China Open 2026 Snooker Preview: Trump, O’Sullivan and Robertson Eye Victory in Taiyuan

The China Open returns to the World Snooker Tour on Saturday, 8 August, with Judd Trump carrying immediate momentum into one of the richest ranking events of the new season.

Trump arrives in Taiyuan six days after beating Kyren Wilson 11–6 in the Shanghai Masters final. However, the world number one has little room to settle into the tournament. He opens against Nippon Saengkham and could meet Ronnie O’Sullivan in the last 16.

Neil Robertson is the defending champion from the most recent edition in 2019, while world champion Wu Yipe, Zhao Xintong and Ding Junhui lead a deep Chinese challenge. Mark Selby, Mark Williams, John Higgins and Shaun Murphy are also part of a draw filled with former world and China Open champions.

China Open Returns After Seven-Year Absence

The 2026 China Open will take place at the Riverside Sports Centre in Taiyuan from 8 to 16 August. It is the first edition of the ranking tournament since Robertson defeated Jack Lisowski 11–4 in the 2019 final.

Its return gives leading players an early opportunity to make a significant move on the ranking list. The champion will receive £250,000 from a total prize fund of £1.205 million, with £100,000 going to the runner-up and £50,000 awarded to each losing semi-finalist.

Every match up to and including the semi-finals will be contested over the best of 11 frames. The final increases to the best of 19, giving the two remaining players a longer test across two sessions.

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The tournament is also the first ranking event of the campaign to feature most of the established leading players. That creates a stronger test than a typical early-season competition, particularly with the field moving directly from the Shanghai Masters to another major event in China.

Trump Arrives with Early-Season Momentum

Trump strengthened his position among the leading contenders by defeating Wilson in Shanghai. He established a 7–3 advantage during the opening session of the final before completing an 11–6 victory and securing his second Shanghai Masters title.

The result offered an early reminder of Trump’s scoring power and control when given opportunities. It also means he enters the China Open with recent competitive matches behind him, rather than using the opening round to rediscover his rhythm.

Saengkham remains a dangerous opponent. The Thai qualifier defeated Elliot Scissor 6–1 and is capable of scoring quickly enough to punish an uncertain start from the favourite. Trump will nevertheless be expected to dictate much of the match if he maintains the level displayed in Shanghai.

A victory would place Trump against either O’Sullivan or Jackson Page in the last 16. That route makes his section one of the most closely watched areas of the draw.

O’Sullivan’s scheduled appearance is another major feature of the tournament. His Shanghai Masters campaign ended with a 6–4 defeat against Wilson, but his experience and record in China ensure he cannot be discounted.

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Page, though, should not be treated as a routine first-round opponent. The Welshman came through qualifying by beating Yuan Sijun 6–3 and will have the freedom to attack a far more experienced opponent.

Draw Creates an Immediate Collision Course

The possibility of Trump meeting O’Sullivan will attract much of the attention, but the surrounding matches make their quarter more complicated than it initially appears.

Xiao Guiding faces either Anthony McGill or Chinese wildcard Wu Shengguang. McGill must first negotiate a best-of-11 wildcard match before taking his place in the main draw, while Xiao will carry home expectations into the tournament.

Shaun Murphy begins against Matthew Salt. Murphy has the heavier scoring game, but Salt earned his place by edging Ali Carter 6–5 in qualifying. That result underlined his ability to remain composed during a close finish.

Should Trump and O’Sullivan meet, the winner could still have to pass Murphy or Xiao before reaching the semi-finals. Therefore, the headline potential match is only one part of a demanding route through that side of the bracket.

Chinese Contenders Have Depth Across the Bracket

Wu Yipe enters the tournament as the reigning world champion and the second seed. He starts against Yao Pengcheng, with Ding or David Gilbert awaiting the winner in the next round.

Wu reached the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters before losing 10–6 to Trump. Although he did not reach the final, another deep run showed that his Crucible success has not reduced his competitiveness or appetite at the start of the new campaign.

Ding faces one of the more difficult unleaded players in Gilbert. The Chinese number has carried home expectations for much of his career, but he must produce a controlled opening performance against an opponent comfortable in longer matches.

The winner of Ding versus Gilbert could meet Wu in the last 16. Such a contest would guarantee a prominent Chinese presence in the quarter-finals while matching the country’s established standard-bearer against its current world champion.

