December 18th 2024.
Zhang Anda had his sights set on a massive prize of $1 million at the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship. However, his ambitious bid was hindered by an unexpected turn of events on the opening day of the tournament.
As Zhang stepped up to the table, ready to make a historic break and potentially win the golden ball worth 20 points, the lights suddenly went out. It was a bizarre scene, leaving everyone in the audience and the players themselves in shock.
The tournament in Saudi Arabia had a unique rule where players could only pot the golden ball after making a 147 break, making a 167 break a possibility. This added immense pressure and excitement to the game, with all competitors determined to be the first to achieve it and claim the $1 million bonus.
Despite the power outage, Zhang remained focused and was on track to reach 167 in the first frame of his match against Saudi wildcard Ahmed Aseeri. However, the light problem persisted, going on and off multiple times while Zhang continued to pot reds and blacks.
After a lengthy delay, the issue was finally resolved and Zhang returned to the table with hopes of completing the money-spinning break. Unfortunately, he fell short at 97, leaving everyone wondering if he would have made it to 167 if not for the interruption.
In the third frame, Zhang had another chance at a 167 bid, but missed on 64. Although he eventually won the match 4-0, he couldn't help but feel disappointed that he missed two opportunities to achieve the historic break. He bravely admitted his disappointment in a post-match interview, but also acknowledged that he had chances and gave it his all.
Despite the challenges, the dream of winning the golden ball and the $1 million prize remains alive for the remaining 10 players in the tournament. Zhang himself will have another chance to make the 167 break when he faces Luca Brecel on Wednesday evening.
In the meantime, fellow Chinese player Ding Junhui also advanced to the second round, beating a Saudi wildcard in the afternoon session. He will face Shaun Murphy in the next round. On Thursday, snooker legends Ronnie O'Sullivan, Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson, Mark Selby, Mark Allen, and Mark Williams will join the action in the quarter-finals. The competition is heating up, and the stakes are higher than ever as players chase their dreams of winning the golden ball and making history.
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