Welsh Open Snooker 2025 | Day Two Preview and Order of Play

Jonathan Davies in Welsh Open 11 February 2025

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Welsh Open Snooker 2025 | Draw, Live Scores and Schedule of Play

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Ronnie O’Sullivan withdraws from 2025 Welsh Open

Murphy was champion at the Welsh Open in 2020 (PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo)

Shaun Murphy begins his quest to win back-to-back titles on UK soil on Tuesday when he faces Ma Hailong in round one of the Welsh Open.

The opening round of the season’s final Home Nations event continues with another 16 matches at Venue Cymru in Llandudno.

Murphy is one of the men in form following his Masters success at the Alexandra Palace just over three weeks ago.

The Magician produced his best snooker for some time, including a superb 147 break, on the way to landing his second Masters crown.

Murphy will now look to double up at the Welsh Open, which he won in 2020, and starts that mission against China’s Ma.

Meanwhile, World champion – and recently crowned German Masters winner – Kyren Wilson begins his quest for a fourth ranking triumph of the campaign.

The Warrior, who was runner-up to Murphy in 2020, goes up against three-time ranking event winner Marco Fu.

There are two other former Welsh Open winners in action on Tuesday with 2009 victor Ali Carter and Jordan Brown, who lifted the Ray Reardon trophy in 2021, playing Rory Thor and David Gilbert respectively.

An eye-catching all-Welsh clash – and also a battle of two Crucible finalists – pits Jak Jones against Matthew Stevens, while two more home favourites feature in Ryan Day and Dylan Emery. Day takes on Ben Mertens, with Emery facing former Scottish Open runner-up Noppon Saengkham.

Elsewhere, 2018 finalist Barry Hawkins – also a runner-up at this season’s UK Championship and German Masters – goes head to head with Sanderson Lam, as former World champion Luca Brecel plays Stuart Carrington.

Wu Yize – a beaten finalist at the English and Scottish Open – begins his quest for another deep run in a Home Nations event against Scott Donaldson, with Chris Wakelin and Jack Lisowski taking on Michael Holt and Joshua Cooper respectively.

The day’s other matches see Ricky Walden play Matthew Selt, and Hossein Vafaei face Fan Zhengyi, while Lyu Haotian locks horns with former Scottish Open finalist Joe O’Connor.

Play gets under way at 10am GMT on Tuesday with all matches contested over the best of seven frames at Venue Cymru in Llandudno.

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