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Some stats season to date

Postby gninnur karona

Six of the 131 professionals start of season yet to begin their campaigns whilst Igor Figueiredo has called it a day for now. Below, the records that they may wish to beat or to avoid.

Of those that have played the last unbeaten runs fell earlier in the British Open with both Kyren Wilson and Ding Junhui tasting defeat for the first time.

From start of season:

Kyren Wilson and Ricky Walden had the longest undefeated runs with 11.

Zhao Xintong had the longest winning run with 6. Ronnie O'Sullivan won his first three making eight in a row across seasons.

Yuan Sijun had the longest winning frame run with 13.

16 players are yet to win this season. One player has lost all six matches. The longest current losing run across seasons is eight. Finally the longest run across seasons without a win currently stands at 38. Those records are held by three different players.

Re: Some stats season to date

Postby gninnur karona

Time for an update.

All tour players have now lost a ranking match this season, Dechawat Poomjaeng, chronologically the last to taste defeat.

The number of players yet to record a win has been cut to eight, of which five have lost every match.

The longest current losing run across seasons is now 11, and the longest run across seasons without a win currently stands at 41.

The longest losing run from start of season still stands at six being now shared between one player hoping to avoid a 7th consecutive loss and, rather unexpectedly given that he's a member of the top 64, Liam Highfield. They say that class is permanent and form is temporary. Liam Highfield ended that bleak early season run with a richly earned 4-3 Scottish Open win over James Cahill, three centuries and a 50 outscoring a ton and two 50s. Since when Liam Highfield has backed that up beating Aaron Hill, Ashley Hugill, and most impressively, from a precarious 2-5 deficit, Allister Carter. Stuart Bingham, obviously, would have preferred to be meeting the early season Liam Highfield on Monday, rather than the current number 42 (what you get if you multiply six by nine) seed.

Re: Some stats season to date

Postby gninnur karona

Seven players still looking for their first win on tour this season. Potentially four opportunities remain to break that duck. With most Welsh Open opening round matches and the Shoot-Out taking place in January five of these players will be hoping to be off this unwanted list by the end of the month. Bai Langning, suspended, and Stephen Hendry, not entered, will only be able to watch.

Whether Bai Langning, one of 10 players currently suspended indefinitely, will be give any further opportunity this season appears doubtful. Bai Langning has only played, and lost, five matches on tour this season. Prior to the Hong Kong Masters I might have assessed him as marginal favourite against Marco Fu, but not afterwards. So I reckon he lost five matches that I would have predicted him to lose. But what of the other nine?

The figures below are based on my own ranking system which is imperfect, certainly less accurate than chengdufan's, but IMO far more accurate than the official rankings. Just as example I classed Michael White as favourite versus Zhang Jiankang whereas the WST rankings at the time suggested Zhang Jiankang to be the better player.

Yan Bingtao (W 11 L 5). Has only played players ranked below him therefore favourite to win each time he's played. Remarkably consistent. Versus players currently ranked in the top 32 a single win (versus Ricky Walden) and five defeats. Against lower-ranked players played 10 won 10. The only other member of the top 16 who has zero defeats against players ranked below 32 this season is Kyren Wilson.

Zhao Xintong (W 15 X 1 L 7). The draw with Mark Allen in the Championship League. Of the 22 remaining matches the favourite won 15. Seven surprises: one victory, against Stuart Bingham; six defeats, the most notable against John Astley.

Liang Wenbo (W 1 L 2). Too little data. The favourite won two matches, in the third Liang Wenbo lost to Dean Young.

Lu Ning (W 11 X 2 L 7). The draws were with Ricky Walden and Aaron Hill, a match in which Lu Ning required just a share of the spoils to qualify. The most inconsistent player of those currently suspended. Won six matches as outsider, lost five matches as favourite. Biggest surprises: wins over Stuart Bingham and Mark Williams; defeats against Hammad Miah and Sanderson Lam.

Li Hang (W 8 X 1 L 6). As favourite recorded 4 wins and 2 defeats, as outsider won 4 times lost 4 times. Defeats to the up-and-coming Dylan Emery, and Dominic Dale. Wins over Jack Lisowski, Barry Hawkins, Jordan Brown and Liam Highfield.

