On the fourth day of the European Snooker Championship in Antalya, Turkey, the highly anticipated knockout stage began. A total of 46 matches were played across three phases, ultimately determining the last 16 players who will continue their journey in the tournament. Among this elite group are two Maltese players: Aaron Busuttil and Chris Peplow.
Both Busuttil and Peplow had secured direct qualification to the round of 64 after topping their respective groups. However, with impressive performances, they have now successfully advanced through two more rounds.
Aaron Busuttil’s Dominant Performances
In the round of 64, Busuttil faced Germany’s Umut Dikme, who had previously eliminated a Maltese player in January during the World Snooker Federation Championship in Morocco. This time, however, Busuttil turned the tables and claimed a convincing 4-2 victory. His performance was outstanding, securing three frames with breaks of 105, 95, and an impressive 63-point clearance after initially trailing by 60 points.
Busuttil’s next challenge came in the round of 32 against Austria’s Florian Nüßle, who recently won the Q Tour Global Play-Offs on March 13 and earned a two-year World Tour Card, elevating him to professional status. Despite Nüßle’s credentials, Busuttil delivered a stunning 4-0 victory. His confidence was evident from the start, particularly in the third frame, where he registered a 65-point break. In the fourth frame, despite trailing 63-21, he executed a remarkable 47-point clearance to win 68-63 and secure his spot in the last 16.
Chris Peplow’s Steady Path to the Last 16
Peplow also delivered strong performances to reach the last 16, although his path differed slightly from Busuttil’s. In the round of 64, he faced Scotland’s Michael Collumb and secured a solid 4-1 win. Peplow dominated the match, winning the first three frames comfortably.
Later in the evening, he faced 14-year-old Ukrainian prodigy Matvei Lagodzinschii in the round of 32. Peplow initially took a 2-0 lead, but Lagodzinschii fought back to level the match at 2-2. However, Peplow regained control in the final two frames, securing a 4-2 victory and earning a place in the last 16.
Other Maltese Performances
Aside from Busuttil and Peplow, four other Maltese players were in action on Thursday. Arthur Cachia had the best performance among them, winning his preliminary round match against Ireland’s John Sutton 3-1. However, he was later eliminated in the round of 64 by Northern Ireland’s Fergal Quinn, losing 4-2.
The remaining three Maltese players were knocked out in the preliminary round before reaching the last 64. Brian Cini lost 3-0 to Wales’ Sam Thomas, Alex Borg was defeated 3-1 by Swiss player Alain Vergère, and Joseph Casha fell 3-1 to Romania’s Mihai Vladu.
Next Matches for Busuttil and Peplow in European Snooker Championship
On Friday, the penultimate day of the championship, Busuttil and Peplow will compete in the round of 16 at 8:00 AM Malta time. Both matches will be played as best-of-seven frames.
- Aaron Busuttil will take on England’s Ashley Hugill.
- Chris Peplow will face another 14-year-old rising star, Poland’s Michal Szubarczyk, who has already won two junior titles in this championship—the Under-16 and Under-18 categories.
Busuttil and Peplow have already improved on last year’s performances, where they were both eliminated in the round of 32 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Now, they aim to go even further in Antalya.
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