Si Jiahui put on an electrifying display to beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-4 and make the semi-finals of the inaugural Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters.
It’s a first ever victory over seven-time World Champion O’Sullivan for Si, who is now guaranteed £100,000. That equals the biggest ever payday of his career. He made the same amount reaching the last four at the 2023 World Championship, where he lost an epic clash with Luca Brecel 17-15.
Next up for Si is a best of 11 showdown with another member of the Class of 92, Mark Williams, tomorrow evening. The pair will do battle for a place in Saturday’s best of 19 final, where a top prize of £500,000 will be on the line.
The last time Si and Williams met was in this year’s World Championship, where the talented Chinese 22-year-old prevailed in a 10-9 thriller. A similar outcome tomorrow would be the biggest moment in Si’s already impressive career.
After taking the opener this evening, Si claimed the second frame with a fine break of 87. He was first in with 60 in the third, but O’Sullivan countered with 65 to steal on the black and trail 2-1. The Rocket then strung together 79 in the fourth to restore parity at 2-2.
When play resumed after the mid-session, a three-frame burst from Si saw him blitz to the verge of a momentous win. He moved 5-2 up with a brilliant maximum break attempt in the seventh. Si deposited 12 reds with blacks, but with the balls at his mercy he ran out of position and missed the 13th red to end his run on 96.
O’Sullivan was searching for inspiration and he found it when he turned to playing left handed. Breaks of 65 and 56 helped him claw two frames back to trail by a single frame at 5-4. However, Si wasn’t to be denied and made 82 to secure a massive victory.
“Overall I think I played really well in this match. I tried to relax myself and avoid getting too nervous about the occasion. I am pleased with how I dealt with getting over the line in such a big game,” said world number 22 Si.
“This is a very big tournament and there are a lot of ranking points attached. I’m trying as hard as I can not to think about this. It allows me to play as well as I can. I just concentrate on my own game and that is where that performance came from.
“Mark Williams is a very accurate player and a great shot maker. His snooker brain is above anyone else in the game. There is a lot to learn from him tomorrow. I appreciate his mindset and how he approaches a tournament.”
Welsh 49-year-old Williams blitzed his way to a 66th ranking event semi-final after whitewashing Jimmy Robertson 6-0.
The three-time World Champion was delighted to come through and is looking forward to doing battle with his younger counterpart Si tomorrow.
Williams said: “He’s only 22 and is the new generation coming through. I think he is the one they are putting their hopes on to take over after Trump, when he is approaching 50. I will probably be playing on table 28 walking about with my zimmer frame by then. He has a great future ahead of him and I’m looking forward to seeing where he can go.
“My mentality has definitely helped my career. If I lose a big match which I should have won, I’ve had many of them, it is no problem. I don’t dwell on it and I don’t worry about it. Who cares? Don’t worry about it. It definitely helps me because some players tell me they get nervous before a match, have to go to the toilet and have butterflies. I never get like that. The worst thing that can happen tomorrow is I lose 6-0 to Si Jiahui. That is the worst thing that can happen. When I’m out there I try harder than anybody.”