Zhang Anda vs Pang Junxu Preview & Prediction | 2025 World Snooker Championship | First Round

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It’s an all-Chinese affair in the first round as Zhang Anda and Pang Junxu both seek a Crucible victory for the first time in their respective careers.

Start date/time: Tuesday 22nd April, 2025: UK – 10:00am / US ET – 5:00am / US PT – 2:00am

How to watch on TV: UK – BBC & TNT Sports / US – Not televised

How to watch online: UK – BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website & discovery+ / US – Cannot be streamed

Tickets: Visit here for the latest ticket information

Zhang Anda vs Pang Junxu prediction

After an excellent 2023-24 season during which he won the International Championship and reached a further two ranking finals, Zhang Anda has been unable to replicate that success this time around, although he did manage to reach the quarter-finals of the UK Championship for the second year in a row, where he lost to eventual champion Judd Trump.

The world number 12 is making his fifth appearance at the Crucible, but he has a torrid record in Sheffield having lost in the first round in each of his four entries to date.

Pang Junxu came through two rounds of qualifying to reach the main draw for the third successive year. Like his compatriot though, he is yet to taste victory on the World Championship stage.

The 25-year-old, the Rookie of the Year in 2021, reached the semi-finals of the Northern Ireland Open in October while he was a quarter-final loser at both the World Open and the unranked Shanghai Masters.

One of these players will record a Crucible win for the first time in their careers, but we’re going against the bookies here and backing Junxu, who should be the sharper of the two given his recent qualifying success.

Zhang Anda vs Pang Junxu tip: Pang Junxu to win