World Snooker Championship: ‘Incredible player’ – Anthony McGill and Jimmy White laud Si Jiahui at Crucible

Si Jiahui has been heralded as an “incredible player” as his next opponent at the World Snooker Championship, Anthony McGill, and Eurosport’s Jimmy White and Alan McManus praised his talent.

The 20-year-old qualifier, who previously knocked out world No. 4 Shaun Murphy, who had been one of the pre-tournament favourites, will next take on McGill in a fascinating encounter in Sheffield.

Si is the youngest World Championship quarter-finalist since Matthew Stevens in 1998, and McGill was the first to begin to pay his tributes to the rising star in his post-match interview.

“I have played him a couple of times and he has bashed me up. Such a straight cueist – his cue just goes straight through. He has an incredible technique.

“I think the pockets could be the same size as the balls and he would still pot them! He is so accurate and I will have my work cut out.”

McManus said on Eurosport: “The three best players of all time came here on debut and went down at the first time of asking.

“There is something about this kid. He really loves it here. I don’t know if it is a lack of history because of his tender years, but whatever it is, he has got the make-up to just handle this place.

“He is handling it beautifully – but with a word of warning. At some stage, whether it is Ronnie or Luca going forward, they are going to put it to him, win three, four, five frames in a row, then how will he respond?

“That is fascinating for me. But up until now, this boy is a star.”

White agreed and added: “Absolutely. He fell off the tour last year, but instead of going back to China, he decided to stay in the UK.

“He travelled all around the country playing in all the amateur events and won quite a lot of them.

“He did that for a whole year on his own. Every credit to him.

“This guy can pot balls. This young lad can pot them off the lampshade, can’t he? You will have to put him on the baulk cushion. He is a great player.”

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