2024 Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters: Round Three Afternoon Session Report

The seeds numbered 17 to 48 entered the fray on day three, but the highest positioned of those, Robert Milkins, made an immediate exit after being ousted by Malaysia's Rory Thor, 4-3.

Thor - the world number 84 - has now won three matches in as many days, and the £12,000 he is already guaranteed is easily the biggest payday of his professional career, so far. In the last 48, Thor will face Jimmy Robertson who made breaks of 127 and 81 on his way to squeezing past Fan Zhengyi 4-3 in a meeting of unlikely former European Masters champions.

A trio of other ranking event champions also lost to lower ranked opponents during the session at the Green Halls. Anthony McGill bowed out 4-1 to Ashley Carty, Ricky Walden was eliminated 4-1 by Liu Hongyu - who made a 105 during the tie - and Joe Perry was whitewashed 4-0 by Ben Woollaston.

Anthony Hamilton registered a fine 4-2 victory over Jamie Jones, stringing together four consecutive frames from 2-0 down.

Former winners of the Snooker Shoot Out ranking event Chris Wakelin and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh both progressed as they saw off rookie opposition. Un-Nooh was the first winner of the day with a 4-1 result over Artemijs Zizins meanwhile Wakelin struck exactly 100 on his way to denying Robbie McGuigan, 4-2.

In what was a really entertaining affair on the main TV table, 2015 World Champion Stuart Bingham claimed the opening frame of his match before having to watch opponent Xing Zihao compile breaks of 115 and 119 in back-to-back frames to take the lead.

Chinese cueist Xing had an opportunity to extend his advantage with a counter clearance in frame four, but missed a thin yellow, and momentum swung again as Bingham eventually levelled the tie before depositing the next two frames for a 4-2 win.

Jimmy White’s run in Saudi stopped by Si Jiahui

The next match in front of the cameras witnessed Si Jiahui end the challenge of 62-year-old Jimmy White, 4-2.

Ten-time ranking event champion White - who won the first world ranking event to be held outside of the United Kingdom at the 1988 Canadian Masters - took the first frame, but 22-year-old Si notched up four of the next five frames along with breaks of 69, 57 and 72 to keep alive his hopes of a maiden ranking title triumph next Saturday.

Iran's Hossien Vafaei moved a step closer to a round five meeting with Ronnie O'Sullivan as he recovered from a frame down to dispatch India's Ishpreet Singh Chadha, 4-1, finishing off with an effort of 97.

Several contests in the second half of the afternoon went all the way. Lei Peifan came through his second successive deciding frame finish as he pipped Robbie Williams, 4-3, and in an all-Leicester encounter, a break of 102 helped Louis Heathcote to a 3-1 lead, but it was Joe O'Connor who stayed on course in the Middle East as he won the final three frames for a comeback victory.

Despite having his cue broken whilst travelling to Riyadh, recent Xi'an Grand Prix quarter-finalist Matthew Selt kept up his good form as contributions of 80, 74 and 85 aided him to a 4-3 success over Allan Taylor.

The final winner of the session was Pang Junxu, who constructed a break of 79 in the deciding frame as he shaded Stuart Carrington.

For the draw, results and other important details, please visit our 2024 Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters Tournament Information Centre, here.