by gninnur karona » 10 Jun 2025 Read
A look at the provisional 2025-26 end-season rankings shows just four changes to the composition of the top 64 end 2024-25.
Zak Surety, Michael Holt, Oliver Lines and Gong Chenzhi, all having no points to defend, are set to finish 39th, 42nd, 62nd and 63rd respectively - rising into the top 64 through the mechanics of the two-year ranking system. Zak Surety and Michael Holt should finish comfortably within the top 64. Oliver Lines and Gong Chenzhi will likely need to at least match last season's achievements to reach the end season top 64.
The four that provisionally drop out are Jamie Jones, Sanderson Lam, Robert Milkins and Cao Yupeng, who unsurprisingly considering his absence from competition has thus far accumulated zero points.
All in all 17 players are less than 20000 ahead of 65th placed Jamie Jones, whilst nine players are less than 20000 behind 64th placed Jordan Brown.
Robbie Williams, Graeme Dott, Anthony McGill, Oliver Lines, Gong Chenzhi and Jordan Brown begin the season the right side of the line but all less than 5000 ahead of Jamie Jones.
Jamie Jones, Duane Jones, Sunny Akani Songsermsawad and Sanderson Lam start the season less than 5000 behind Jordan Brown. Antoni Kowalski, a little further back, and Robert Milkins (10950 short) occupy 69th and 70th. Ben Mertens, Wang Yuchen and Allan Taylor will probably need to triple last season's points tally to reach the top 64. For them, and those below, surviving on tour is most likely to be achieved via performance on the one-year list.
Incidentally Ross Muir, Jiang Jun, Louis Heathcote, Liam Graham and Marco Fu all won more points than Robert Milkins last season. No matter, all five will begin a season without jeopardy on zero points sharing an aim to finish in the top 64 end 2026-27.
