Welsh Open last sixteen set as world champion Zhao keeps rolling on

Reigning World Champion Zhao Xintong made it 11 consecutive match wins on the professional circuit after defeating English teenager Stan Moody, 4-2.

Zhao crafted breaks of 83, 54 and 55 as he established a 3-0 lead before 19-year-old Moody got on the board and threatened a comeback. However, the current Crucible king wrapped up victory in frame six with a 122 - his 62nd century of the season.

Following title triumphs earlier this month at the World Grand Prix and Players Championship, the Chinese cueman is aiming to join a very exclusive club of players who have won three ranking titles in-a-row.

World number two and Masters Champion Kyren Wilson is out after he was eliminated by Zhou Yuelong, 4-1.

Zhou is having a fantastic campaign on the Home Nations Series having made the final in Brentwood, semis in Belfast, and quarters in Edinburgh. A maiden title this week would also see him win the seasonal bonus race and an additional £150,000 jackpot.

Mark Allen is currently in pole for that hefty purse, but Northern Ireland Open Champion Jack Lisowski will claim it if he makes the final this week, and ‘Jackpot’ is only three matches away after recovering from 3-1 down to deny world number 10 Xiao Guodong. This is despite Lisowski not being satisfied with the current state of his game.

Yesterday’s star man Chang Bingyu started the day in the same race, but later exited it as he was pipped by home player Jackson Page, 4-3.

There are three cueists from Wales still in their home professional event; Mark Williams - the only home winner of this title - defeated Martin O’Donnell, 4-1, and Crucible finalist Jak Jones saw off Anthony McGill, 4-2.

Top 16 players Wu Yize and Barry Hawkins advanced, and world number three Neil Robertson - aiming for a third Welsh Open crown - produced centuries (100, 118) in back-to-back frames at the end of his 4-1 win over Hossein Vafaei.

Winner of this title two years ago Gary Wilson was stopped by fellow north-east England cueist Sam Craigie, 4-1, who scored a 111 in the match. Last year’s runner-up Stephen Maguire was pipped by world number 56 Robbie Williams, 4-3.

The final result to be confirmed was John Higgins’ post-midnight 4-3 win against Hungarian 19-year-old Bulcsu Revesz.

Runner-up last week in Telford, 50-year-old Higgins is the most successful player in the Welsh Open’s long history with a record five-title haul (2000, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2018).

David Grace, Yuan Sijun, Zhang Anda and Stuart Bingham were the other victors on day three of the main venue, televised stages in North Wales.

Last 16 line-up:

Jiang Jun v Robbie Williams

Wu Yize v David Grace

Mark Williams v Barry Hawkins

Jak Jones v Neil Robertson

Zhou Yuelong v Sam Craigie

Zhang Anda v John Higgins

Jackson Page v Jack Lisowski

Stuart Bingham v Zhao Xintong

All last 16 matches will be played on Thursday, and are the best of seven frames. Two tables will be in operation.

To view the full draw, results, schedule, and other information from the 2026 Welsh Open, visit here.