China Open 2026 Predictions — 9 August
Day two of the China Open 2026 — and already more interesting. Today sees Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump and Shaun Murphy take to the table in Taiyuan. Four first round matches across two sessions. We break down every one.
07:00 BST — First Round
Judd Trump 🏴 vs Noppon Saengkham 🇹🇭
Favourite: Judd Trump
Trump arrives in Taiyuan in the best possible form. He won the Shanghai Masters just days ago — whitewashing John Higgins 6-0 in the quarter-finals and beating world champion Wu Yize 10-6 in the semi-finals along the way. World number one, 31 ranking titles, a record 107 centuries in the 2024/25 season. A man in full flow.
Noppon Saengkham is an experienced Thai professional ranked 46th in the world. He is no pushover — he has reached the last 16 of the China Open before and consistently qualifies for major events. But against Trump in this form, the task is enormous.
The only real question is whether Trump risks a post-tournament dip. It happens — a player wins a big event and comes out flat in the very next match. But Trump has shown this season that he can sustain momentum across consecutive tournaments. Expect him to move through efficiently.
🎯 Prediction: Trump, 6-2
Xiao Guodong 🇨🇳 vs Anthony McGill 🏴 (or wildcard 🇨🇳)
Favourite: Xiao Guodong
An intriguing match — assuming McGill came through his wildcard round on Saturday, he faces a tough assignment against Xiao. We preview the McGill scenario here.
Xiao Guodong is ranked 11th in the world and one of the most dangerous Chinese players in ranking events. At the Shanghai Masters he made a 147 maximum break against Neil Robertson and led 5-2 before losing 5-6 in the deciding frame. That defeat could have left a mark — or it could have made him sharper and more determined.
Xiao plays at home in China, in front of a crowd that will back him every frame. His form is clearly there — a maximum break speaks for itself. These are the tournaments he thrives in: big, high-stakes, ranking events with genuine consequences.
McGill is experienced and composed under pressure. But Xiao at home after Shanghai is a very difficult proposition.
🎯 Prediction: Xiao Guodong, 6-3
12:30 BST — First Round
Ronnie O’Sullivan 🏴 vs Jackson Page 🏴
Favourite: O’Sullivan — but with questions
The match of the day. Ronnie O’Sullivan returns to ranking action after a lengthy absence — he missed the Wuhan Open, the English Open and several other events this season. The China Open is his first ranking event of the 2026/27 campaign. At the Shanghai Masters he showed he can still operate at the highest level — three century breaks (100, 111, 131) in a 4-6 defeat to Kyren Wilson — but that was an invitational event.
His last ranking title in China came at the Shanghai Masters in 2017. Nine years ago. He has won the Shanghai Masters five times but a ranking win in China has been a long time coming. Can the China Open change that?
Jackson Page is 24, ranked 35th in the world, and one of the most consistent young players on tour. He has qualified for all five ranking events of the current season consecutively — an exceptional run that shows his reliability and mental strength. He is not a name that makes headlines, but he is exactly the kind of focused, fearless opponent who can cause problems for a player returning after a long break.
O’Sullivan is the favourite. But the first match back after an extended absence is always unpredictable. If he finds his rhythm early — Page won’t be able to stop him. If he doesn’t — this could be closer than expected.
🎯 Prediction: O’Sullivan, 6-3
Shaun Murphy 🏴 vs Matthew Selt 🏴
Favourite: Shaun Murphy
A fully English affair — and a match that will attract less attention than O’Sullivan vs Page, but could be no less competitive.
Shaun Murphy is ranked 6th in the world and reached the World Championship final in 2026 before losing to Wu Yize 17-18 in the deciding frame. He then lost to Wu again in the Shanghai Masters quarter-finals 5-6. Two heartbreaking defeats to the same opponent in quick succession. Murphy looks like a man who needs a result — not just for the ranking points, but for his own momentum.
Matthew Selt is ranked 43rd. A reliable tour professional who can be a dangerous opponent on his day. In qualifying he defeated Ali Carter 6-5 after coming from behind — a result that showed he can deliver under pressure when it matters.
Murphy should be the stronger player and the clear favourite. But he arrives carrying the weight of two consecutive painful losses. If the match goes to a deciding frame, Selt will believe he has a chance — and rightly so.
🎯 Prediction: Murphy, 6-4
Predictions Summary — 9 August
| Time (BST) | Match | Predicted Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07:00 | Trump vs Saengkham | Trump | 6-2 |
| 07:00 | Xiao Guodong vs McGill | Xiao | 6-3 |
| 12:30 | O’Sullivan vs Page | O’Sullivan | 6-3 |
| 12:30 | Murphy vs Selt | Murphy | 6-4 |
Match of the Day
O’Sullivan vs Page — without question. The Rocket’s first ranking match of the new season, after months away, in a country where he once dominated. Page is not the most comfortable opponent for a first match back after a long break. This match will tell us exactly what shape O’Sullivan is in — and whether his China Open campaign is one to watch or one that ends quickly.
Follow live scores, results and updates from the China Open 2026 at snooker.news.
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