2024 Wuhan Open Snooker Qualifiers: Duane Jones eliminates Luca Brecel

Defeat for 2023 World Champion Brecel means his woes on the professional ranking circuit continue; he hasn’t won a ranking event match since March 19th, and before this tournament he was placed 51st on the provisional end-of-season list.

World number 99 Jones - who has recently returned to snooker’s top tier having qualified through the Global Q Tour Playoffs - trailed four times during the match, but a coolly crafted break of 66 in the deciding frame, having been behind in it, booked him a last 64 berth in China.

31-year-old Jones made four other half-centuries during the tie.

Elsewhere at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester on Monday, last year’s Wuhan Open runner-up Ali Carter qualified for another trip there as he recovered from 2-0 down to eliminate Wang Yuchen, 5-3. Recent Championship League winner Carter made breaks of 57, 135, 82 and 64.

Thai cueist Sunny Akani is enjoying his return to the professional circuit; a winner in the Xi'an Grand Prix qualifiers a few days ago, Akani maintained his 100% record this season as he defeated world number 13 Tom Ford, 5-2, finishing with a break of 102.

19-year-old Xing Zihao of China caused one of the upsets of the day as he defeated former World Champion Stuart Bingham, 5-1.

Amateur top-ups Iulian Boiko and Daniel Womersley are both through to the second round as they got the better of professional opposition via a deciding frame.

Boiko ousted Manasawin Phetmalaikul in a tie that saw both players make a century break, while Womersley - a very late call-up to the event - scored runs of 93, 51, 105, 71 and 75 during a comeback victory over two-time ranking event winner Joe Perry having been 4-2 down.

Four-time ranking event winner Ryan Day recovered from 3-1 behind as he defeated Liu Hongyu, 5-3.

Matt Selt (105), Noppon Saengkham (127) and Ben Woollaston (106) each made three-figure contributions during their respective victories.

There were also wins for Pang Junxu, Wu Yize, Ishpreet Singh Chadha, Tian Pengfei, Hossein Vafaei, Zak Surety, Graeme Dott, Elliot Slessor, David Lilley and Hammad Miah during Monday’s action.

In a post-midnight finish, Anthony Hamilton constructed a 114 break in the deciding frame to deny Reanne Evans, 5-4.

The final day of qualifying takes place on Tuesday with morning and afternoon sessions. The order of play is here.

2024 Wuhan Open draw and results here.