WST Pro Series snooker 2021: ‘He could go far’ – Mark Williams impressed with 16-year-old Gao Yang
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ByEurosport
Updated 14/03/2021 at 09:56 GMT
Mark Williams has tipped Chinese teenager Gao Yang as the next player to take the game by storm. The three-times world champion came across the 16-year-old for the first time at the WST pro series event – the Welshman won their encounter 2-0 – and was quick to heap praise on his technical ability. Williams had won two world titles before Gao was born.
Gao Yang
Image credit: Eurosport
Group P winner Mark Williams beat Gao Yang 2-0 at the WST Pro Series on Saturday before heaping praise on the 16-year-old's technical ability.
The three-times world champion described the world number 107 as a “lovely cueist” in highlighting his potential as the next player from East Asia to take the game by storm.
With Ding Junhui and Yan Bingtao lifting the UK (2005) and Masters (2021) titles in their teenage years respectively, Williams feels the 16-year-old is the next prospective champion off China's green baize conveyer belt.
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Gao Yang
Image credit: Eurosport
“Never seen or heard of this boy before, Gao Yang,” tweeted Williams about his fellow left-handed player.
“What a lovely cueist. If he keeps improving with that action there’s only one way for him to go UUUUUUUPPPPPP the rankings!”
"A lot of left handers look fluent. He's not as fluent as Zhao Xintong, but he gets on with it and looks good on the shot."
Gao won two of his first four matches – with victories against Florian Nuessle and Alex Clenshaw cancelling out losses to Robert Milkins and Williams – in what proved to be a valuable learning experience.
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