Zhang Anda
Encyclopedia
Zhang Anda is a Chinese
professional snooker
player, who made his debut on the Main Tour for the 2009/2010 season
. He qualified by winning the ACBS Asian Under-21 Championship.
Standing at 5 ft 3ins tall, he is nicknamed "Mighty Mouse". Zhang lives in Romford
, England
during the snooker season and is managed by Grove Leisure, practising at their Academy facility which is also based in Romford.
was Zhang's first professional season on the tour.
It started uneventfully with a defeat in his first match in the first qualifying round of the Shanghai Masters to Craig Steadman
2–5.
His second ranking tournament, the Grand Prix, proved to be slightly more successful with wins against Ben Woollaston
5–3 and Jin Long
5–2. He was then eliminated by Welshman Dominic Dale
5–0.
He reached the last 16 of the Masters Qualifying before losing 5–3 to Andrew Higginson
.
In the UK Championship he again lost his first match against Xiao Guodong
9–5. He lost in the first qualifying round of the China Open against Chris Norbury
4–5.
The Welsh Open was slightly more successful for Zhang. A 5–2 win against Matthew Couch
and a 5–4 win against Mark Joyce
put him in the penultimate qualifying round. A 5–2 defeat by Marcus Campbell
ended his hopes of qualifying.
No-one was to expect what was to happen in the final tournament of the season, the World Championship. In his first match, he comfortably beat Craig Steadman
10–4 scoring a 101 break in the penultimate frame. This was his first century of the season. He then beat veteran John Parrott
10–6 in the next round. He scored his second century, a 113, as he won the last 5 frames to win. In the penultimate qualifying round, he beat Andrew Higginson
10–8 in a topsy turvy match. Zhang led 7–3 scoring a 114 in the process (his highest yet) before Higginson went ahead 8–7. Zhang took the last 3 to go through to the final qualifying round. Ricky Walden
, provisionally in the top 16 before the tournament, was Zhang's last qualifying match. The first 16 frames were shared before a 134 break in frame 17 and a 103 break in frame 18 for Zhang resulted in a 10–8 victory. This meant that he would be only the fourth Chinese
player to play at The Crucible
and the lowest ranked player (number 71) to qualify for tournament. He is also one of only a few players to make it to The Crucible
in their debut season. This result denied Walden a top 16 place for the following season.
On March 11, 2010, Zhang was drawn against 7 time World Snooker champion Stephen Hendry
in the first round of the World Championship. The match came down to 9 frames apiece, and the tie breaking frame went to Hendry, leaving Zhang eliminated in the first round despite holding a 9–7 lead.
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
professional snooker
Snooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
player, who made his debut on the Main Tour for the 2009/2010 season
Snooker season 2009/2010
The snooker season 2009/10 was a series of snooker tournaments played during 2009 and 2010. The following table outlines the results and dates for all the ranking and major invitational events.- Calendar :- Official rankings :...
. He qualified by winning the ACBS Asian Under-21 Championship.
Standing at 5 ft 3ins tall, he is nicknamed "Mighty Mouse". Zhang lives in Romford
Romford
Romford is a large suburban town in north east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Havering. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
during the snooker season and is managed by Grove Leisure, practising at their Academy facility which is also based in Romford.
2009/10 season
The 2009/2010 seasonSnooker season 2009/2010
The snooker season 2009/10 was a series of snooker tournaments played during 2009 and 2010. The following table outlines the results and dates for all the ranking and major invitational events.- Calendar :- Official rankings :...
was Zhang's first professional season on the tour.
It started uneventfully with a defeat in his first match in the first qualifying round of the Shanghai Masters to Craig Steadman
Craig Steadman
Craig Steadman is an English professional snooker player.Steadman reached the quarter final at the 2006 IBSF World Championships in Amman, Jordan, where he was eliminated by Manan Chandra 6-3. He reached the final of the European Snooker Championships 2008 but was defeated 7-6 by David Grace...
2–5.
His second ranking tournament, the Grand Prix, proved to be slightly more successful with wins against Ben Woollaston
Ben Woollaston
-External links:**...
5–3 and Jin Long
Jin Long
Jin Long is a Chinese professional snooker player. He has managed to regain a Main Tour place by winning the 2008 Asian Championship, beating Aditya Mehta 7–3 in the final, having had spells on the tour on three previous occasions...
5–2. He was then eliminated by Welshman Dominic Dale
Dominic Dale
-External links:**...
5–0.
