Stephen Maguire moved a step nearer to snapping his five-year rating occasion drought by successful Group B of Championship League Snooker on Friday.
After virtually three weeks of motion, Stage Two of the season’s first rating occasion lastly commenced on the Mattioli Area in Leicester.
Regardless of the very fact there are hardly any star names within the subject, Maguire discovered himself in a tough foursome.
The Scot was up towards Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, Yuan Sijun, and Zhang Anda – one among solely two members from the highest 16 within the competitors’s final 32.
Maguire drew his opening contest with Yuan earlier than orchestrating a 3-1 defeat of Un-Nooh.
A winner-takes-all tie with Zhang adopted, with the latter having additionally amassed 4 factors from his opening couple of fixtures.
Zhang gained the primary body on the colors, however Maguire responded by successful the following three to advance with seven factors.
The previous world quantity two, who reached the last of the Welsh Open in February, final tasted success in a rating occasion on the 2020 Tour Championship.
In Group A, in the meantime, Joe O’Connor coasted to high spot with an ideal report of three wins from his three encounters.
The Leicester lad beat Ng On Yee 3-0 to get off to the very best excellent begin earlier than securing successive 3-1 victories over Haydon Pinhey and Elliot Slessor.
Each Stephen Maguire and Joe O’Connor will probably be again on Wednesday for Stage Three and the ultimate day of this yr’s Championship League the place the winner will probably be topped.
Previous to that, there are six extra teams to be contested in Stage Two with a pair extra on the schedule for Saturday.
In Group C, Pang Junxu will probably be up towards Scottish Open champion Lei Peifan, Robbie Williams, and world seniors champion Alfie Burden.
Jack Lisowski – one of many betting favourites within the outright market – options in Group D alongside Xu Si, David Lilley, and Artemijs Zizins.
Championship League Snooker represents the opening rating occasion of the fledgling 2025/26 snooker season.
The general winner on July twenty third will take house £33,000 price of prize cash and rating factors, plus a ticket to the profitable Champion of Champions invitational later this yr.
Stay protection is offered for Eire and UK viewers on the Matchroom Multi Sport and Matchroom Pool YouTube channels.
Friday’s Outcomes
Group A
Joe O’Connor 3-0 Ng On Yee
Elliot Slessor 2-2 Haydon Pinhey
Elliot Slessor 3-1 Ng On Yee
Joe O’Connor 3-1 Haydon Pinhey
Ng On Yee 3-1 Haydon Pinhey
Joe O’Connor 3-1 Elliot Slessor
Desk
1. Joe O’Connor – 9 factors
2. Elliot Slessor – 4 factors
3. Ng On Yee – 3 factors
4. Haydon Pinhey 1 level
Group B
Zhang Anda 3-0 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Stephen Maguire 2-2 Yuan Sijun
Stephen Maguire 3-1 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Zhang Anda 2-2 Yuan Sijun
Yuan Sijun 2-2 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Stephen Maguire 3-1 Zhang Anda
Desk
1. Stephen Maguire – 7 factors
2. Zhang Anda – 4 factors
3. Yuan Sijun – 3 factors
4. Thepchaiya Un-Nooh – 1 level
Featured photograph credit score: WST
