Category: Snooker

Jamie Jones picked up where he left off at the World Championship in April to ease through to the last 32 of the Championship League in Leicester.

The Welshman stunned Neil Robertson 10-9 to qualify for the Crucible before losing 10-6 to John Higgins in the first round, but showed he has lost none of his scoring quality or trademark grit at the season’s first ranking event.

Jones produced a 124 break in a 3-0 win over Chris Totten in Group 30, drew 2-2 with Ishpreet Singh Chadha, before recovering from 2-0 behind to earn a draw with Liu Hongyu as breaks of 99 and 68 saw the world No. 41 edge out Chadha on frame difference.

He was joined in the next phase by Ben Woollaston, who topped Group 29 on seven points in his home city, after following up a 2-2 draw with Stan Moody by completing wins over Dylan Emery (3-0) and Dominic Dale (3-1).

World Championship runner-up Jak Jones is in action on Monday at the Mattioli Arena.

There is £33,000 on the table for the winner plus a spot in the Champion of Champions later in the year which is worth another £12,500 for qualifying.

• Group 21: Neil Robertson (AUS)
• Group 11: Ryan Day (WAL)
• Group 4: Mark Williams (WAL)
• Group 17: Chris Wakelin (ENG)
• Group 25: Matthew Stevens (WAL)
• Group 31: Ashley Carty (ENG)
• Group 23: Michael White (WAL)
• Group 22: Joe O’Connor (ENG)
• Group 10: Jackson Page (WAL)
• Group 32: Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (THA)
• Group 30: Jamie Jones (WAL)
• Group 29: Ben Woollaston (ENG)

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh and Jackson Page became the latest men to reach the last 32 of the Championship League in Leicester boosted by some timely century breaks.

Thai speed merchant Un-Nooh enjoyed wins against Mark Joyce (3-1) and Julien Leclercq (3-0), with a 2-2 draw against Daniel Wells seeing him end his day unbeaten as Group 32 winner on seven points.

Un-Nooh produced sparkling breaks of 106 and 104 against Leclercq to finish two points clear of Wells in his section, while Page’s crucial 127 in his 3-1 win over Robert Milkins saw him edge out Andrew Higginson as Group 10 winner after both men finished on five points with identical frame difference.

Page had earlier drawn his first two matches 2-2 against Higginson and Iulian Boiko at the Mattioli Arena.

The sixth day of the tournament continues on Saturday with Crucible qualifiers Dominic Dale and Jamie Jones in action.

The eight group winners contest a further two groups with the winners meeting in the final.

There is £33,000 on the table for the winner plus a spot in the Champion of Champions later in the year which is worth another £12,500 for qualifying.

• Group 21: Neil Robertson (Aus)
• Group 11: Ryan Day (Wal)
• Group 4: Mark Williams (Wal)
• Group 17: Chris Wakelin (Eng)
• Group 25: Matthew Stevens (Wal)
• Group 31: Ashley Carty (Eng)
• Group 23: Michael White (Wal)
• Group 22: Joe O’Connor (Eng)
• Group 10: Jackson Page (Wal)
• Group 32: Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (Tha)

Michael White became the fourth Welshman to reach the last 32 of the Championship League in Leicester by topping Group 23 on seven points at the season’s first ranking event.

After compatriots Ryan Day, Mark Williams and Matthew Stevens reached the second phase of the season’s first ranking event, White showed his quality to edge out former UK champion Stephen Maguire with a 2-2 draw.

White hit breaks of 122 and 94 in a 3-0 win over Ryan Davies before completing a 3-0 win over Dean Young boosted by knocks of 83, 74 and 98.

Needing a point to progress against Maguire, White compiled a 59 in the second frame to move 2-0 clear with the Scotsman running in 111 and 54 of his own to finish third in the section, a point behind runner-up Davies and two adrift of White.

Elsewhere on Thursday, local favourite Joe O’Connor also advanced by winning Group 22 courtesy of a win over Oliver Lines (3-1) and two draws with Harvey Chandler (2-2) and Aaron Hill (2-2) respectively.

O’Connor’s 130 break in his 2-2 draw with Chandler was key to edging out Irishman Hill after the leading duo finished on identical records on five points from three fixtures.

The fifth day of the tournament continues on Friday with speed merchants Robert Milkins and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in action.

The eight group winners contest a further two groups with the winners meeting in the final.

There is £33,000 on the table for the winner plus a spot in the Champion of Champions later in the year which is worth another £12,500 for qualifying.

• Group 21: Neil Robertson (Aus)
• Group 11: Ryan Day (Wal)
• Group 4: Mark Williams (Wal)
• Group 17: Chris Wakelin (Eng)
• Group 25: Matthew Stevens (Wal)
• Group 31: Ashley Carty (Eng)
• Group 23: Michael White (Wal)
• Group 22: Joe O’Connor (Eng)

Michael White became the fourth Welshman to reach the last 32 of the Championship League in Leicester by topping Group 23 on seven points at the season’s first ranking event.

