Chinese snooker players in challenge for quadruple crown

Top Chinese snooker players Ding Junhui and Yan Bingtao have teamed up to represent China at the 2019 Snooker World Cup in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, on June 24.

Ding has won the World Cup twice with his partner Liang Wenbo, who will attend this year's competition as part of the China B team with Zhou Yuelong.

Though Ding and Liang aren't paired up this time, China has a great chance at becoming the first four-time winner in the World Cup's history, as all four athletes have been previous winners.

At the 2011 World Cup in Thailand, Ding Junhui and Liang Wenbo lifted the trophy for China for the first time.

Yan Bingtao and Zhou Yuelong distinguished themselves in 2015, at the ages of just 15 and 17 respectively, when they defeated John Higgins and Stephen Maguire in the final as China's B team.

In 2017, Ding and Liang rebounded from a 3-1 deficit against England to win China's third title in Wuxi.

However, the other 23 teams will not be handing over the championship title on a silver platter.

The English pair of Kyren Wilson and Jack Lisowski, ranking 8th and 11st in the world respectively, were both born in 1991 and are growing into top snooker stars. Meanwhile world No 3 Mark Williams will represent Wales with Ryan Day, and Scottish stars John Higgins and Stephen Maguire are sure to give their competitors a run for their money.

According to the sport's global governing body, the total prize money for this year's tournament will be $800,000.

This marks the third consecutive time Wuxi has hosted the World Cup, having held it in both 2015 and 2017, and the city has already begun preparing the Wuxi Sports Park Gymnasium for the event.