Fan Zhengyi
Born | Harbin, Heilongjiang, China | 27 January 2001
---|---|
Sport country | China |
Nickname | Fan-tastic[1] |
Professional | 2018–present |
Highest ranking | 29 (October 2023) |
Current ranking | 51 (as of 8 April 2024) |
Tournament wins | |
Ranking | 1 |
Fan Zhengyi (
Career
Fan started playing snooker at the age of 5 in Harbin. Just one year later he finished 5th in the National Youth Pool Championships. When he was 8 he finished 3rd in the National Youth Snooker Championships.[2] A trip to Singapore at the age of 14 saw him reach the final of the 2015 Cuesports Singapore Snooker Open, losing to experienced local player Marvin Lim 5–3, after taking a 2–0 lead. [3]
Early career
In July 2017, Fan won five out of the last six frames to beat top seed Luo Honghao 7–6 and win the IBSF World Under-21 Snooker Championship at the tournament held in China. With this victory he was awarded a two-year Main Tour card for the professional snooker tour.[4][5]
He competed at the 2018 World Snooker Team Cup representing China with Zhang Jiankang but they lost to India 2–3 in the Round of 16.[6]
2018/2019
At just 17, Fan was the youngest player on the professional tour in 2018–19. His first match was a 4–1 loss to
2019/2020
Fan played in the 2019 China National Championship in Xi'an, seeded number 3, but lost in the 3rd round to Jin Long 4–2. He did however achieve the highest break in the competition of 143.
Fan's best performance in the 2019–20 season came in the English Open. After a close win against Riley Parsons 4–3, he faced Chris Wakelin. At 3-3 the match ended on a respotted black in the final frame. After easy misses by both players Fan potted it to reach the last-32 for the first time. His run was ended by Shaun Murphy 4–0.
In subsequent tournaments Fan had further victories against
In an attempt to regain his Tour Card, Fan entered the 2020 Q School. With 7 wins and no losses in the first event he was successful, beating two-time ranking event winner Michael White 4–2 in the final round, thus gaining entry to the 2020-21 and 2021-22 snooker seasons.
2020/2021
Fan played in the very first match of the 2020-21 season, against Judd Trump in a Championship League group. He finished the group in 2nd place after beating David Lilley and drawing with Alan McManus. After that he had a run of 6 losses. His only win against a professional in match longer than best-of-5 frames was a 6-4 defeat of Zak Surety in the World Championship. He finished the season ranked 118.
2021/2022
After the 2021 season, Fan returned to China for the first time in 18 months. He played in the China City teams event in Xi'an, playing for the local Shaanxi team alongside Zhao Xintong and Li Hang. They were beaten in the quarter-final by eventual winners, Shanghai.
His
In the
2022/23
In November 2022 Fan reached the semi-finals of the Champion of Champions event, held in Bolton, defeating Neil Robertson and Ryan Day in the process.[10]
In April 2023 Zhengyi defeated Stephen Maguire in the final qualifying round 10-6 to reach the World Snooker Championship, held at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield for the first time.[11]
Technique
Fan has a very unusual technique. He is very left-eye dominant, and when playing the shot, his cue is to the left of his head. Before turning professional, he was a member of the Wiraka Snooker Academy and was coached by former professional Roger Leighton.[12]
Personal life
Fan was also a promising table tennis player, but decided to concentrate on snooker. He is also a cat-lover.[citation needed]
During his first three years as a professional, he made no century breaks, despite being known as a heavy scorer in junior and amateur tournaments in China. In an interview with Liu Song he revealed that he deliberately avoided making them, wanting his first professional century to be a 147. He nearly achieved this in the World Championship against Zak Surety, but missed a difficult 13th red to a baulk pocket with the remaining balls in good positions. After this, he abandoned the plan.[13]
During the season, he lives in Sheffield and practices at the Victoria Academy. He shares a house with fellow professional snooker player Si Jiahui.[14]
Performance and rankings timeline
Tournament | 2016/ 17 |
2017/ 18 |
2018/ 19 |
2019/ 20 |
2020/ 21 |
2021/ 22 |
2022/ 23 |
2023/ 24 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ranking[15][nb 1] | [nb 2] | [nb 2] | [nb 3] | 92
|
[nb 4] | 85
|
36
|
32
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ranking tournaments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Championship League | Non-Ranking Event | RR | A | A | RR | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
European Masters | A | A | LQ | LQ | 1R | W
|
LQ | LQ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
British Open | Tournament Not Held | 1R | LQ | QF | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
English Open | A | A | 1R | 3R | 1R | LQ | 1R | 1R | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wuhan Open | Tournament Not Held | LQ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northern Ireland Open | A | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International Championship | A | LQ | 1R
|
LQ | Not Held | 1R | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UK Championship | A | A | 1R | 2R | 1R | 2R | LQ | 1R | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shoot Out | A | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 3R | 1R | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Scottish Open | A | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | LQ | LQ | LQ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
