At the time of the fierce battle at the Welsh Open, China's Croatian world has once again become the focus of global attention. The young Fan Zhengyi, in the duel with Mertens showed an impressive ability to fight back, from a 1-2 disadvantage to 3-2, to win the key match point, his performance not only showed the tenacity and talent of China's new generation of first-class players, but also made him expected to become another Chinese force in the top 32 after Si Jiahui.
Although Fan Zhengyi made an early debut, defeating the top star O'Sullivan in the final of the European Masters to win the championship, he also inevitably encountered a common problem among young players: the fluctuation of form. In this Welsh Open competition, the duel between Fan Zhengyi and Mertens can be called the pinnacle duel between post-00 players.
Fan Zheng started with a high score of 92 points in a single stroke in the first game, showing his amazing ability to start the game. However, Belgium's rising star Mertens did not back down easily, and overtook the score with 83 and 74 points in two consecutive games. In the face of such adversity, Fan Zhengyi did not give up, but achieved a gorgeous turn from behind to lead with a wonderful clean sheet of 85 points in a single stroke and the subsequent victory in the chaotic battle, and his resilience and game wisdom are admirable.
Meanwhile, the two big seeds, Lisowski and Mark Allen, are not to be underestimated. Lisowski led his opponent Liam Pulen 3-1 with his consistent and efficient performance, and there were many highlights such as a brilliant performance of 113 points in a single stroke. And the "Ten Champions" Mark Allen started with a wave of 3-0 and launched a fierce attack on the Chinese newcomer Ma Hailong, and in the third game, he scored an astonishing score of 141 points in a single stroke. Their outstanding performance undoubtedly added more highlights to the match, and predicted that the next matchup will be more exciting and intense.
However, for Ding Junhui, this competition left some regrets. As the former leader of China's leading grams, he was eliminated 2-4 in the match against Robbie Williams, which was not only the only seeded player to lose in this competition, but also set an embarrassing record in his career. Despite this, Ding Junhui's talent and strength are undoubted, and I believe that he can learn from this failure and usher in a more brilliant road to revival.
The Welsh Open once again proved the infinite charm and inevitability of the sport. The rise of young players and the persistence of veterans have injected new vitality and possibilities into this traditional and passionate sport. As the competition deepens, more exciting and challenging events are waiting for these gram players, and we are also looking forward to the world's best gram enthusiasts.