Snooker
Masters: Kyren Wilson vs Zhang Anda Odds, Tips and Predictions
Kyren Wilson is set to face Zhang Anda in the opening round of the prestigious 2025 Masters, scheduled to kick off this January. The highly anticipated encounter marks the beginning of their campaigns in one of snooker’s most iconic tournaments, where both players will aim to make an early statement on the big stage.
Kyren Wilson of England//Getty Images
Kyren Wilson and Zhang Anda meet in the opening round of the 2025 Masters, taking place in January. Wilson enters the Masters as the reigning world champion, aiming to replicate his 2018 run to the final, while Zhang returns for a second consecutive year after making his debut in 2024.
SportsBoom has a detailed preview of both players ahead of this intriguing fixture, with play set to commence on 15th January at 1 pm.
Don’t forget to inspect the numerous snooker betting sportsbooks and betting platforms to maximise your bets for this match.
Match Details
Date: Wednesday 15th January
Start time: 1 pm local time
Venue: Alexandra Palace, London
Last Meeting: 30th June – 2022 Championship League, Group 6, result was 2-2
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability: Wilson Heavy Favourite
Kyren Wilson: 2/5 (1.4) – 71.40%
Kyren Wilson: 2/5 (1.4) – 71.40%
*Forecast Odds*
Betting available on 1Win closer to event
Head-To-Head
Wilson and Zhang have played against each other only five times in 16 years, with their most recent meeting at the 2022 Championship League. The game ended in a draw, with the other four matches seeing the Chinese star boast a 3-1 winning record in their head-to-head encounters.
Zhang comfortably defeated Wilson at the 2008 International Open Series and the 2011 Q-School, and he clung on to a last-frame deciding win at the 2015 German Masters.
Due to the lack of matches played in recent times, neither player would be as familiar with each other’s game plans. This encounter is the first time both will play against each other in a triple-crown event with a first-to-six-frame format.
Last Five Matches
| Tournament | Stage | Score line |
| 2022 Championship League | Group 6 | Kyren Wilson 2-2 Zhang Anda |
| 2015 European Tour – Event 5 | Last 32 | Kyren Wilson 4-2 Zhang Anda |
| 2015 German Masters | Last 128 | Zhang Anda 5-4 Kyren Wilson |
| 2011 Q-School – Event 1 | Last 16 | Zhang Anda 4-1 Kyren Wilson |
| 2008 PIOS – Event 3 | Last 64 | Zhang Anda 4-2 Kyren Wilson |
Player Career Timeline
Kyren Wilson
- Ranking Seed: 2
- Masters Best Result: Finalist – 2018
Kyren Wilson’s World Championship success last May has sparked an impressive spell of form for the 2024/25 season. He has played in every ranking tournament this year (except the Shootout) and added two significant titles to his tally, with wins over Judd Trump in the Xi’an Grand Prix and the Northern Ireland Open final.
A quarter-final run at the International Championship, followed by a semi-final appearance at the UK Championship later that month, has provided consistent results for Wilson heading into the new year.
The second seed fell short of winning this triple crown tournament in 2018 after losing to Mark Allen 10-7. In the years following his run, “The Warrior” has struggled to hit the ground running and hasn’t progressed further than the quarterfinals.
Last 5 Ranking Tournament Runs
- 2024 UK Championship – Semi-finalist
- 2024 International Championship – Quarterfinalist
- 2024 Northern Ireland Open – Winner
- 2024 Wuhan Open – 2nd Round
- 2024 British Open – 3rd Round
Last 5 Masters Appearances
- 2024 – 1st Round
- 2023 – 1st Round
- 2022 – Quarterfinalist
- 2021 – Quarterfinalist
- 2020 – Quarterfinalist
Zhang Anda
- Ranking Seed: 10
- Masters Best Result: 1st Round – 2024
Zhang Anda secured a spot at the Masters for a second consecutive year after debuting in 2024. The Chinese star delivered his best year on tour in the previous 2023/24 season and reached three finals, one of which he won, while he is currently at his highest career ranking.
This season, he has played in every competition except the Championship League and has reached two quarterfinals at the Wuhan Open and UK Championship. He produced a run to the sixth round of the inaugural Saudi Arabia Masters before losing to Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-5.
At the tail end of 2024, at the UK Championship, Zhang produced a sensational 147 maximum break in his first-round match against fellow countryman Lei Peifan. The 32-year-old cemented his name as the 21st player to compile a maximum break at the UK Championship.
Last 5 Ranking Tournament Runs
- 2024 Snooker Shootout – 3rd Round
- 2024 UK Championship – Quarterfinalist
- 2024 International Championship – 2nd Round
- 2024 Northern Ireland Open – 1st Round
- 2024 Wuhan Open – Quarterfinalist
- 2024 English Open – 2nd Round
Zhang Anda of China//Getty Images
Value Bets
Centuries Betting – Kyren Wilson to hit at least 1: Kyren Wilson’s scoring power sees him second overall in the most century breaks produced throughout the 2024/25 season. The Kettering-born star has made 33 breaks of 100 or more and is behind only Judd Trump. SportsBoom predicts Wilson will craft at least one in his first-round clash with Zhang.
Either Player to Win Successive Frames – Kyren Wilson: We predict Wilson will win successive frames in this match. He is the heavy favourite heading into it, and his scoring power could prove too hot for Zhang to handle. Crucially, Wilson has far more experience acclimatising to the conditions at the Masters and should be able to acclimatise far more quickly.
Total Frames – Under 9.5 Frames: This match has the potential to finish in under 9.5 frames. Despite Wilson looking for that first win over Zhang in almost a decade, it can be assumed that Wilson’s form puts him in a red-hot position to win. Wilson narrowly missed out on progressing due to a last-frame deciding loss to Trump, but 12 months later, he reignited his career by winning multiple major tournaments.
Prediction: 6-3 Wilson
SportsBoom predicts the outcome to be a 6-3 win for Wilson. Zhang has had a steady year on the tour after he posted his best season the year before, but he could struggle at this tournament due to the form displayed by his opponent. There is no doubt that Zhang has the potential to cause an upset, but Wilson is the clear favourite for a reason.
Henry Cheal is a versatile freelance sports journalist with extensive experience in the industry. Henry has previously worked at the 2024 World Snooker Championship and earned a Multimedia Sports Journalism degree from UCFB in 2023.