Chen Zifan (W 5 X 1 L 8). Championship League draw with John Astley. Ten of his other 13 matches won by the favourite. A Championship League win over Oliver Lines and defeats against two amateurs, Ross Muir and Farakh Ajaib, the surprises. Chen Zifan far from the highest-ranked player to lose against two amateurs this season.

Chang Bingyu (W 6 L 8). Victories over Alexander Ursenbacher and Mark King the only results that can be called even mild surprises. The other 12 all won by the favourite.

Zhang Jiankang (W 1 L 10). Beat Reanne Evans. Lost his other 10 matches. Favourite thus winning 11 of 11.

Zhao Jianbo (W 5 L 6). So-called amateur this season. Favourite just two times winning both. Three surprise wins beating Jackson Page, Ashley Hugill and Mark Allen.

Re: Some stats season to date

Postby gninnur karona

Seven players still searching for that elusive first win on tour this season as attention turns to the ShootOut today. A mere ten minutes away perhaps that first entry in the W column.

A tournament which could well be described in the words of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy's updated definition of Planet Earth as "mostly harmless" is slightly overshadowed by the cancellation of the Turkish Masters, announced earlier this week.

For the 47 professionals with no opportunities to look forward to in either Berlin or Llandudno qualification for the Players is the only possibility of playing more ranking event snooker before the World Championship. Zhou Yuelong has a provisional place to defend, the others are either mathematically already out of contention or realistically need to win the ShootOut - and for some favourable results elsewhere would be needed on top.

Forecasting a top 64 tour survival target this season, already difficult, is further complicated by the on-going match-fixing investigations. The current provisional 64 is David Grace on 53000. Three of the players currently suspended are inside that top 64 whilst Li Hang and Liang Wenbo are just outside. In the scenario that those five players are all prevented from pursuing professional careers next season then the current survival mark, assuming the Cao Yupeng precedent is followed, drops to 69th placed Xu Si (alongside Hammad Miah he would upgrade from surviving via the one-year list) on 45000. Xu Si, who has a 4500 advance over Stuart Carrington, is one of the 37 below the line already eliminated from both German and Welsh.

Above the line Scott Donaldson on 65000 is the lowest ranked player on the provisional list (58th) for which the ShootOut should have been his last opportunity to add ranking points before the World Championship. But he did't enter. Probability is that Scott Donaldson will retain his tour card end season but he will be aware that records show that Anthony McGill would have qualified for the Players last season if he had entered and won three matches at the ShootOut.

Barring last-minute withdrawals 18 professionals will be absent from the ShootOut: nine that are suspended; three of the current elite; five Scots (including John Higgins very much part of the all-time elite); and Marco Fu. Neil Robertson and Ronnie O'Sullivan are outside the qualifying positions for the Players. Neil Robertson is just hundreds short and has both the Welsh and German, where he is one of just four seeds to reach Berlin, to rectify that. For Ronnie O'Sullivan forget unlikely favourable results elsewhere, the equation is going to be simple - reach the final in Llandudno otherwise no more ranking events before Sheffield.

Of course WST may pull a rabbit out of the hat. The return of the Gibraltar Open? A further outing for the iconic ProSeries? The introduction of the Milton Keynes Open? Or, more spectacularly, the much anticipated return of the Indian Open or China Open?

Until that good news story hits the presses we can only assume that the ShootOut will represent the last chance to experience ranking action before Sheffield for those of the 47 professionals who are amongst the entries.

Re: Some stats season to date

Postby gninnur karona

A quick update.

Congratulations to Jamie O'Neill, Victor Sarkis and Reanne Evans for their opening round wins at the ShootOut. First ranking event win of the season for Jamie O'Neill, first ranking event win ever for Victor Sarkis and Reanne Evans. That leaves Jenson Kendrick, who earned some prize money for his two draws at the Championship League, the suspended Bai Langning, part-timer Stephen Hendry, and Rebecca Kenna, as the last four players still searching for that elusive first ranking event win of the season.

