Si Jiahui takes a shot against Chinese compatriot Jiang Jun during a first-round match at the WST China Open in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China, August 10, 2026. /VCG
Si Jiahui blanked Chinese compatriot Jiang Jun 6-0 in the first round of the World Snooker Tour China Open in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, on Monday.
Last season was a time of frustration for Si, who reached just two ranking quarterfinals and is now in danger of dropping out of the world's top 16 by the end of the month. A deep run this week would therefore provide a timely boost to his ranking. The 24-year-old cleared the table with breaks of 56 and 66 to sweep past Jiang, setting up a second-round meeting with defending champion Neil Robertson of Australia.
"The scoreline makes it look easy, but the win was hard-fought," said Si. "I played at my normal level and hope to do even better in the next round. I'm not setting any special expectations – I just want to play my game. If my opponent plays better and beats me, I'll still be happy. Wins and losses are part of the sport. I'll stay relaxed and focus on every shot."
Australia's Neil Robertson takes a shot against China's Chang Bingyu during a first-round match at the WST China Open in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China, August 10, 2026. /VCG
Meanwhile, 2010 world champion Robertson eased into the round of 16 with a 6-3 victory against local competitor Chang Bingyu.
A two-time China Open winner in 2013 and 2019, the Australian is now targeting a third triumph in the tournament's return to Taiyuan, following a six-season hiatus. He quickly jumped out to a 5-0 lead before Chang fought back to snatch three frames in a row. But the 44-year-old then made his way over the line to set up a second-round meeting with China's Si.
Currently ranked second, Robertson is firmly in the race for the World No. 1 ranking, with Judd Trump at risk of falling out of the top spot after the upcoming Wuhan Open. A title run this week would put Robertson on course to top the rankings for the first time since 2015.