World number one Judd Trump edged past Si Jiahui with a tense 6-3 victory to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the 2025 UK Championship at the York Barbican. The Englishman, who has yet to claim any silverware this year, produced a top break of 117 and relied on a composed 50 break in the final frame to close out the match.
Trump had raced to a 4-1 lead, including a dramatic fourth frame won on the black with a 65 break. Si, who reached the World Championship semi-finals in 2023, fought back with runs of 61 and 58 to bring the match to 4-3, but ultimately Trump maintained his composure to seal the win.
“It was very edgy. I don’t quite have that belief at the moment,” Trump told BBC Sport.
“At 4-1 there were a couple of bad shots and after that, because I haven’t been winning, I became a little hesitant. I feel good with that cue and the table was perfect. If you are a tiny bit off, they don’t go in.”
Trump will face either Ding Junhui of China or Scotland’s Scott Donaldson in the last eight.
Neil Robertson Cruises Past Wu Yize
Australian veteran Neil Robertson continued his impressive run with a 6-1 victory over Wu Yize. Despite Wu taking the opening frame with a break of 62, Robertson dominated the remainder of the match, compiling breaks of 51, 65, 75, and 68.
The 43-year-old, who has previously been UK Champion three times, has regained form after falling to 28th in the world rankings in 2023–24. Robertson now sits third in the world and leads the one-year prize money list following his win at the Saudi Arabia Masters earlier in the season.
Robertson praised the tighter table pockets, which he believes provide a fairer test for players compared to the larger pockets used in many events in recent years, particularly in China.
“They are keeping everyone honest. It’s more like my first 10 years as a professional. You see a lot of misses that I used to see back then,” Robertson said.
Mark Selby Advances with Control Over Zhou Yuelong
Mark Selby, a multiple UK Championship, World Championship, and Masters title winner, demonstrated his experience with a 6-2 victory against Zhou Yuelong. Zhou initially went 2-1 ahead with a sublime 132 break, but Selby regained control and dominated the remaining frames with runs of 71, 75, and 56.
Selby will now face Elliot Slessor or Barry Hawkins in the quarter-finals.
Pang Junxu Upsets Mark Williams
China’s Pang Junxu produced a stunning 6-3 victory over two-time UK Champion Mark Williams. Pang, 25, compiled a 116 break and won three consecutive frames after the opening pair, resisting a late Williams rally. The win confirms Pang as a rising contender in the tournament.
Williams, 50, acknowledged his inconsistency:
“I played pretty poor. That’s how it is now – I either play well or terrible. He was the better player.”
Looking Ahead
The 2025 UK Championship quarter-finals promise thrilling snooker, with Trump, Selby, Robertson, Ding Junhui, Donaldson, Slessor, Hawkins, and Pang all in contention. Fans can expect a mixture of experience and youthful talent battling for one of snooker’s most prestigious titles.
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