UK Championship Snooker 2024 | Day Three Preview and Order of Play
World champion Kyren Wilson commences his UK Championship campaign with a tricky opener against former winner Stephen Maguire on Monday.
The Warrior headlines day three at the York Barbican Centre, where Luca Brecel and Gary Wilson are also in action.
Kyren Wilson has built on the momentum of his Crucible triumph this season, adding the inaugural Xi’an Grand Prix and Northern Ireland Open crowns to his silverware collection.
A semi-finalist in 2021 and quarter-finalist on a further two occasions, the UK Championship is the only Triple Crown at which he is yet to reach the showpiece, and the world number two will hope to correct that this year.
He will be wary, though, having suffered a first-round exit in last year’s tournament, surrendering a 5-2 lead against Jamie Clarke.
Not only that, but Kyren Wilson’s opponent is a man who knows what it takes to produce the goods in this event.
It is now 20 years since Maguire made his major breakthrough by lifting this trophy, while the Scotsman was also a runner-up in 2007 and 2019.
The world number 33, who has reached the semi-finals on a further four occasions, overcame Elliot Slessor from 5-4 down to qualify, though is now aiming to progress beyond this stage of a ranking event for only the second time this season.
Brecel looks to finally ignite his season at the place where he reached the final three years ago, losing out on the title to Zhao Xintong.
The 2023 World champion is down to 61st on the provisional end-of-season rankings, having suffered five first-round exits this term, in which a run to the British Open last 16 represents his best performance.
Ironically, he was beaten there by today’s opponent Jak Jones.
The Crucible finalist was unfortunate to narrowly miss out on being seeded for this event but, having beaten Ian Burns and Fan Zhengyi to qualify, will now look to reach the last 16 for the first time.
Like Brecel, Gary Wilson has also lost his opening match at five tournaments this season, and will look to address his form in his opener against Michael Holt.
Although, the reigning Scottish and Welsh Open champion has only previously reached the last 16 on one occasion, doing so in 2019.
Meanwhile, it is now a quarter of a century since Holt – then the world’s number 74 – reached the quarter-finals at the season’s opening Triple Crown.
Back on the main tour after two years away, the Hitman came through four qualifying rounds, beating Steven Hallworth, Ishpreet Singh Chadha, Joe O’Connor and Liu Hongyu to reach the last 32 for the first time since 2015.
The day’s other match pits first-time seed Chris Wakelin against former quarter-finalist Matthew Selt.
Wakelin is full of momentum having climbed into the top 16 for the first time in his career earlier this month, following his runs to the International Championship final and last four at the English Open.
Selt, who reached the last eight here nine years ago, is fresh from victories over Aaron Hill and Zhou Yuelong to qualify for the main stages.
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 2024 Schedule
Monday November 25
Round One
1pm
Chris Wakelin v Matthew Selt
Kyren Wilson v Stephen Maguire
7pm
Luca Brecel v Jak Jones
Gary Wilson v Michael Holt