Si Jiahui is a future world snooker champion, insists vanquished Shaun Murphy

Ever since a raw-faced 18-year-old Ding Junhui won the UK Championship in 2005 the question has been asked, when not if a Chinese potter will conquer the Crucible.

Ding was a trailblazer for the game – winning everything in the sport including the Masters and the three UK crowns in his 14 ranking titles – but now aged 36, has failed to win snooker’s biggest prize in his adopted hometown.

His one final came in 2016 – an 18-14 defeat to Mark Selby – but Ding’s legacy is clear to see. Having relocated to Sheffield as a teenager, a legion of talented young Chinese players have since followed in his footsteps.

Many – like 20-year-old Si – are based at Victoria’s Academy, just a short walk away from the Crucible.

On Saturday, Si faces Robert Milkins in his best-of-25 second-round match in Sheffield.

He produced the shock of the opening week by knocking out Murphy 10-9 on Thursday night, and the 2005 world champion believes Si can go one step further than Ding and become the first world champion from China.

“I think he will be the first Chinese world champion – maybe not this time, but I believe he will be the first,” said Murphy.

“I see things in him that some of the other players don’t have.

“He’s got a bit of swagger, he’s very talented, plays right and left handed, gets on with it and always tries to attack. I threw everything at him, I tried my absolute best and I still lost.

“I have had many great nights at the Crucible and I will have more, but tonight was Si Jiahui’s night. He was fabulous from start to finish.”

Si – the lowest ranked player left in the tournament at 80th in the world – had to win three qualifying matches simply to reach the Crucible. He is now through to the last 16 of a ranking event for only the fourth time in his rookie career.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the match (against Murphy),” said Si, who won last year’s top amateur prize the World Snooker Federation Open to regain his place on the main Tour. “The whole arena applauded every time I got a long pot, and they did the same for my good safeties.

“That’s the best part I’ve enjoyed so far and I was able to play without any pressure.

“If I can really perform I can compete with any player. I’m playing with a great mindset because I’m not bothered about winning or losing. There will be no regrets if I can carry on with my own game.”

While Si chases a first world title, Ronnie O’Sullivan looked in the mood for a record eighth Crucible crown on Friday.

O’Sullivan shrugged off an extraordinary act of self-sabotage by opponent Hossein Vafaei to deliver a potential knockout blow in the opening session of their so-called grudge match.

O’Sullivan racked up his 200th Crucible century as part of a ruthless riposte to Vafaei’s pre-match barbs, while the Iranian did himself no favours by smashing the balls from his first break-off in an ill-judged reaction to perceived disrespect shown to him by O’Sullivan performing the same shot in their last meeting two years ago.

Vafaei’s blast cued up O’Sullivan to mop up with a break of 78 and the defending champion went on to fashion a 6-2 overnight advantage in their second-round clash, leaving him an opportunity to wrap up victory with a session to spare when they resume on Saturday afternoon.

The Iranian was accused of “stupidity” and “disrespecting the sport” by a shocked Steve Davis in the BBC studio, while Murphy labelled Vafaei’s antics “an embarrassment” and “completely self-inflicted”.

Vafaei had launched an extraordinary verbal assault on O’Sullivan in the wake of his first-round win over Ding Junhui last Sunday, alluding to an incident in their German Masters qualifying match in 2021.

The Iranian accused O’Sullivan of “disrespect” for smashing open the balls from his break-off shot in the final frame of that match, which Vafaei won 5-0. Vafaei added: “He (O’Sullivan) is such a nice person when he is asleep.”

As snooker grudge matches go, it was not exactly at the level of Cliff Thorburn lamping Alex Higgins in a back room at the 1983 Irish Open, nor volatile Australian Quinten Hann offering his opponent Andy Hicks out for a post-frame fight in 2004.

Vafaei offered a wry smile which was not returned by his opponent as they briefly touched glove.

But it was Vafaei’sbreak-off in frame two which stunned the Crucible, prompting a baffled Davis to insist: “That is stupidity, or you just don’t care about being a world champion.”