World Snooker Championship: China’s hopes rest with Si Jiahui after compatriots all crash out in first round
- Ding Junhui suffers third consecutive opening round defeat after losing 10-6 to qualifier Hossein Vafaei of Iran
- Si faces Shaun Murphy on Wednesday at the Crucible having come through qualifying stage
China’s dreams of snooker success at the World Championships rest on the shoulders of Si Jiahui, after his other four countrymen crashed out of the tournament in the first round.
Si faces Shaun Murphy at the Crucible on Wednesday having come through the qualifying stage to reach the main draw.
Of the Chinese contingent in Sheffield, only former world No 1 Ding Junhui gained a direct entry to the 32-player main draw by virtue of his ranking, but the most successful player from Asia so far could do little to escape a first round defeat.
Against qualifier Hossein Vafaei of Iran, who was making his second appearance at the Crucible after losing to Judd Trump last year, Ding enjoyed an overnight 5-4 lead in the best-of-19 frames encounter, but faded away in the second session on Monday.
The Iranian took only 43 minutes with runs of 117, 122, 68 and 57 to take the lead and went 8-5 up. Ding, the 16th seed, then pulled one back with a break of 77, but Vafaei bounced back with an 89 for 9-6.
Ding had two chances in frame 16 to save himself but could muster only 10 points, with Vafaei’s run of 45 ending the tie to win 10-6.