Stuart Carrington and Long Zehuang both secured qualification to stage two, and remained undefeated to top their respective groups, at the BetVictor Championship League Snooker, Mattioli Arena, Leicester.
Carrington opened up his 2024/25 snooker season against 17-year old Gong Chenzhi of China, securing a 3-1 win over the highly rated youngster, a superb century break of 107 in the fourth frame his highest of the match.
The world number 86 then faced veteran Gerard Greene, overcoming GG 3-0 thanks to breaks of 36, 31, taking firm control of group 20.
It set up a group final between Carrington and top seed Pang Junxu, with the Brit needing just a point and Pang requiring a victory to top group 20.
Carrington took an opening scrappy frame before Pang responded with a 67 break in frame two to draw level. The lengthiest frame of the match then followed, a 41-minute affair that eventually saw the Brit take thanks to a break of 33.
With the group secured, Junxu fired in a break of 57 to share the points and confirm place as second in group 20.
Meanwhile on table two, Long Zehuang cruised to stage two qualification with a match to spare in group 19, dropping just three frames on his opening day of the new season.
Taking on compatriot Lei Peifan in his season opener, Long secured a comfortable 3-1 victory with breaks of 43, 73, and 38.
Long then extended his lead at the top of group 19 with his second 3-1 win of the day, this time coming against Welsh potter Alfie Davies with breaks of 38, 60, and 36.
And thanks to Alfie Davies’ 3-1 over Lei Peifan, in the penultimate match of group 19, Long had qualified for stage two.
A third and final 3-1 win, coming against Jamie O’Neill with breaks of 68, 78, and 98, extended his gap to five points at the top of group.
The Championship League is the first ranking event of the new season and was won last year by Shaun Murphy. The opening tournament of the season runs until July 3rd. In the first phase, 128 players are split into 32 groups of four, with those 32 group winners going through to the next round.
The tournament takes place over three stages, starting on Monday, 10 June. Winners’ Week will run from Friday 28, June concluding with Finals Day on Wednesday, 3 July. The eventual winner will also receive an invite into the 2023 Champion of Champions this November 11 to November 17 alongside the £20,000 first-place prize.
The action continues on Monday (24th June), which sees world number 11 Gary Wilson and four-time world Champion John Higgins enter as top seeds for groups 6 and 9. For details on how to watch, click here.
(Photo by Zheng Zhai)
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