Wuhan Open 2025 | Quarter-Finals Preview and Order of Play

Reigning champion Xiao Guodong continues his Wuhan Open title defence against ground-breaking Stan Moody in the quarter-finals on Thursday.

Mark Williams, John Higgins and Mark Allen are also in action at the Optics Valley Gymnasium, where the eight remaining players will be whittled down to four.

Xiao made his big breakthrough on home soil in last year’s Wuhan Open, capturing the first ranking title of his career and claiming the top prize of £140,000.

The world number 14 opted out of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters last time out to participate in the World Games. That decision was justified as he claimed the Gold Medal in Chengdu.

Xiao has certainly built on that momentum, launching his defence with a 147 during a 5-0 whitewash of Mink Nutcharut, while also putting Ishpreet Singh Chadha, David Grace and Matthew Selt to the sword.

His opponent in his 10th quarter-final since the start of last season will be Moody, who is making his first appearance at this stage of a ranking event.

The 18-year-old has certainly earned the right; beating home favourites Ding Junhui and Zhou Yuelong, before taking just 57 minutes to condemn Barry Hawkins to a comprehensive 5-0 whitewash.

Elsewhere, Higgins is appearing in the 151st ranking quarter-final of his fine career, where he will face Gary Wilson.

The Wizard’s season is finally up and running after back-to-back first-round exits in Shanghai and Jeddah, with a pair of 5-1 wins over Dylan Emery and Tom Ford sandwiching a 5-3 success against Yuan Sijun.

As for Wilson, he has already taken out Shaun Murphy and Judd Trump – coming from behind four times before edging out the world number one in a deciding frame – to reach his first ranking quarter-final in 16 months.

The Tyneside Terror has fond memories of facing Higgins to draw on, having produced a magnificent maximum break in their most recent encounter at the 2024 Welsh Open.

Williams’ 118th ranking quarter-final sees him take on Zhang Anda, with the three-time World champion fresh from defeating Mark Selby in the last 16.

Meanwhile, Allen is gearing up for his first ranking quarter-final appearance of 2025.

The Pistol swept aside Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, who compiled the week’s other 147, in the last 16, and now takes on 2024 Wuhan Open finalist Si Jiahui.

Play gets under way at 7am BST on Thursday with all matches contested over the best of nine frames at the Optics Valley Gymnasium in Wuhan.

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Wuhan Open 2025 | Quarter-Finals Schedule of Play

All times BST (local time +7 hours)

Thursday, August 28

Quarter-Finals

7am
Mark Williams v Zhang Anda
Xiao Guodong v Stan Moody

12.30pm
Mark Allen v Si Jiahui
John Higgins v Gary Wilson