Mark Williams sizzles to reach Championship League snooker final day, but Kyren Wilson suffers shock exit
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ByEurosport
Updated 18/07/2023 at 09:19 GMT
Mark Williams and Chris Wakelin booked their spots in the final day of the Championship League in Leicester. Three-time world champion Williams won three straight matches to top Group F on nine points with Shoot Out winner Wakelin edging out Kyren Wilson 3-1 in their Group E decider to progress. The first ranking event of the season has total prize money of £328,000 with the final on Friday.
Watch: Overhead view of spectacular Mark Williams 147 in English Open quarter-final
Mark Williams won all three matches without dropping a frame on Monday in coasting through to the Championship League last eight as Group F winner in Leicester.
The three-time world champion began his day with a 3-0 win over Barry Pinches before adding further 3-0 victories over Martin O'Donnell and Robbie Williams respectively to progress with a maximum nine points.
“I got off to a flyer in the last match, I don’t think he potted a ball," said Williams. "You have to keep your discipline. I played a few good frames.
"The first four or five frames, they could have gone the opposite way. It just went my way today."
2020 Crucible finalist Kyren Wilson needed a point against Chris Wakelin in his final Group E match after defeating Sanderson Lam (3-0) and Anthony Hamilton (3-0), but a 3-1 loss to Wakelin ended his ambitions of claiming the title for a third time.
Both men traded centuries with Wakelin edging out Wilson by a point at the top of the section courtesy of a clinical closing knock of 114.
“It’s a tough format. You have to get results in every single game. It’s feasible that two wins and a draw aren’t enough in this format," said Wakelin, who drew 2-2 with Lam after a 3-0 whitewash win over Hamilton.
“It’s a tough format. You have to get results in every single game. It’s feasible that two wins and a draw aren’t enough in this format," said Wakelin, who drew 2-2 with Lam after a 3-0 whitewash win over Hamilton.
"Playing a good friend of mine in Kyren, and I have learned a lot from him but out on the match table you’re out there to win and finish with a century, there is no better way to win.
"Last year was a big breakthrough year for me, knowing that I did it in this very arena has given me the belief when the moment comes.
"To go out there and do it against Kyren when it really matters, that’s where the experience from the Shoot Out has helped me grow.”
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Watch as Chris Wakelin dominates final frame with sensational 119 break to claim Shoot Out title
Wilson is due to begin the defence of the European Masters in Nuremberg next month against Dean Young of Scotland.
The eight winners of the Championship League groups in the last 32 will contest two further groups of four before the final between the final group winners will determine the champion at the Morningside Arena on Friday evening.
World Championship qualifiers Robert Milkins, Si Jiahui and Pang Junxu are in action in Group H on Tuesday while Noppon Saengkham is the headline act in Group C.
The tournament carries total prize money of £328,000 with the winner also earning a spot in the elite 16-player Champion of Champions event in Bolton in November.
Stage Two Group winners
- Group E: Chris Wakelin (Eng)
- Group F: Mark Williams (Wal)
Tuesday 18 July
Group C
- Ashley Carty (Eng)
- Liu Hongyu (Chn)
- Daniel Wells (Wal)
- Noppon Saengkham (Tha)
Group H
- John Astley (Eng)
- Robert Milkins (Eng)
- Si Jiahui (Chn)
- Pang Junxu (Chn)
Wednesday 19 July
Group A
- Michael Holt (Eng)
- Xiao Guodong (Chn)
- Ben Woollaston (Eng)
- Zhou Yuelong (Chn)
Group D
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (Tha)
- David Gilbert (Eng)
- James Cahill (Eng)
- Shaun Murphy (Eng)
Thursday 20 July
Group B
- Cao Yupeng (Chn)
- Joe Perry (Eng)
- Matthew Stevens (Wal)
- Judd Trump (Eng)
Group G
- MIchael White (Wal)
- Sam Craigie (Eng)
- Long Zehuang (Chn)
- Jak Jones (Wal)
Stage One Group Winners
- Group 3: Ashley Carty (Eng)
- Group 30: Daniel Wells (Wal)
- Group 11: Martin O'Donnell (Eng)
- Group 21: Chris Wakelin (Eng)
- Group 10: Michael White (Wal)
- Group 22: Robbie Williams (Eng)
- Group 5: Kyren Wilson (Eng)
- Group 29: Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (Tha)
- Group 6: Mark Williams (Wal)
- Group 27: Barry Pinches (Eng)
- Group 32: Xiao Guodong (Chn)
- Group 16: Ben Woollaston (Eng)
- Group 15: Matthew Stevens (Wal)
- Group 28: Anthony Hamilton (Eng)
- Group 17: Zhou Yuelong (Chn)
- Group 26: Jak Jones (Wal)
- Group 7: Long Zehuang (Chn)
- Group 24: Pang Junxu (Chn)
- Group 8: Robert Milkins (Eng)
- Group 23: Sam Craigie (Eng)
- Group 20: James Cahill (Eng)
- Group 25: Si Jiahui (Chn)
- Group 1: Michael Holt (Eng)
- Group 19: Noppon Saengkham (Tha)
- Group 2: Judd Trump (Eng)
- Group 18: Joe Perry (Eng)
- Group 4: Shaun Murphy (Eng)
- Group 12: Sanderson Lam (Eng)
- Group 13: David Gilbert (Eng)
- Group 31: Cao Yupeng (Chn)
- Group 9: John Astley (Eng)
- Group 14: Liu Hongyu (Chn)
Championship League Stage 1
- June 26-30
- July 3-8
- July 10-14
Championship League Stage 2
- July 17-20
Championship Stage 3
- July 21
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