Reanne Evans and Robert Milkins suffer China Open defeats after Michael Holt's 147 heroics in high-scoring qualifying win
Published 12/06/2026 at 13:58 GMT+1
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Reanne Evans and Robert Milkins are both out of the China Open after suffering defeats in the second qualifying round at Leicester's Mattioli Arena on Friday.
White sinks sensational 112 against O'Sullivan in China Open qualifying
Video credit: TNT Sports
Evans, a 12-time women's world champion, had enjoyed a 6-4 win over Alfie Davies in the first round, but could only win the second frame in a 6-1 defeat to Yao Pengcheng.
Yao needs two more wins to secure a trip to the final stage, but faces a tough test against World Open champion Thepchaiya Un-Nooh on Saturday afternoon at 14:30.
Meanwhile, former Welsh Open champion Robert Milkins, playing under amateur status after losing his tour card last season, was defeated 6-3 by Long Zehuang, who next faces He Guoqiang on Saturday.
'The Milkman' watched his opponent race into a 4-0 lead boosted by a 134 break in the second frame, and was always playing catch-up with Long adding a 94 in the seventh frame on his way to securing the win.
Elsewhere, former Crucible qualifier Jamie Jones compiled a classy knock of 122 in a 6-1 win over Shoot Out champion Alfie Burden to set up a meeting with Xu Si.
Michael Holt returns to the table to take on Noppon Saengkham on Saturday morning at 09:30 after producing the first 147 of his 30-year professional career in a 6-1 victory over Mark Joyce on Thursday night.
Joyce managed to stave off the whitewash with a break of 80 in the fifth frame, but it was all one-way traffic apart from that as Holt rolled in knocks of 54, 84, 71 and 64, with the 242nd maximum in the modern era coming in the third frame.
It means the first maximum of the new season has been compiled on just the second day of competition after a record 24 were produced in the 2025/26 campaign.
- Holt celebrates historic 147 as White tumbles out of China Open
- 'Snooker in his blood' - Who is the oldest player to win a match on main tour?
- 'Like asking Federer to play table tennis' - Will O'Sullivan swap snooker for another sport?
The China Open has returned to the main circuit after a seven-year absence, with four qualifying rounds being staged in Leicester between June 10-14.
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