After compatriots Ryan Day, Mark Williams and Matthew Stevens reached the second phase of the season’s first ranking event, White showed his quality to edge out former UK champion Stephen Maguire with a 2-2 draw.

White hit breaks of 122 and 94 in a 3-0 win over Ryan Davies before completing a 3-0 win over Dean Young boosted by knocks of 83, 74 and 98.

Needing a point to progress against Maguire, White compiled a 59 in the second frame to move 2-0 clear with the Scotsman running in 111 and 54 of his own to finish third in the section, a point behind runner-up Davies and two adrift of White.

Elsewhere on Thursday, local favourite Joe O’Connor also advanced by winning Group 22 courtesy of a win over Oliver Lines (3-1) and two draws with Harvey Chandler (2-2) and Aaron Hill (2-2) respectively.

O’Connor’s 130 break in his 2-2 draw with Chandler was key to edging out Irishman Hill after the leading duo finished on identical records on five points from three fixtures.

The fifth day of the tournament continues on Friday with speed merchants Robert Milkins and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in action.

The eight group winners contest a further two groups with the winners meeting in the final.

There is £33,000 on the table for the winner plus a spot in the Champion of Champions later in the year which is worth another £12,500 for qualifying.

• Group 21: Neil Robertson (Aus)
• Group 11: Ryan Day (Wal)
• Group 4: Mark Williams (Wal)
• Group 17: Chris Wakelin (Eng)
• Group 25: Matthew Stevens (Wal)
• Group 31: Ashley Carty (Eng)
• Group 23: Michael White (Wal)
• Group 22: Joe O’Connor (Eng)

Matthew Stevens finished his day in style at the Championship League as a 3-1 win over recent Crucible qualifier Robbie Williams saw the Welshman book his place in the last 32 of the season’s first ranking event in Leicester.

The world No. 48 began Wednesday with a 3-0 win over Haydon Pinhey in Group 25 before a 2-2 draw with Farakh Ajaib left Stevens needing to overcome Williams in his final outing of the section.

And classy breaks of 97, 51 and 91 were good enough to see Stevens finish as group winner, three points clear of Ajaib, and joining fellow former Masters and UK winners Neil Robertson and Mark Williams in the next group phase.

Elsewhere at the city’s Mattioli Arena, Ashley Carty enjoyed three straight wins to end his evening as Group 31 winner on nine points.

Carty defeated Mostafa Dorgham (3-0) and Simon Blackwell (3-1) before breaks of 59, 81 and 53 saw him beat Elliot Slessor in a winner-takes-all group decider.

Former UK champion Stephen Maguire takes to the table on Thursday on the fourth day of the event in Group 23 that also contains Ryan Davies, Michael White and Dean Young.

The eight group winners contest a further two groups with the winners meeting in the final.

There is £33,000 on the table for the winner plus a spot in the Champion of Champions later in the year which is worth another £12,500 for qualifying.

• Group 21: Neil Robertson (Aus)
• Group 11: Ryan Day (Wal)
• Group 4: Mark Williams (Wal)
• Group 17: Chris Wakelin (Eng)
• Group 25: Matthew Stevens (Wal)
• Group 31: Ashley Carty (Eng)

Mark Williams made a strong start to the new season by winning Group 4 at the Championship League in Leicester to reach the last 32 of the campaign’s first ranking event.

The three-time world champion drew 2-2 with Connor Benzey in his opening match before completing two 3-0 wins over Fergal Quinn and David Grace respectively to edge out Benzey on frame difference after the English amateur enjoyed 3-1 wins over Grace and Quinn.

Welsh icon Williams produced breaks of 90 and 99 against Benzey, 66 and 101 against Quinn and 87 and 115 against Grace to show he has lost none of the scoring power that helped him win the British Open and Tour Championship last season.

Elsewhere on Tuesday, former Shoot Out winner Chris Wakelin drew 2-2 with Ian Burns in his final Group 17 match to top the section on seven points.

Burns needed to win the match to deny Wakelin a last-32 spot, but a point was enough for Wakelin to finish two points above his fellow Englishman.

Wakelin had earlier completed wins over Rory McLeod (3-0) and Liam Pullen (3-0) to leave him needing one more point to progress.

The action continues on Wednesday with two-time world finalist Matthew Stevens in action.

The eight group winners contest a further two groups with the winners meeting in the final.

£33,000 is on the table for the winner plus a spot in the Champion of Champions later in the year which is worth another £12,500 for qualifying.

• Group 21: Neil Robertson (Aus)
• Group 11: Ryan Day (Wal)
• Group 4: Mark Williams (Wal)
• Group 17: Chris Wakelin (Eng)