Chang Bingyu reaches last 16 in Jeddah, set to meet O'Sullivan

Chang Bingyu surged into the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters last 16 in Jeddah on a wave of late-burst resilience, completing a string of nerve-jangling ties to set up a high-profile clash with Ronnie O’Sullivan. The 23-year-old Chinese rising star overcame a tough path, winning five matches including deciding-frame finishes to oust Dave Gilbert and Mark Allen en route to a last-16 meeting with the Rocket. Across the arena, O’Sullivan continued his cautious return to form with a comfortable 5-0 win over Joe O’Connor, securing a fifth-round berth and keeping alive a bid for a lucrative title in the event regarded by many as snooker’s fourth major.

Chang’s journey from ban to breakthrough has defined his latest run. Once ranked 104 in the world, he is widely regarded as having more to offer than his current placement suggests. His career has been punctuated by extraordinary junior success and brief forays into the upper echelons of the professional circuit, interrupted by a two-year suspension tied to a match-fixing case that cast a long shadow over his trajectory. The disciplinary process painted a stark picture of pressure and coercion that Chang described as influencing his...