Congratulations to Chris Wakelin who, following his triumph in Leicester, has taken over from Kyren Wilson as the youngest British ranking event winner on tour.

Re: Some stats season to date

Postby LDS

The big movers so far this season:

Mark Allen has jumped 11 places in the rankings so far this season and is currently at his highest ranking ever, no.3 in the world.

Gary Wilson, Ryan Day and Ding Junhui all climb double figures as well, all three now nestled around the coveted no.16 spot.

Chris Wakelin is another climbing double figures in one season and can now consider himself a respectable top 32 challenger.

Lyu Haotian, Joe O'Connor, Anthony Hamilton, Cao Yupeng, Tian Pengfei, Yuan Sijun all zoom up the charts to solidify their top 64 status allowing them to concentrate on competing for a top 32 spot.

On the decline is, firstly, Stephen Maguire, who's dropped 7 places so far this season and is now just 10,000 points away from dropping out the top 32.

Both Jordan Brown and Martin Gould plummet out of the top 32 after both their past finals drop off the score card this season, though Brown could bounce right back if he wins back the Welsh Open he won 2 years ago.

Jak Jones has had a very poor season and drops from top 32 contender to struggling to stay in the top 64.

Mark Davis, Oliver Lines, David Grace and Alexander Ursenbacher all find themselves outside the top 64 and fighting for an automatic new card at the end of the season.

Re: Some stats season to date

Postby gninnur karona

Following the conclusion of the World Championship 1st qualifying round:

Four players finish the season winless in ranking events. Jenson Kendrick drew twice in the Championship League (a contribution that earned him £1000 prize money) and lost 12 times. Rebecca Kenna (11), Bai Langning (5) and Stephen Hendry (4) recorded only losses.

Anton Kazakov recorded his first ranking win in June, beating Tom Ford, but insufficient to earn prize money. For that happy event he had to wait nine months and a few days, his second ranking victory accompanied by a welcome £5000.

Five players bit the tour dust - for now. Dean Young and Michael Judge will have to successfully surf the vicissitudes of QSchool in order to return to the grindstone. Ng On Yee and Reanne Evans head to Walsall for what is effectively a duel for the last women's ticket. Whoever loses out will, along with Marco Fu, be initially relying on WST awarding them a wildcard, otherwise they too will have to succeed in Leicester if they wish to continue on tour.

The second qualifying round began yesterday with WST maintaining silence radio about how they intend to proceed at season's end. In recent years Mike Dunn and Mark Joyce have survived on tour, retaining their points, despite finishing 65th - WST elected to discount Cao Yupeng (suspended) and Peter Ebdon (retired). Amidst the bubbling uncertainty we do know that Oliver Lines, Dominic Dale, David Grace and Zhang Anda (who begins the day leading Stan Moody 8-1) require one victory to overtake Mark King and Lu Ning, Hammad Miah and Mark Joyce (leading Anton Kazakov 7-2) two. If all six players succeeded Mark King and Lu Ning would drop out of the top 64.

Re: Some stats season to date

Postby HappyCamper

Five players bit the tour dust - for now. Dean Young and Michael Judge will have to successfully surf the vicissitudes of QSchool in order to return to the grindstone. Ng On Yee and Reanne Evans head to Walsall for what is effectively a duel for the last women's ticket. Whoever loses out will, along with Marco Fu, be initially relying on WST awarding them a wildcard, otherwise they too will have to succeed in Leicester if they wish to continue on tour.


would ng and fu be eligible for the bangkok q school?

fewer open slots, but maybe better overall chance.

Re: Some stats season to date

Postby gninnur karona

HappyCamper wrote:
Five players bit the tour dust - for now. Dean Young and Michael Judge will have to successfully surf the vicissitudes of QSchool in order to return to the grindstone. Ng On Yee and Reanne Evans head to Walsall for what is effectively a duel for the last women's ticket. Whoever loses out will, along with Marco Fu, be initially relying on WST awarding them a wildcard, otherwise they too will have to succeed in Leicester if they wish to continue on tour.


would ng and fu be eligible for the bangkok q school?

fewer open slots, but maybe better overall chance.


That's a good question. The key appears to be in how WST define residency. It is conceivably possible that Marco Fu is eligible but Ng On Yee isn't.

