NANJING, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- China's Xiao Guodong was knocked out of the 2025 World Snooker Tour International Championship by Zak Surety on Monday in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province.
Xiao, the defending Wuhan Open champion and currently ranked 11th globally, faced a lower-ranked opponent in Surety. However, Surety dominated the opening three frames with breaks of 71, 139 and 74, shutting out Xiao in all three.
Although Xiao managed to pull one frame back in the fourth, he subsequently lost three consecutive frames after letting winning opportunities slip, ultimately suffering a 6-1 defeat.
Defending champion Ding Junhui, who had swept David Grace in the deferred qualifying match the previous day, maintained his excellent recent form in the first round.
Against England's Michael Holt, he fired two century breaks of 134 and 112 in the first session to take a 4-0 lead. After the interval, he added another break of 86, ultimately defeating Holt 6-1 to secure his place in the next round.
Fellow Chinese players Zhao Xintong and Lei Peifan have both advanced to the last 32 and will face each other in the next round. Youngster Wang Xinzhong gave an impressive performance in a narrow 6-5 loss to Shaun Murphy. He staged a fierce fightback with consecutive high breaks to take a 5-4 lead after trailing 0-3.
Following the conclusion of the first round, the last 32 lineup has been finalized, with Chinese players securing nine spots. Among others, Judd Trump, Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins have also advanced to the second round.
O'Sullivan expressed satisfaction with his game and said he aims to stay in the top 16 by next year's end: "Because I won't be able to play in many tournaments for the next two years, I was hoping I can do well enough in the tournaments I play in," he said.
In today's round of 32 matches, Ding will face Liam Highfield in the evening session, while Trump will take on Noppon Saengkham. Meanwhile, three all-Chinese matchups will also take place.
The event, organized by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association and the Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association, will conclude on November 9. It is in its 11th edition and returns to Nanjing for the second consecutive year. ■