The quarterfinal lineup for the Snooker UK Championship is set: the "Big Three" all lost while the "Five Tigers" all won; China's three players face tough challenges as Ding Junhui aims for the last four.

On December 5th Beijing time, the round of 16 at the Snooker UK Championship concluded. In the final match, two multiple major champions, Higgins and Murphy, clashed fiercely. Despite trailing 1-4, Murphy staged an incredible comeback to win 6-5, eliminating Higgins. With this result, the quarterfinalists are finalized: the 'Big Three' all lost, the 'Five Tigers' performed strongly and all advanced, and China secured three spots. Ding Junhui will next face world number one Trump!

Higgins is ranked sixth in the world, and Murphy ninth; both are top-tier stars with strong skills. They recently met at the National Championship semifinals, where Higgins dominated Murphy 6-2. Their rematch attracted great attention. Murphy opened the match with a break of 81 to take the first frame. Higgins then found his rhythm, winning four consecutive frames to lead 4-1. However, Murphy fought back, gradually closing the gap to 3-4. Higgins responded quickly with a 74 break to reach a match point at 5-3. But in a dramatic turnaround, Murphy launched a brilliant three-frame streak to win 6-5, avenging his earlier loss in a thrilling finish!

With Murphy’s 6-5 victory over Higgins, the quarterfinal lineup is complete. The 'Big Three' all suffered early exits, which was not surprising: O’Sullivan out in the first round, Mark Williams and Higgins out in the second. They truly seem past their prime. Meanwhile, the 'Five Tigers' shone brightly, all advancing: Trump, Selby, Robertson, Murphy, and Ding Junhui. The Chinese contingent secured three quarterfinal spots: Ding Junhui, Pang Junxu, and Zhang Anda. The quarterfinal matchups are set: Ding Junhui faces world number one Trump; Zhang Anda takes on major champion Murphy; Pang Junxu challenges the "Melbourne Machine" Robertson; and Selby meets the four-time semifinal specialist Hawkins in a heavyweight clash!

Specifically regarding the clash between Ding Junhui and Trump, two of the 'Five Tigers,' this will undoubtedly be a very tough match for Ding. Trump, ranked number one globally, currently outperforms Ding in both form and skill. Under normal circumstances, Ding stands little chance of winning, especially considering his significant decline lately—both his offense and defense have weakened, and his focus has wavered. In short, he just needs to give it his all and fight hard!

Written by / Sports Novel