Re: Some stats season to date

Postby lhpirnie

To me it seems ridiculous to claim that players who are in the UK playing professionally (as they must) are deemed 'UK residents' for Q School purposes. That would imply that Dechawat Poomjaeng, Mohammed Asif, Asjad Iqbal and Himanshu Jain would be forced to play in the UK Q School next year in order to regain their tour cards.

The Asia/Oceania Q School is weak enough as it is. We just about managed to dredge 4 respectable players last year, but without them this year, it's even weaker.

Meanwhile, with only 8 places available in the UK Q School, it's going to be even more of a bloodbath than last year, with many seriously good players missing out.

Next season, there are likely to be 3 players suspended throughout, and possibly 2 more, depending on others' results. They should increase the UK number back to 12.

Re: Some stats season to date

Postby The_Abbott

lhpirnie wrote:To me it seems ridiculous to claim that players who are in the UK playing professionally (as they must) are deemed 'UK residents' for Q School purposes. That would imply that Dechawat Poomjaeng, Mohammed Asif, Asjad Iqbal and Himanshu Jain would be forced to play in the UK Q School next year in order to regain their tour cards.

The Asia/Oceania Q School is weak enough as it is. We just about managed to dredge 4 respectable players last year, but without them this year, it's even weaker.

Meanwhile, with only 8 places available in the UK Q School, it's going to be even more of a bloodbath than last year, with many seriously good players missing out.

Next season, there are likely to be 3 players suspended throughout, and possibly 2 more, depending on others' results. They should increase the UK number back to 12.


They could increase the number of players on the one year list as another possibility. Thats only 4 this year and one is an amateur Daniel Wells.

Re: Some stats season to date

Postby chengdufan

Presumably the Chinese players will enter the Asian Q School this year. Could be quite a strong field

Re: Some stats season to date

Postby gninnur karona

Crucible qualifying completed the top 63 can rest easy. The 64th player, currently Lu Ning, will be replaced by Si Jiahui if the Crucible debutant, who has another season of a two-year card to come, reaches the quarter-finals. That would be a 7th change to the composition of the top 64 in comparison to end 2021-22.

Alexander Ursenbacher, Liang Wenbo, Li Hang, Mark Davis, Mark Joyce, and Stuart Carrington end 2022-23 drop out of the top 64. They are replaced by Andy Hicks, Cao Yupeng, Jackson Page, Wu Yize, Yuan Sijun, and Zhang Anda. These players happen to be those that were the six highest placed end 2021-22 of those competing in their first year of two-year tour cards.

Daniel Wells, Xu Si, Jimmy White, and Mark Joyce earn new two-year tour cards via the one-year list (irrespective of whether Si Jiahui or Lu Ning finishes inside the top 64).

In a normal season that would be that. Assuming that Zhao Xintong, Yan Bingtao, Mark King and Lu Ning are all cleared that would be that.

But if some or all are given lengthy suspensions? Lots of different scenarios. Not going to speculate.

Just worth noting that:
Xu Si, Mark Joyce, Mark Davis and Hammad Miah are set to finish the season ranked 65 to 68.
Daniel Wells, Jimmy White, Ian Burns and Stuart Carrington are the four eligible players outside the top 68 highest placed on the one-year list.
Hammad Miah falls to 69 if Si Jiahui wins his opening match at the Crucible. In that event Hammad Miah would replace Stuart Carrington as the fourth eligible player above.

Re: Some stats season to date

Postby The_Abbott

Mark Joyce will lose his money and be reset to £0. But if Lu Ning and Mark King are kicked off he would keep those ranking points.

Its such a mess and plays with people's lives.

This is why I would reward those that haven't broken rules over those that have. King and Ning would have to play as top-up's if there suspensions are short imo and lose there ranking points.

Re: Some stats season to date

Postby gninnur karona

Si Jiahui, as a consequence of reaching the quarter-finals in Sheffield, has replaced Lu Ning in the top 64.

The composition of the top 64 end 2022-23 as decided on the baize is now complete.

An independent inquiry or two will determine how many of those 64 compete on the tour next season.