The 2024 Wuhan Open has 4 contenders left vying glory with the semi-finals on Friday’s schedule on the China Optics Valley Conference & Exhibition Centre.
Three of the 4 semi-finalists come from host nation China, marking solely the second time within the sport’s historical past that scenario has transpired in a rating occasion.
The trio of dwelling hopefuls will probably be up in opposition to it, although, as the opposite participant left preventing for the title is the sport’s world primary.
Let’s check out each semi-final matches within the 2024 Wuhan Open.
Judd Trump vs Si Jiahui
In a repeat of the German Masters remaining from the beginning of this yr, Judd Trump encounters Si Jiahui in a mouthwatering affair.
Trump was nowhere close to his greatest throughout his quarter-final outing on Thursday however managed to outlast Chris Wakelin by the narrowest of 5-4 margins.
Si, in the meantime, beat Zhang Anda for the primary time in his profession to seal a second semi-final spot of the 2024/25 snooker season to this point.
The 22 year-old is shortly establishing himself as one of many high gamers, with consistency now starting to match the prodigious expertise he already possesses.
Overcoming Trump at this stage of a match would signify one other stepping stone in direction of reaching the best echelons of the sport.
Whereas the defending Wuhan Open champion will not be producing his highest normal this week, Trump’s potential to get the job performed time and time once more is kind of exceptional.
The 35 year-old has added a metal to his arsenal over the previous few years that accompanies an already fierce attacking recreation when in prime type.
Trump, manner out in entrance because the world primary following his victory in Saudi Arabia this time period, has been a relentless winner of tournaments over the past 12-month interval.
Certainly, if he have been to win the 2024 Wuhan Open, it will signify his eighth piece of silverware for the reason that first week of October in 2023.
Si has misplaced all six of his prior conferences in opposition to Trump, and one suspects that he may need to provide you with one thing particular to interrupt that depressing streak right here.
Lengthy Zehuang vs Xiao Guodong
Terrific shows this week from each Lengthy Zehuang and Xiao Guodong have opened up the likelihood for one among them to seize a rating title for the primary time.
Lengthy, who’s from Wuhan, continued his high quality progress in his dwelling occasion with a 5-1 defeat of Jack Lisowski within the quarter-finals.
The latter had promised a lot with a flurry of break-building demonstrations to win his earlier ties, however as soon as once more one other match for the Englishman ends in disappointment.
For 27 year-old Lengthy, who solely turned skilled for the primary time in 2023, the £30,000 semi-final cheque has rocketed him up the provisional end-of-season rankings and nicely inside the highest 64.
Xiao’s run within the match has been arguably much more spectacular contemplating the opposition he has needed to eliminate.
The 35 year-old, twice a rating occasion runner-up, adopted up his tense 5-4 victory over world champion Kyren Wilson with resounding triumphs in opposition to Barry Hawkins and Shaun Murphy.
In opposition to the latter, Xiao started the last-eight bout with breaks of 139, 113, 125, and 75 earlier than ultimately finishing a powerful 5-1 win.
That form of type, coupled together with his higher expertise at this stage of a contest total in comparison with Lengthy, should put Xiao because the favorite to succeed in Saturday’s remaining.
The 2 Chinese language opponents have by no means confronted one another in knowledgeable match, so it’ll be new territory for each on that entrance.
2024 Wuhan Open schedule
Semi-finals (bo11)
7am UTC+1
Lengthy Zehuang vs Xiao Guodong
12:30pm UTC+1
Judd Trump vs Si Jiahui
Click on right here to view the complete 2024 Wuhan Open draw
(snooker.org)
Featured photograph credit score: WST