Who qualified for the 2025 International Championship? Ponds Forge round-up

The latest edition of the £825,000 world ranking event is set to take place in Nanjing, China between November 2-9.

Reigning champion Ding Junhui and several other big names don’t start their campaigns until then, but the majority of round one matches have been completed this week in Yorkshire, with these winners booking a berth for the Far East in a few weeks time.

All the top 16 stars in action at Ponds Forge made it through, except for 2018 champion Mark Allen who was eliminated by world number 84 Mitchell Mann.

A quarter-finalist at the British Open last week, the in-form Mann scored a 6-4 win. On social media, Allen congratulated his opponent and said of his own game: “Attitude just wasn’t right from ball one. Got what I deserved there”.

Fresh from his British Open title triumph a few days before, Shaun Murphy - who is back up to world number 12 - continued his momentum as he registered runs of 120, 64, 60, 69 and 97 in a 6-1 win against rookie Yao Pengcheng.

World number two Kyren Wilson qualified, as did fellow top 16 exponents Neil Robertson, Mark Williams, John Higgins, Mark Selby, Zhang Anda, Chris Wakelin, and Si Jiahui.

Australian Robertson compiled his 1,000th century break in professional competition during his win, while Mark Selby - who is likely to be the next person to reach that milestone - fashioned efforts of 124 and 131 in a 6-0 whitewash success.

Higgins survived a deciding frame with youngster Liam Pullen, gaining snooker revenge in the process having been defeated by Pullen in the Xi'an Grand Prix qualifiers only a few weeks before.

Champion in 2023, this is a huge event for Zhang Anda as he has £175,000 to defend on his ranking. The world number 14 has made a start by qualifying for the final rounds in his home country.

Gary Wilson makes sixth career maximum 147 break

Following no maximum breaks at last week’s British Open, Gary Wilson added to this season’s incredible 147 tally as he struck perfection in the final frame of his 6-3 win over Artemijs Zizins.

Wuhan Open runner-up in August, Wilson had earlier made a 133 in the match against his young Latvian opponent, who also constructed a 123.

This is Wilson’s sixth 147 in professional competition. Only 10 players have ever made six or more maximums, and Wilson is one of them.

The effort is the 11th 147 of the 2025/26 World Snooker Tour season, and officially the 228th overall in top flight snooker.

Wilson is in line to collect the £5,000 tournament highest break bonus, but he would have to share that prize if someone else makes a 147.

Former world champion Ken Doherty upset the form book as he ousted teenager Stan Moody, 6-5.

56-year-old Doherty was delighted to score a win over an opponent who made the quarter-finals in Cheltenham last week. The following day, the Irishman posted on social media saying he is “sure” that Moody will one day become a world champion.

Talking of young talents on the World Snooker Tour, 14-year-old Michal Szubarczyk recorded a fine 6-4 win over Ishpreet Singh Chadha.

The young Pole - who is in his rookie season on the sport’s top tier - is starting to really find his feet on the circuit. Szubarczyk won a couple of matches at the Saudi Arabia Masters, has qualified for next week’s Xi’an Grand Prix, and now has another Chinese trip to prepare for.

Runner-up at the British Open last Sunday - his first ranking final appearance in over eight years - Anthony McGill got back to business with a 6-0 win.

Fellow Scot and practise partner of McGill’s, Stephen Maguire avoided a shock defeat as he squeezed past world number 116 Kreishh Gurbaxani, 6-5.

India’s Gurbaxani led 4-2, and was within one pot of victory at 5-4 up, but Championship League Ranking Event title holder Maguire managed to advance.

Over the past several months, when he has been playing, there have been real signs of encouragement for 2023 world champion Luca Brecel, who was a quarter-finalist at the English Open on his last outing. However, Brecel bows out of this event to rookie Liu Wenwei, 6-4.

For all the results from the 2025 International Championship qualifiers, visit here.