LONDON, March 1 (Xinhua) -- China's top player Ding Junhui suffered an opening-round defeat as the world number nine lost to compatriot Si Jiahui 4-2 at the Gibraltar Snooker Open on Monday.

Due to the travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament is held in Milton Keynes, England.

Ding, 33 started the match badly as he trailed behind at 3-0. He managed to take the following two frames but failed to hold off his 18-year-old opponent in the sixth frame.

Ding only made one break above 50 during the match, so as newly-crowned Masters champion Yan Bingtao, who lost his first-round match to Jamie Clarke 4-1.

Ding hasn't achieved any decent result since the start of this year as he lost twice to Ronnie O'Sullivan in the first round and was knocked out of the quarterfinals at the German Masters by world number one Judd Trump.

Trump breezily past Robbie Williams 4-1 on Monday. The defending champion will meet the winner between Haydon Pinhey and Sunny Akani. Enditem

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