UK Championship Snooker 2025 | Day Two Preview and Order of Play

Neil Robertson and Mark Williams headline the second day of action as round one continues at the 2025 UK Championship in York.

The York Barbican Centre will witness a further four matches on Sunday, with Robertson and Williams aiming to join fellow former champions Judd Trump, John Higgins and Shaun Murphy in the second round.

Robertson is aiming to pull clear of Higgins and Ding Junhui by winning his fourth UK title this year.

The three-time winner, who lifted the trophy in 2013, 2015 and 2020, triumphed in this season’s opening major at the lucrative Saudi Arabia Masters, while he was Riyadh Season Snooker Championship runner-up to Zhao Xintong last time out.

However, he goes into his first-round clash with Julien Leclercq aiming to end a run of four straight defeats in the main stages of snooker’s second-longest-running ranking event.

The Belgian, who was beaten by David Gilbert in the final qualifying round 12 months ago, is set for his first venture into the UK Championship last 32, while this also represents his best performance of the season thus far.

Gilbert is also in action on day two, with the former Crucible semi-finalist going up against Williams.

The Welshman, who became the oldest ranking event winner at this season’s Xi’an Grand Prix, lifted the UK Championship trophy in 1999 and 2002, while he was also runner-up to John Higgins in 2000 and 2010.

Yet, he has only been past the last 16 twice since reaching that fourth final, and that will encourage Gilbert, who has only reached that stage of this event on three previous occasions.

Meanwhile, Wu Yize is appearing at this tournament as a seed for the first time, following his breakthrough triumph at the International Championship earlier this month.

The Chinese, who defeated Trump, Barry Hawkins, Zhao Xintong and Higgins on route to glory, will play two-time quarter-finalist Michael Holt.

The second of those last-eight appearances came 12 months ago, after the Hitman initially came through four qualifying rounds. Having won three qualifiers this time around – notably beating Reanne Evans 6-5 from 5-3 down – he will be targeting more of the same.

Elsewhere, Xiao Guodong is looking to reach the last 16 for only the third time in 18 UK Championship appearances, while aiming to end a run of three straight defeats in the event.

The Wuhan Open champion takes on compatriot Pang Junxu, who is looking to win and match his best performance in the tournament. Indeed, he reached the last 16 on debut five years ago, defeating former champion Stephen Maguire along the way.

Play gets under way at 1pm GMT on Sunday with all matches contested over the best of 11 frames at the York Barbican Centre.

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UK Championship 2025 Day Two Schedule of Play

Sunday November 30

Round One

1pm
Wu Yize v Michael Holt
Neil Robertson v Julien Leclercq

7pm
Xiao Guodong v Pang Junxu
Mark Williams v David Gilbert