Zhao Xintong has also been placed in an all-Chinese opening match against Zhang Aida. Zhao reached the Shanghai Masters semi-finals before Wilson recovered to beat him 10–8, while Zhang qualified for Taiyuan with a 6–4 victory over Daniel Wells.

The current WPBSA world rankings place Trump first, Robertson second, Zhao third and Wu fourth.

The standings underline why the home challenge is based on genuine title credentials rather than crowd support alone.

Si Jiahui, Xiao, Pang Junxu, Zhou Yuelong, Liu Honeys and Jiang Jun add further strength throughout the draw. However, several have been paired with experienced champions, leaving little margin for a slow start.

Robertson Faces Difficult Route in Title Defence

Robertson begins his delayed title defence against Chang Bingjeng. The Australian is the top seed and world number two, but Chang produced one of the notable qualifying results by defeating 2019 runner-up Lisowski 6–1.

The winner will meet Si or Jiang in the last 16. Si has already accumulated considerable experience in major events, while Jiang came through a tight 6–4 qualifier against Jimmy Robertson.

The next section features Selby against Pang and Wilson against Aaron Hill. Selby has won the China Open three times, including consecutive titles in 2017 and 2018. Wilson, meanwhile, arrives after reaching the Shanghai Masters final.

Hill showed resilience during qualifying by recovering from 4–0 down to beat Gary Wilson 6–5. That comeback should discourage any assumption that Kyren Wilson has received a straightforward opening assignment.

If the seeds progress, Selby and Wilson will meet in the last 16 before a possible quarter-final against Robertson. It is a difficult section containing three players with the tactical discipline to control long, closely fought matches.

Higgins and Bingham Meet in Standout Opener

John Higgins against Stuart Bingham is arguably the most evenly balanced first-round contest.

Both are former world champions with experience managing best-of-11 matches, and neither is likely to be unsettled by the significance of the occasion. Bingham qualified emphatically by defeating Luca Braced 6–0, while Higgins enters the venue stages directly as one of the seeds.

The winner will face Mark Allen or the winner of Liu Lineal versus Hussein Vafaei. Allen’s presence strengthens the section, although he will not know his opponent until the wildcard round has been completed.

On the other side of that quarter, Chris Wakelin meets Tom Ford before Zhao takes on Zhang. Ford’s route to Taiyuan was particularly dramatic: he recovered from 5–0 down against Liam Highfield and won the deciding frame on the final black.

That comeback makes Ford a dangerous opponent for Wakelin, especially if the match remains close during its later stages.

Key First-Round Matches to Watch

Ding against Gilbert carries immediate significance because of the potential meeting with Wu. Ding will receive strong support, but Gilbert has enough scoring ability and match experience to disrupt the anticipated all-Chinese last-16 contest.

Higgins versus Bingham offers the strongest concentration of proven championship experience. It is also a match in which small positional errors could matter more than sustained attacking exchanges.

Murphy against Salt has upset potential. Murphy should create more chances through his long potting, although Salt’s qualifying victory over Carter showed that he can stay involved when a match becomes tense.

Mark Williams opens against Zhou Yuelong. Williams are bidding to win the event for a fourth time, while Zhou earned his place with a 6–3 qualifying victory. Their meeting opens the main round alongside Ding versus Gilbert.

Trump against Saengkham will provide the first indication of whether the Shanghai champion has carried his form into Taiyuan. Saengkham is unlikely to adopt a cautious approach so that the opening session could develop into one of the quickest-scoring matches of the round.

China Open 2026 Draw and UK Start Times

The confirmed wildcard and first-round schedule is listed below. All times are BST and may be subject to late changes. The latest information is available through the official China Open draw and schedule.

How to Watch the China Open in the UK

TNT Sports will show the tournament live in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with streaming also available through HBO Max. Coverage is scheduled throughout the event, from the wildcard matches on 8 August to the final on 16 August.

Robertson’s status as defending champion gives the tournament a link to its previous era, but the landscape has changed considerably since 2019. Wu is now a world champion, Zhao is among the highest-ranked players in the game, and Trump begins the week with another major trophy already secured.

The first meaningful answers will come on Saturday morning. Ding and Williams will open the main round before Wu begins his campaign later in the day. This sets the tone for a tournament in which the home challenge could shape every stage of the draw.