Vafaei Completes Stunning Comeback to Reach Shenzhen Open Final Stages

Hossein Vafaei produced a sensational fightback to book his place in the final stages of the Shenzhen Open, recovering from a three-frame deficit to defeat Poland’s Antoni Kowalski 5-4.

The Iranian continued his impressive start to the new campaign, adding Shenzhen qualification to his appearances in the final stages of both the Wuhan Open and China Open.

Vafaei Battles Back

Kowalski appeared to be in complete control after compiling breaks of 94, 69 and 93 to establish a commanding 4-1 lead and move within one frame of victory.

However, Vafaei responded in emphatic fashion. A superb 134 sparked the comeback before further contributions of 69 and 80 helped him claim the final four frames and complete a memorable turnaround.

Slessor Edges High-Quality Thriller

Elliot Slessor also secured his place in the final stages after coming through a dramatic deciding-frame contest against Chang Bingyu.

The Englishman held his nerve when it mattered most, producing a superb century break of 102 in the final frame to seal a 5-4 victory. Despite the defeat, Chang showcased his excellent scoring ability with breaks of 130, 142 and 131 in a thrilling encounter.

Carter Cruises Through

Ali Carter enjoyed a comfortable evening as he defeated He Guoqiang 5-1 to progress.

The six-time ranking event winner produced two excellent century breaks of 104 during the match to underline his strong form at the start of the new season.

Maguire and Wilson Advance

Stephen Maguire also booked his place in the final stages with a 5-3 victory over Lan Yuhao.

Gary Wilson completed the list of qualifiers from the session after a convincing 5-2 win against Luo Zetao.

With the qualifying rounds nearing their conclusion, the race for places in the Shenzhen Open final stages continues to provide plenty of drama, high-quality scoring and exciting matches.