Wuhan Open Snooker 2024 LIVE RESULTS: Xiao BEATS Si in dramatic final to claim £140k prize – latest updates
THE Wuhan Open has come to an unwanted end after a thrilling final.
Xiao Guodong beat Si Jiahui 10-7 to take the crown despite a late comeback from Si.
'X-factor' claimed his first ranking title and took home the huge £140k jackpot.
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Follow ALL the action from the Wuhan Open with our live blog below...
Xiao 4-3 Si
As expected, Si makes the most of his opportunity and is now within one frame of Xiao after a a brilliant break.
This match is now looking a very tight affair with both players making mistakes.
Xiao 4-3 Si
Xiao 4-2 Si
Si is starting to build a break at the start of the seventh frame.
A nice pot to left middle sets up and easy black and he could now sink four reds towards the bottom of the table one by one if he is clever with his positioning.
Xiao 4-2 Si
Xiao 4-2 Si
Signs of life from Si as he battles back, first undoing a difficult snooker before a missed pot lets him in.
He polishes off the colours to overturn the deficit - that was a key frame to win otherwise Xiao already would have started to look out of sight.
Xiao 4-1 Si
Another big miss after he was giving a lifeline by Xiao as a green to the top corner right pocket bounces back out.
Xiao pots a tricky red and an even more difficult blue, both with the assistance of a rest.
He still has work to do but he is firmly in control of the frame.
Xiao 4-1 Si
Xiao 4-1 Si
Si has been punished for failing to pot a crucial red. He allows Xiao to get into the driving seat and there's no stopping him from there.
He has a tricky brown to pot but he does it with aplomb to seal the frame after nearly an hour of play in the fifth.
4-1 to Xiao.
Xiao 3-1 Si
Both men are continuing to play the long game here. Xiao positioning his ball in really awkward positions.
And it's up to Si to figure out how he can get further ahead in this frame at 38-15.
Xiao comes back to the table and misses a black, leaving proceedings open for Si once again,
Xiao 3-1 Si
A slower start to the fifth frame as Xiao takes his time to get to 7-0.
Both men are playing a tactical game of Knock The White Around The Pack Of Reds now and it's becoming a little tiresome.
But there's £140,000 at stake so needs must.
Xiao 3-1 Si
And he takes the opportunity.
Xiao rattles in the blue, pink and black, the last of which nervously hit the cushion before dropping in.
3-1.
Xiao 2-1 Si
Si begins the fourth frame confidently and races into a 39 point lead but manages to miss the blue to give Xiao a chance at the table.
Xiao comes roaring back but to 39-23 but smashes a red off the jaws of the pocket and back comes Si.
The 22-year-old, however, misses a pink at 49 Xiao is afforded another opportunity to get going in this fourth frame.
Xiao 2-1 Si
The frame began slowly, with both men trying to manoeuvre the white around a huddle of red balls.
Si mixes things up and hits a ball long but leaves an open red for Xiao to pot.
Xiao misses the perfect opportunity to go into a a commanding lead and Si comes back to the table to finish things off. 2-1.
Xiao 2-0 Si
Si can't capitalise at all.
He gets up to 17 but fails to pot a black and that's him done. 2-0 to Xiao.
Xiao 1-0 Si
He looked to be doing it all over again, Xiao. He's unforgiving at the table as he pots a flurry of reds and clears a lot of the table in good time.
But misses at 74-0 and allows Si to come to the table. Let's see what the 22-year-old can muster here.
Xiao 1-0 Si
Xiao WINS the first frame! It's a blistering start from the 35-year-old.
He monopolises the table and all Si can do is watch as his opponent pots each ball with precision.
Xiao pots the white with the black on his last shot but it doesn't matter as he's so far ahead. The perfect start.
Xiao vs Si underway!
Xiao opens things up by potting a few reads to go 21-0 up.
But his break comes to an end after he leaves the ball in a bit of a tight spot with a pack of other reds.
