Xing and Long Earn WST Places

China’s Xing Zihao and Long Zehuang will join the World Snooker Tour for the first time from the start of the 2023/24 season after they successfully qualified from the latest CBSA qualifying event in Beijing earlier this week.

After Jiang Jun came through the first qualifying event on Wednesday, both Xing and Long made it through to the final of the second event staged by the Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association to earn their professional debuts.

Xing scored victories against Gong Chenzhi, Lin Shuai and He Guoqiang to secure his place in the semi-finals, where he would face Lei Peifan, who was competing in the qualifier just days after his defeat to James Cahill at the Cazoo World Championship confirmed the end of his four-year spell on the main tour. The match would come down to a deciding frame, which Xing claimed with a match-high break of 55 to win his professional place.

Compatriot Long defeated Wang Lei, Zhang Zhijie and Deng Haohui to reach the final round, where he overcame former professional Chen Feilong 4-1 with top breaks of 60, 54 and 53 to secure his tour card.