Adam Williams presents his prediction for the World Snooker Championship match.
Zhang Anda and Pang Junxu will play their match in the morning session on Tuesday. This marks Zhang’s fifth visit to the Crucible, and Pang’s third, however, neither player has yet to secure a single victory at the Theatre of Dreams.
Zhang Anda
After debuting on the main tour in 2009, “Mighty Mouse” broke into the top 16 last season. For many years, Zhang struggled to maintain his place on the tour, rarely progressing to the latter stages of tournaments. Throughout his 13-year career, his best results were reaching the semi-finals of the General Cup and Haining Open. However, the 2023/24 season saw Anda make a significant breakthrough in his game, which immediately translated into improved results and a higher ranking. Zhang has reached the final of three ranking events. In the English Open final, Anda was defeated by Judd Trump 9-7; in the Players Championship final, Zhang lost to Mark Allen 10-8. Yet, in the International Championship final, Anda delivered a brilliant performance, defeating Tom Ford 10-6. This success helped Zhang break into the top 16 for the first time in his career, earn a place at the prestigious Masters, and qualify for the World Championship as a seeded player.
Pang Junxu
The 25-year-old talented player debuted on the tour in 2020, thanks to his performances on the CBSA tour. Pang enjoyed a strong debut season, defeating the likes of Mark Allen, Barry Hawkins, and Ding Junhui. In recognition of this excellent performance, Pang received the 2021 WST Rookie of the Year award. During the 2022/23 season, Pang reached the quarter-finals of the German Masters, the semi-finals of the Welsh Open, and the final of the WST Classic, where he lost to Mark Selby 6-2. This season also saw Pang reach the Crucible for the first time, successfully navigating qualifying matches against Ken Doherty and Xu Si. However, the draw was unkind, and in the first round, Pang was drawn against Ronnie O’Sullivan and ultimately lost 10-7. This season, Junxu has reached the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters and World Open, and played in the semi-finals of the Northern Ireland Open.
Zhang Anda vs Pang Junxu Prediction
Both players employ a balanced style of play, avoiding unnecessary risks and not forcing the issue. Zhang and Pang faced each other at the Welsh Open this season, with Pang emerging victorious 4-2. However, this encounter at the Crucible represents a significantly different challenge. Anda is now a top 16 seed, while Pang successfully navigated qualifying matches against Ashley Carty 10-2 and Jamie Jones 10-6. We anticipate that this match will extend into the second session, potentially featuring dramatic action in the closing frames. We will offer a bet on total frames over 16.5.