World Grand Prix | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German Masters | A | A | LQ | LQ | LQ | QF | 1R | QF | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Welsh Open | A | A | 1R | 2R | 1R | LQ | LQ | 3R | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Players Championship | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
World Open | A | LQ | LQ | LQ | Not Held | 2R | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tour Championship | Not Held | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
World Championship | A | A | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | 1R | LQ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Non-ranking tournaments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shanghai Masters | Ranking Event | 1R | A | Not Held | QF | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Champion of Champions | A | A | A | A | A | A | SF | A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Championship League | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | RR | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Former ranking tournaments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indian Open | A | A | LQ | Tournament Not Held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
China Open | 1R | LQ | LQ | Tournament Not Held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Riga Masters | A | A | LQ | LQ | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
China Championship | NR | LQ | LQ | LQ | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WST Pro Series
|
Tournament Not Held | RR | Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Turkish Masters | Tournament Not Held | 1R | Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gibraltar Open | A | A | 2R | 1R | 2R | 1R | Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WST Classic
|
Tournament Not Held | 2R
|
NH | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Former non-ranking tournaments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Haining Open | 2R | QF | 2R | A | NH | A | Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Six-red World Championship | A | A | A | A | Not Held | LQ | NH |
Performance Table Legend | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
LQ | lost in the qualifying draw | #R | lost in the early rounds of the tournament (WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin) |
QF | lost in the quarter-finals |
SF | lost in the semi-finals | F | lost in the final | W | won the tournament |
DNQ | did not qualify for the tournament | A | did not participate in the tournament | WD | withdrew from the tournament |
NH / Not Held | means an event was not held. | |||
NR / Non-Ranking Event | means an event is/was no longer a ranking event. | |||
R / Ranking Event | means an event is/was a ranking event. | |||
MR / Minor-Ranking Event | means an event is/was a minor-ranking event. |
Career finals
Ranking finals: 1 (1 title)
Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent | Score |
Winner | 1. | 2022
|
European Masters | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 10–9 |
Amateur finals: 2 (1 title)
Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent | Score |
Runner-up | 1. | 2017 | ACBS Asian Under-21 Snooker Championship | Yuan Sijun | 2–6 |
Winner | 1. | 2017 | World Under-21 Snooker Championship | Luo Honghao | 7–6 |
References
- ^ "Fan Zhengyi". World Snooker Tour. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ "Snooker life of an eight-year-old Harbin boy". 10 December 2009. Archived from the original on 27 April 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
- ^ "Singapore Snooker Open 2015 Results". 12 November 2015. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
- ^ "Fan Zhengyi Wins World Under-21 Championship - SnookerHQ". 17 July 2017. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
- ^ "China's youth dominates the top amateur snooker scene". Blasting News. 17 July 2017. Archived from the original on 2018-05-29. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
- ^ "World Snooker Team Cup: India in Doha semis - The Peninsula Qatar". www.thepeninsulaqatar.com. 2 March 2018. Archived from the original on 2019-12-27. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
- ^ "Rocket to face Fan in European Masters final". RTÉ.ie. 2022-02-26. Archived from the original on 2022-02-27. Retrieved 2022-02-27.
- ^ "Fan beats O'Sullivan 10-9 in final". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 2022-02-28. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
- ^ "China's Fan Stuns O'Sullivan In Dramatic Final". World Snooker. 2022-02-27. Archived from the original on 2022-02-28. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
- ^ "FAN ZHENGYI REACHES SEMI-FINALS AT 2022 CAZOO CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS". Championofchampionssnooker.co.uk. November 1, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
- ^ "World Snooker Championship: Jak Jones beats Barry Hawkins in final qualifying round". BBC Sport. April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
- ^ "Snooker coach Roger has China in his hands". Archived from the original on 2018-05-29. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
- ^ "Interview with Fan Zhengyi". Archived from the original on 2021-08-12. Retrieved 2021-08-12.
- ^ "Fan Thrilled to Bounce Back". September 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-05-11. Retrieved 2020-09-02.
- ^ "Ranking History". Snooker.org. Archived from the original on 19 December 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
External links
- Fan Zhengyi at the World Snooker Tour
- Fan Zhengyi at snooker.org