Si tries to capitalise but struggles in doing so as Xiao returns to the table.
Final countdown
Xiao Guodong and Si Jiahui do battle later on today in the Wuhan Open final.
The best-of-11-frame contest gets underway at 7am UK time.
Friday's results
There was plenty of drama on Friday as the final four battled it out in Wuhan.
We have our finalists - and Judd Trump is going home.
- Long Zehuang 4-6 Xiao Guodong
- Judd Trump 2-6 Si Jiahui
Trump stunned
An impressed Judd Trump was reminded of Ronnie O'Sullivan during his loss to Si Jiahui.
The 35-year-old could only watch on as the Chinese youngster hit a majestic 147 in Wuhan.
Trump gasped: “This is the best performance there has been against me, by quite far.
“Apart from maybe John Higgins and the odd Ronnie performance, this is as well as you can play.
“It was like an exhibition game for him at the end.”
Credit: Alamy Si his confidence
22-year-old sensation Si Jiahui is into Saturday's final.
And after beating Judd Trump, he admitted it was all down to keeping calm and carrying on.
Si said: "I didn’t feel much pressure, so I played very smoothly.
“I kept a calm mindset. I’ve lost a lot of matches whilst making 60-plus breaks against him before, so I didn’t think too much about beating him.
“I just focused on learning from him and playing my own game. Luck was on my side and I’m really happy to have made a 147.”
O'Sullivan - 'Not much fun'
Ronnie O'Sullivan has opened up about "losing" his powers on the table.
Ahead of his eagerly-awaited return, Ronnie told The Independent: "If you go by other people, you can see that gradually they lose whatever they had.
“That’s been happening for quite a while for me.
"The thing that frustrates me is I’m not playing great.
"Once that zip isn’t there, I don’t know, there’s not much fun in it at the moment."
How to watch
Tomorrow's final between Xiao Guodong and Si Jiahui looks set to be a cracker.
Here's how you can tune in:
- The Wuhan Open Snooker 2024 will be broadcast LIVE on Eurosport.
- Fans can stream the entire action on discovery+ through any compatible tablet or mobile device.
Ronnie's return
Away from Wuhan, Ronnie O'Sullivan's next match is set to be against the record-breaking women's world No1.
The Rocket has not been at the table since his first round shock loss to He Guoqiang at the English Open in September.
O'Sullivan was going to play in the British Open and Wuhan Open after the defeat - only to pull out of both tournaments for medical reasons.
O'Sullivan's long-awaited comeback could be at the International Championships in China.
He has been drawn against Mink Nutcharut.
It will be the first time O'Sullivan has ever played against a woman.
The Two Ronnies
Judd Trump made a surprise comparison between Ronnie O'Sullivan and Si Jiahui after his loss on Friday.
Trump said: "This is the best performance there has been against me, by quite far.
"Apart from maybe John Higgins and the odd Ronnie performance, this is as well as you can play.
"It was like an exhibition game for him at the end."
Today's results
A reminder if you're just joining us of today's results in Wuhan.
Saturday's final will see Xiao Guodong take on Si Jiahui.
- Long Zehuang 4-6 Xiao Guodong
- Judd Trump 2-6 Si Jiahui
Credit: Alamy Eyes on the prize
Si will now face Xiao Guodong in a best-of-19 encounter this weekend.
Xiao, 35, won five consecutive frames as he came from 4-1 down to beat Long Zehuang.
Si said after beating Judd Trump: "I'd give myself nine out of 10 for the performance, with one point off for my safeties."
Bright future
Trump believes Si Jiahui has just announced himself on the world stage.
There's big things to come from the 22-year-old sensation after his 6-2 demolition job over the World No. 1 on Friday.
Trump said: "Now people have seen that [win], there will be a lot more pressure on him to win the World Championship and win events."
"It is difficult to keep playing like that, but it shows he has got it in there."