He reached the last 16 of the Masters Qualifying before losing 5–3 to Andrew Higginson
Andrew Higginson
Andrew Higginson is an English professional snooker player, currently living in Widnes. He is best known for reaching the final of the 2007 Welsh Open as a virtual unknown...
.
In the UK Championship he again lost his first match against Xiao Guodong
Xiao Guodong
Xiao Guodong is a Chinese professional snooker player, who turned professional for in 2007 by winning the Asian Under-21 Championships.-Career:...
9–5. He lost in the first qualifying round of the China Open against Chris Norbury
Chris Norbury
Chris Norbury is an English professional snooker player. He played in the latter stages of the Paul Hunter Classic in both 2008 and 2009, losing in the first round to Shaun Murphy 4-1 in 2008, and losing to Dave Harold 4-2 in 2009....
4–5.
The Welsh Open was slightly more successful for Zhang. A 5–2 win against Matthew Couch
Matthew Couch
Matthew Couch is an English professional snooker player from Scunthorpe. A professional since 1992, Couch has had little success in ranking events, although he reached the quarter-finals of the UK Championship in 1998, and his highest break is 141 from 2002.He returned to the Main Tour for the...
and a 5–4 win against Mark Joyce
Mark Joyce
Mark Joyce is an English professional snooker player who lives in Walsall. Joyce enjoyed an outstanding amateur career, winning the European Under-19 Championship in 2001, the English Open in 2005 and the English Amateur Championship in 2006, beating Martin O’Donnell 8–3 in the final.Joyce also...
put him in the penultimate qualifying round. A 5–2 defeat by Marcus Campbell
Marcus Campbell
Marcus Campbell is a Scottish professional snooker player. He lives in Erskine. He has been ranked within the worlds top 64 for 9 consecutive seasons and is currently ranked at 24.-Career:...
ended his hopes of qualifying.
No-one was to expect what was to happen in the final tournament of the season, the World Championship. In his first match, he comfortably beat Craig Steadman
Craig Steadman
Craig Steadman is an English professional snooker player.Steadman reached the quarter final at the 2006 IBSF World Championships in Amman, Jordan, where he was eliminated by Manan Chandra 6-3. He reached the final of the European Snooker Championships 2008 but was defeated 7-6 by David Grace...
10–4 scoring a 101 break in the penultimate frame. This was his first century of the season. He then beat veteran John Parrott
John Parrott
John Parrott MBE is an English professional snooker player and TV personality.He won the World Snooker Championship in 1991, defeating Jimmy White in the final. Two years earlier he had lost 3–18 to Steve Davis, the heaviest final defeat in modern times...
10–6 in the next round. He scored his second century, a 113, as he won the last 5 frames to win. In the penultimate qualifying round, he beat Andrew Higginson
Andrew Higginson
Andrew Higginson is an English professional snooker player, currently living in Widnes. He is best known for reaching the final of the 2007 Welsh Open as a virtual unknown...
10–8 in a topsy turvy match. Zhang led 7–3 scoring a 114 in the process (his highest yet) before Higginson went ahead 8–7. Zhang took the last 3 to go through to the final qualifying round. Ricky Walden
Ricky Walden
-External links:**...
, provisionally in the top 16 before the tournament, was Zhang's last qualifying match. The first 16 frames were shared before a 134 break in frame 17 and a 103 break in frame 18 for Zhang resulted in a 10–8 victory. This meant that he would be only the fourth Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
player to play at The Crucible
World Snooker Championship
The World Snooker Championship is the leading professional snooker tournament in terms of both prize money and ranking points. The first championship was held in 1927; since 1977, it has been played at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, England...
and the lowest ranked player (number 71) to qualify for tournament. He is also one of only a few players to make it to The Crucible
World Snooker Championship
The World Snooker Championship is the leading professional snooker tournament in terms of both prize money and ranking points. The first championship was held in 1927; since 1977, it has been played at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, England...
in their debut season. This result denied Walden a top 16 place for the following season.
On March 11, 2010, Zhang was drawn against 7 time World Snooker champion Stephen Hendry
Stephen Hendry
Stephen Gordon Hendry, MBE is a Scottish professional snooker player. In 1990, he was the youngest-ever snooker World Champion, at the age of 21. He has won the World Championship a record seven times and was snooker's world number one for eight consecutive years between 1990 and 1998, and again...
in the first round of the World Championship. The match came down to 9 frames apiece, and the tie breaking frame went to Hendry, leaving Zhang eliminated in the first round despite holding a 9–7 lead.