Si Jiahui and Stuart Bingham cruised through to stage two qualification, and both remained undefeated to top their respective groups, at the BetVictor Championship League Snooker, Mattioli Arena, Leicester.
World number 20 Si Jiahui opened his new season with a 3-0 whitewash over former world senior champion Peter Lines with a 52 break in the 2nd frame his best of the match.
2015 world champion Stuart Bingham had to settle for a 2-2 draw against Hamim Hussain in his first match of the season. Bingham had ran out to a 2-0 lead before Hussain fought back brilliantly with a break of 46 followed by a 106 clearance in the final frame.
Both players secured 3-0 victories in their next matches, with Si Jiahui’s coming against Zak Surety with breaks of 74 and 82. Whilst Ball-Run’s first win of the day coming against Ahmed Elsayed with breaks of 70, 70, 71, and 110.
Having secured group qualification with a match to spare thanks to results elsewhere in group 13, Si Jiahui secured his third victory of the day in the form of a 3-1 result against Jimmy Robertson.
Stuart Bingham’s last match of the day against Anthony Hamilton had it all to play for, with Hussain sitting on 5 points at the top of group 18, both Bingham and Hamilton could qualify with a win against each other, a point enough for Bingham but Hamilton needing a break of 111 should he draw.
However it was Ball-Run who took matters into his own hands, running out to a 2-0 lead with breaks of 64, 56, and 42.
Hamilton took the third frame with a break of 69 to leave it all on the final frame. But Bingham got in first and with mini breaks of 14, 12, and 26 secured the three points to top group 18.
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 tomorrow (22nd June). For details on how to watch, click here.
(Photo by Zheng Zhai)
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