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Chinese Tour Zhangjiagang Pro-Am

Postby lhpirnie

This event runs from 25-29 December 2019, with 68 Chinese players in the draw. It will be the final CBSA level 2 event of the 2019-20 season. Entrants included current professionals: Xiao Guodong, Yuan Sijun, Luo Honghao, Fan Zhengyi, Chen Feilong, Chang Bingyu, Lei Peifan and Bai Langning, plus former professionals: Zhang Yong, Jin Long, Li Yan, Fang Xiongman, Ju Reti and Rouzi Maimaiti.

In a tough section of the draw Xiao Guodong lost to Zhao Jianbo, who then lost to Fan Zhengyi. However Zhao's first round victory confirmed him as top of the Chinese ranking list for 2019-20, which means he will become a professional in June 2020. The second place also carries a Tour Card, but Pang Junxu lost in the first round to Wang Zepeng, leaving his place not yet confirmed.

The draw for the last-16 is:

Fan Zhengyi-Liu Hongyu
Ma Chunmao-Chang Bingyu
Yuan Sijun-Yao Pengcheng
Peng Yisong-Qiu Yalong
Chen Feilong-Jiang Jun
Deng Haohui-Geng Mingqi
Zhang Yong-Li Chengjie
Li Yan-Wang Zepeng

Half of these players are teenagers, including the remarkable Jiang Jun who won the World U18 in 2019, aged just 13.

These matches are played on 28th December at 9:30am and 1pm, with two live streams on:
http://www.cbsa.org.cn/gnnews/2019/1224/304842.html

The Q-finals will be also be played on 28th, at 7:30pm. The semi-finals and final are played on 29th, at 10am and 3pm respectively. (Chinese time is 8 hours ahead of British time)

Re: Chinese Tour Zhangjiagang Pro-Am

Postby lhpirnie

Which LI?!

Li Yan beat Wang Zepeng, but the 15-year old debutant fro Shenzhen, Li Chengjie, lost to Zhang Yong.

So currently Zhang Yong playing Li Yan on live stream 2. Yuan Sijun is playing Peng Yisong on the main table.

Re: Chinese Tour Zhangjiagang Pro-Am

Postby lhpirnie

Today's results:
Fan Zhengyi 2:4 Liu Hongyu
Ma Chunmao 4:3 Chang Bingyu
Yuan Sijun 4:2 Yao Pengcheng
Peng Yisong 4:1 Qiu Yalong
Chen Feilong 4:2 Jiang Jun
Deng Haohui 1:4 Geng Mingqi
Zhang Yong 4:0 Li Chengjie
Li Yan 4:3 Wang Zepeng

Then in the Q-finals:
Liu Hongyu 3:4 Ma Chunmao
Yuan Sijun 3:4 Peng Yisong
Chen Feilong 4:2 Geng Mingqi
Zhang Yong 4:0 Li Yan

It was a day of upsets. The only current professional left now is Chen Feilong - the other 3 lost. Zhang Yong won both his matches 4:0, and victory tomorrow might help him get back on the tour in 2021.

The semi-finals and final will be played tomorrow at 10am and 3pm respectively, local time.

Re: Chinese Tour Zhangjiagang Pro-Am

Postby lhpirnie

The results this week guarantee that Zhao Jianbo (aged 16) and Pang Junxu (aged 19) will finish top of the Chinese rankings, meaning they will become professionals in June 2020.

Pang was invited to play in the World Championship in 2019, and beat Stuart Carrington, before losing to Kurt Maflin. He's a good practical fighting player.

Zhao has won a string of junior and amateur tournaments. He looks like Yan Bingtao, but his main strength is potting, and has great cue-power. He's a bit like a young Shaun Murphy. Of course everything depends on how he adapts when he comes to England.

Re: Chinese Tour Zhangjiagang Pro-Am

Postby lhpirnie

The tournament has now been completed. The semi-final results:
Ma Chunmao 4:3 Peng Yisong
Zhang Yong 4:3 Chen Feilong

The final was played a couple of hours later, and Zhang Yong won 5-2. He was a professional 2015-19, with a successful Q School campaign in 2017. He reached a couple of Q-finals in 'ranking' tournaments. This result could help him to try and regain his place on the pro tour in 2021, although he has entered the WSF amateur championship in Malta, and could qualify via one of the Q Schools in 2020.

The high-break was Chen Feilong's 141, and Chang Bingyu got the most centuries in the tournament, with 4.

Re: Chinese Tour Zhangjiagang Pro-Am

Postby lhpirnie

Badsnookerplayer wrote:LHP - which players get on tour through this?

(My name's Lewis btw!)

Each year the top two players on the Chinese domestic rankings get a 2-year tour card. In June 2019 they were Chang Bingyu and Bai Langning. Mei Xiwen qualified that way in 2016. Mostly they struggle on the pro tour, but I have high hopes for Chang.

There are 4 pro-am events each year which count, and the rankings are calculated over 2 years, similar to the World Rankings. There are usually two live streams on the CBSA website, where you often get to see kids aged 14 or 15 knocking in century breaks!

The tournament that has just finished is the last one in 2019-20, so the top two players will get their tour card in June, for the 2020-21 season. They are Zhao Jianbo and Pang Junxu.

Re: Chinese Tour Zhangjiagang Pro-Am

Postby Badsnookerplayer

lhpirnie wrote:
Badsnookerplayer wrote:LHP - which players get on tour through this?

(My name's Lewis btw!)

Each year the top two players on the Chinese domestic rankings get a 2-year tour card. In June 2019 they were Chang Bingyu and Bai Langning. Mei Xiwen qualified that way in 2016. Mostly they struggle on the pro tour, but I have high hopes for Chang.

There are 4 pro-am events each year which count, and the rankings are calculated over 2 years, similar to the World Rankings. There are usually two live streams on the CBSA website, where you often get to see kids aged 14 or 15 knocking in century breaks!

The tournament that has just finished is the last one in 2019-20, so the top two players will get their tour card in June, for the 2020-21 season. They are Zhao Jianbo and Pang Junxu.

Thanks Lewis :hatoff:

Re: Chinese Tour Zhangjiagang Pro-Am

Postby lhpirnie

No. He's back in Henan these days, and hasn't been to UK since April. I last spoke to him before his last match with Joe Perry, when his future was uncertain. Let's hope he can get back on tour soon.