‘Page Defeated by Selby, Advancing Him to Last 16 in Hong Kong’

Mark Selby staged a remarkable comeback to edge out Jackson Page 4-3, securing his spot in the World Grand Prix’s last 16 in Hong Kong. Selby, ranked third globally, found himself trailing 3-2 after Page, hailing from Wales, crafted an impressive 85-point break, putting him on the brink of victory. However, when Page failed to pot a long red, Selby, a four-time world champion, seized the opportunity to clinch the sixth frame with a score of 75-37 and then emerged victorious in the final frame. Reflecting on the match, Selby acknowledged Page’s strong performance, saying, “Jackson played well to go 3-2 up and I was just hanging on.” He added, “He had a good chance to win 4-2, but luckily he let me back into it. I will need to improve in the next round.” Meanwhile, in the morning session at Kowloon’s Kai Tak Arena, Neil Robertson showcased his skill with breaks of 97 and 67, comfortably defeating Yuan Sijun 4-0. The Australian credited a switch to a titanium ferrule ring on his cue tip for rekindling his enthusiasm for snooker. “As soon as I wake up I am thinking I can’t wait to practice, and it’s the first time I have felt that in over 20 years,” said Robertson, who made the alteration following the Welsh Open. He expressed excitement about his practice sessions and anticipated adapting to different playing conditions. In other matches, Xiao Guodong mounted a 4-3 comeback against Jak Jones, overcoming a 2-0 deficit with three half-century breaks. China’s Lei Peifan delivered a 107-point break to defeat Elliot Slessor 4-2, setting up a match against Xiao for a quarter-final berth. On another note, Jack Lisowski withdrew from the tournament for personal reasons, having previously defeated Zhang Anda. This development means Judd Trump, originally scheduled to face Lisowski, advances to the quarter-finals by default. Later in the day, Xu Si surprised world number nine Ding Junhui with a 4-3 victory. Xu will next face Hossein Vafaei, who replaced Ronnie O’Sullivan due to medical issues, after Vafaei narrowly beat Si Jiahui. Additionally, Jimmy Robertson overcame an early setback against Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen, winning 4-2 with three half-century breaks, setting up a clash with Selby. Barry Hawkins also impressed with breaks of 126 and 105, defeating Tom Ford 4-1.

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