place in the qualifiers through the Q Tour. With such high competition, the final rounds of qualifying promise to be exciting and unpredictable.
As the UK Championship draws near, all eyes will be on the qualifiers to see who will make it to the main event. With so many top players fighting for a spot in York, it's sure to be an eventful and thrilling tournament.
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