Mark Joyce, a 43-year-old snooker player from Walsall, received a last-minute chance to enter the British Open after Ronnie O'Sullivan withdrew from the tournament. Joyce has made the most of the opportunity, advancing to the last 16 with three straight wins and only one frame lost so far. He defeated Mateusz Baranowski 4-1, Jordan Brown 4-0, and Pang Junxu 4-0 in a late-night match on Wednesday. Now, Joyce faces a tougher challenge in the next round, as he will take on world number one Zhao Xintong. Zhao Xintong, the top-ranked player in the world, showed strong form in his previous match, defeating Michael Holt 4-0 in just 40 minutes and 29 seconds. Zhao made impressive breaks of 100, 63, 139, and 112 during the match. Before the final frame, Holt humorously told the crowd, "I'll start trying now," but Zhao continued his dominance by scoring another century break. In the same session, John Higgins also won a frame against Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon, though his match lasted 46 minutes. Zhao has spoken about difficulties he has faced with his cue in certain weather conditions. During an interview with Metro, he mentioned that his cue, which he has used for nearly 15 years, does not perform well in wet or sweaty conditions. He explained that he has been trying to find a new cue for almost half a year because he wants to improve his performance in different weather situations. However, his cue seemed to be working well during his match against Holt on Thursday. As the competition progresses, Zhao remains the favorite to win the British Open, according to bookmakers, ahead of other top players like Judd Trump, Mark Selby, and John Higgins. Trump is set to face either Liam Davies or Dave Gilbert in the next round, while Selby will play against Ukraine's Iulian Boiko. Higgins, meanwhile, will take on English teenager Stan Moody. The match between Joyce and Zhao on Thursday night will be a crucial test for the older player as he aims to continue his strong performance and move further in the tournament.