The second round of the Shanghai Masters comes to a close out in China on Wednesday on a day where we have four matches being played out as we find out the full quarter final line up for the opening invitation event of the season.
Wednesday is a day where the world champion enters the tournament and we also see the world number one for the first time this week too. In total, four world champions are on show on what has to be a decent day of snooker.
Afternoon Session
We are done with the morning sessions from here on in so we get going in the afternoon where the pick of the matches sees the new world number one Mark Allen competing with that status for the first time when he goes up against a Pang Junxu who had a good win over Gary Wilson in the first round. That will be the centre of attention but on the other table Mark Selby will begin his quest for another Shanghai Masters crown when he meets the one remaining Chinese amateur Cao Jin, who comfortably saw off Jak Jones on Tuesday.
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Evening Session
The world champion Kyren Wilson plays his first full match since he won the world title in the evening session. He has played three matches in the Championship League but there are just best of four frames behind closed doors. This is the real deal and it will be interesting to see how he goes here. Zhou Yuelong is his opponent. The pick of the matches in the evening session is the one between the former world champions Shaun Murphy and John Higgins which should be a great game if the Murphy cue issues have been resolved.
Betting
Zhou Yuelong might have fallen over the line in the end against Barry Hawkins in the first round but he has at least had a match in these conditions which has to be a big thing. Prior to falling over the line, the Chinese player made three successive centuries in the match and looked in really good order. To be fair to him there was a couple of awkward runs of the ball which didn’t go his way while Barry Hawkins was coming back at him.
Wilson didn’t look fantastic at the Championship League last month and it is going to take some getting used to being the world champion. We saw Luca Brecel barely win a match for ages when he was carrying the world champion tag for the first time last season so it will be interesting to see how Wilson copes with that. He might well win this but based on the three centuries in the first round, the value has to be on Zhou especially in home conditions.
Tips
Back Z.Yuelong to beat K.Wilson for a 3/10 stake at 2.75 with William Hill
Back him here: