2024 Xi'an Grand Prix Snooker: Ronnie O'Sullivan sets up tie with Hossein Vafaei

Following victories earlier in the week over Wang Yuchen and Bulcsu Revesz, O'Sullivan has dropped only three frames in reaching round four of this new Chinese ranking event on the professional snooker circuit.

Seven-time world champion O'Sullivan registered runs of 50, 95 and 57 before finishing the match in style with a 109, his first century break of the £850,000 tournament. He extends his positive career head-to-head record over Yuan to 5-1.

O'Sullivan will face Hossein Vafaei on Thursday (12:30GMT/19:30 local time); the Iranian number one received a last 32 walkover due to the withdrawal of former world champion Graeme Dott because of medical reasons.

The two cueists have shared some memorable meetings, including last year when O'Sullivan triumphed at the Crucible and in the semi-finals of the UK Championship. However, Vafaei won their last encounter when he dramatically came through on the final black in a deciding frame at the last 16 stage of the World Open in Yushan last March.

Kyren Wilson and Mark Selby win, Shaun Murphy and Stuart Bingham lose

There were mixed fortunes for the other world champions on show during Wednesday's evening session in Xi'an.

Current world champion Kyren Wilson made breaks of 100 and finished with a 108 as he passed a tricky test from three-time ranking event winner in China, Ricky Walden, 5-3.

In a repeat of the WST Classic final from last year, Mark Selby ousted Pang Junxu in a deciding frame to set up a round four meeting with David Gilbert.

Shaun Murphy and Stuart Bingham both exited the competition. Having made a trio of century breaks in a sizzling whitewash win on Tuesday, Murphy totted up two more tons (103 and 100) when he faced Dominic Dale, although those were the only frames he won, as 52-year-old Dale recorded an impressive 5-2 victory.

Xu Si made back-to-back centuries in the opening two frames of his fixture with Bingham, but it was a 51 break in the decider that helped him pip the six-time ranking event winner.

Plenty of breaks were made in the contest between Daniel Wells and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh which needed all nine frames to declare a winner. Un-Nooh compiled efforts of 66, 108, 52 and 70; Wells scored contributions of 67, 58, 60, 52, 84 and then a 52 in the final frame as he squeezed through.

Matthew Selt is still on course for the second ranking title triumph of his career; the world number 37 denied Hammad Miah, 5-2.

For the full draw, results, schedules, format, prize money and how to watch, please visit our 2024 Xi’an Grand Prix Tournament Information Centre here.