Liu Song
Name: Liu Song
DOB: December 8th, 1983
Nationality: Chinese
Turned Pro: 2003
Highest Ranking: #53 (2008/9)
Current Ranking: #53
Highest Break: 140 (2007 Grand Prix)
Career Highlights: 2007 Grand Prix Quarter Finalist, 2003 IBSF Under-21 World Championship Finalist, 2004 Welsh Open last 32
Career summary
The highlights of Liu Song’s amateur career came in the World under-21 Championships where he made the quarter-finals in 2002 before losing out to countryman Ding Junhui who eventually won the event. The following year he managed to do even better, reaching the final where he was defeated 11-5 by Australian Neil Robertson.
Still, he had impressed enough to earn a wildcard spot on the main tour for the 2003/4 season and duly became the first Chinese player to reach the TV stages of a ranking event at the Welsh Open before going down 5-3 to Marco Fu. Despite missing the first event of the season, good performances like this saw him just about maintain a place on the main tour, entering the rankings in 90th position.
2004/5 was not quite as successful however and Liu lost his place, though by finishing top of the PIOS in 2005/6 he ensured that his absence would not be for more than a single season.
Second spell
His second run on the main tour has been more successful however as in 2006/7 he defeated four players to make the last 48 of the UK Championship before losing to Welshman Ryan Day, while he also made the third qualifying round of the World Championship. Although the rest of his season was pretty poor, the extra ranking points on offer at these two big tournaments ensured that he had done enough to move into the rankings at number 72.
2007/8 proved to be quite similar as he again won several matches in both the UK and World qualifiers to help him up to a career high ranking of 53rd position. The real highlight came at the Grand Prix however where he defeated Stephen Maguire to reach his first ever quarter-final where he lost out 5-0, again to Marco Fu.
2008/9
Starting the 2008/9 season ranked 38th on the provisional list, it looked like the path was clear for Liu to continue his rise up the rankings and break into the top 48 for the first time. 2008/9 though proved to be a disaster as after the season-opening Northern Ireland Trophy he failed to win another match until the World Championship qualifiers six months later.
Though his win over Supoj Saenla was enough to keep him on the tour, finishing the year in 59th position on the two-years and 77th on the one-years, he has given himself a lot of work to do if he is to stay inside the top 64.
