Xi’an Grand Prix 2024: Schedule, results and TV, live stream as O’Sullivan sets up last-16 clash with rival Vafaei

RONNIE O’SULLIVAN, Kyren Wilson and the world’s top snooker players are back in action THIS WEEK.

China hosts the second ranking event of the snooker season with a huge prize pot available for players at the Xi’an Grand Prix.

The tournament is now into the last 32 with big names such as Neil Robertson, Zhang Anda and Stephen Maguire already OUT – Luca Brecel, the 2023 world champion, also failed to turn up for his match in time, allowing opponent Hammad Miah a walkover win.

XI’AN GRAND PRIX LIVE – LATEST UPDATES

But the likes of O’Sullivan, Wilson, Mark Williams and Mark Allen are still in the hunt for silverware.

Here’s everything you need to know.

When is the Xi’an Grand Prix 2024?

Qualifiers took place in Leicester from July 25 to 27, while the action proper for the inaugural Xi’an Grand Prix started on Monday, August 19.

The final will be held at the Qujiang E-sports Centre on Sunday, August 25.

Early round matches have an early session at 7am BST and a later session starting at 12.30pm BST – the later rounds will only have matches in the later session.

Matches are best of nine frames until the semi-final stage, when they move to a best of 11.

The final will then jump up to be best of 19.

What TV channel is the Xi’an Masters 2024 being shown and can it be streamed?

Unfortunately, there was no British TV broadcaster named for the tournament.

So to catch the action, snooker fans will have to follow Matchroom Sport.

The body usually shows select matches on YouTube – like they have been with the US Open Pool – and provides updates and news on their social media channels and website.

SunSport will cover the tournament and will blog the last-16, quarters, semis and final.

Xi’an Masters 2024 Schedule

Monday, August 19

Held-over qualifying matches

Last-64 matches

Tuesday, August 20

Last 64

Wednesday, August 21

Last 32

• Sunny Akani 3-5 Jimmy Robertson
• Chris Wakelin 2-5 Mark Williams
• Si Jiahui 3-5 Gong Chenzhi
• Judd Trump 5-1 Lyu Haotian
• Jak Jones 5-4 Jack Lisowski
• David Gilbert 5-3 Gary Wilson
• Ryan Day 3-5 Barry Hawkins
• Xiao Guodong 2-5 Mark Allen
• Stuart Bingham 4-5 Xu Si
• Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-1 Yuan Sijun
• Matthew Selt 5-2 Hammad Miah
• Pang Junxu 4-5 Mark Selby
• Shaun Murphy 2-5 Dominic Dale
• Daniel Wells 5-4 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
• Kyren Wilson 5-3 Ricky Walden

Thursday, August 22

Last-16 matches

• Barry Hawkins 5-3 Mark Allen
• Judd Trump 5-1 Jak Jones
• Gong Chenzhi vs Matthew Selt
• Mark Williams 4-5 Xu Si
• David Gilbert vs Mark Selby (12.30pm BST)
• Kyren Wilson vs Jimmy Robertson (12.30pm BST)
• Dominic Dale vs Daniel Wells (12.30pm BST)
• Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Hossein Vafaei (12.30pm BST)

Friday, August 23

Quarter-final matches

Saturday, August 24

Semi-final matches

Sunday, August 25

Final

What’s been said?

Ronnie O’Sullivan has been full of praise for Xi’an – but still remains unimpressed with the state of his own game.

The Rocket said: “I have spent a couple of days here in Xi’an before.

.”It has a beautiful atmosphere, you feel as if you’re on a film set. It’s definitely one of my favourite cities.

“I come to China for the food, the culture and the people, if I do well at snooker that’s a bonus.

“It was a brilliant crowd and atmosphere today, this is probably one of the best tournaments of the season now.”

But O’Sullivan added: “My game has been terrible for two years.

“I am looking for a longer-term plan to play the way I want to, I just have to keep showing up and trying my best.”