Category: Snooker

Alexander Ursenbacher completed the only victory in Group 26 to reach the last 32 of the Championship League at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester.

On a day when Scotland and Switzerland drew 1-1 at Euro 2024, it was the talented player nicknamed ‘Federer of the Baize’ who emerged triumphant ahead of Scotland’s 2006 world champion Graeme Dott and former Indian Open champion Matthew Selt.

After two 2-2 draws with Dott and Selt, Ursenchbacher eased to a 3-0 win over Florian Nuessle to leave himself on the cusp of progress boosted by a 121 break against Dott in his tournament opener.

Dott and Selt both produced fine century breaks in a 2-2 draw, Dott with 106 to lead 2-0 and Selt responding with 119 in the fourth frame, but their third draw of the section was not enough as Ursenbacher progressed by two points.

He was joined in the second group phase by former World Seniors champion David Lilley, who powered to three straight wins in Group 27 over Liam Graham (3-0), Paul Deaville (3-0) and Yuan Sijun (3-1).

Meanwhile, new world champion Kyren Wilson begins his campaign on Thursday in Group 1 against Daniel Womersley, Scott Donaldson and Baipat Siripaporn with Iran showman Hossein Vafaei facing Josh Mulholland, Louis Heathcote and Manasawin Phetmalaikul in Group 14.

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)
• Group 8: Jak Jones (WAL)
• Group 7: Robbie McGuigan (NI)
• Group 24: Martin O’Donnell (Eng)
• Group 28: Wu Yize (CHN)
• Group 26: Alexander Ursenbacher (SUI)
• Group 27: David Lilley (ENG)

Martin O’Donnell reeled off three straight frames to complete a 3-1 win over Ricky Walden and advance to the last 32 of the Championship League at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester.

A draw would have been good enough for Walden to top Group 24 after he earlier completed wins over Umut Dikme (3-0) and Rory Thor (3-1).

But Welsh Open finalist O’Donnell edged the second frame on the final black against Walden before dominating the final two frames with a 94 break in the third frame boosting his prospects at the season’s first ranking event.

The played nicknamed ‘The MOD’ had earlier defeated Dikme 3-1 after being to held a 2-2 draw with Thor, but it ultimately did not cost him as he finished a point ahead of Walden.

Elsewhere, Chinese talent Wu Yize showed his scoring class with three straight victories against Joshua Cooper (3-1), Allan Taylor (3-1) and Ross Muir (3-1) booking his spot in the second phase of the competition as he finished five points clear of Scotland’s Muir at the top of Group 28.

Twenty-year-old Wu hit breaks of 142, 69 and 73 against Muir to finish off his day in style after he produced 64 and 86 against Taylor and 76, 76 and 83 in his win over Cooper.

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)
• Group 8: Jak Jones (WAL)
• Group 7: Robbie McGuigan (NI)
• Group 24: Martin O’Donnell (Eng)
• Group 28: Wi Yize (CHN)

World Championship runner-up Jak Jones finished his day unbeaten at the Championship League in Leicester as Jordan Brown agonisingly missed out on the last 32 of the season’s first ranking event.

With both men level on four points and frame difference heading for the final match of the day in Group 8, Jones won the first two frames 2-0 with breaks of 72 and 61 only for former Welsh Open winner Brown to level at 2-2 with runs of 54 and 87.

With Jones making the highest break of the section with an 88 in a 3-1 win over Bulcsu Revesz earlier on Monday, Brown needed an 89 to deny Jones, but came up two points short as his opponent became the seventh Welshman to reach the second group stage.

Brown had earlier completed a 3-1 win over Revesz with both players drawing 2-2 with Antoni Kowalski to set up the group decider.

Elsewhere on Monday, Northern Irish teenager Robbie McGuigan edged Barry Pinches and Sanderson Lam on frame difference despite losing 3-1 to Norwich cueman Pinches in the final match of Group 7.

Pinches defeated local favourite Tom Ford 3-1 before Ford withdrew from the event due to medical reasons, but a 3-1 loss to Sanderson Lam ultimately buried Pinches’ hopes with McGuigan also defeating Lam 3-0.

McGuigan finished a frame better off than Pinches on six points and two frames above Lam.

Ricky Walden takes to the table on Tuesday in Group 24 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)
• Group 8: Jak Jones (WAL)
• Group 7: Robbie McGuigan (NI)

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)