Welsh teenager Liam Davies swept to three victories out of three to win Group 6 of the BetVictor Championship League Ranking event in Leicester, while Iran’s Amir Sarkhosh topped Group 7 to progress.
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Davies faced a crucial final game against defending champion Ali Carter, where he fired in a match and group winning 62 to come through a 3-1 victor. He set up his progression with 3-1 defeats of Jack Bradford and Huang Jiahao. Davies composed a superb 135 during his victory against Bradford.
Sarkhosh came through an extremely tight day of play in Group 7. The only match win of the day saw him beat Alex Clenshaw 3-1. Every other match in the group ended in a 2-2 draw. He needed to take the final frame of the day against Gary Wilson to progress, which he did in style with a break of 129 to end 2-2.
The action continues on Tuesday with the likes of Jack Lisowski and Pang Junxu taking to the baize.
This format can be really harsh. Bai Yulu was undefeated yesterday, yet came only third in her group. Gary Wilson came second solely because his highest break was higher than hers. It makes a 1000 points difference in the ranking list, 1000 points that surely matter more to Bai than to Gary. Of course those are the rules and they are known by all from the start but … anyway…
All the same, the women on tour have registered some very encouraging results in the early stages of the season.
This is the report by WST on what happened yesterday at the 2025 ranking CLS played in Leicester:
Bingham And Slessor Dominate Groups
Stuart Bingham and Elliot Slessor both reeled off three wins out of three to reach the second phase of the BetVictor Championship League.
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They will be among the 32 round one group winners in stage two which starts on July 18th in Leicester.
Former World Champion Bingham started Group 11 with a 3-0 win over Halim Hussain, making breaks of 83 and 102. He went on to beat Hatem Yassen 3-0 with top runs of 85 and 84, and finished the day with a 3-1 success against Antoni Kowalski, who finished second in the group having won his first two matches.
Slessor opened Group 17 with a 3-1 defeat of Mark Lloyd with a top break of 95. He then saw off Oliver Brown 3-0 and wrapped up the day with a 3-1 victory over Stan Moody, highlighted by a run of 113.
Play resumes on Monday with defending champion Ali Carter and Gary Wilson among those in action.
I have to confess that I couldn’t muster much interest for the snooker on offer yesterday, especially with Wimbledon and the Tour de France1 in progress as well. The only player I wanted to watch yesterday is Antoni Kowalski who did rather well, which pleased me.
Marco Fu has been named as the inaugural WPBSA Players’ Player of the Month by his fellow players following the launch of the new monthly award this season.
Launched by WPBSA Players, the Players’ Player of the Month award recognises outstanding performance, as voted by fellow players. Its key aim is to honour excellence, consistency, and impact on the table, as recognised by those who understand the demands of the game best.
Each month throughout the 2025/26 season a shortlist will be compiled by an independent panel. The panel includes renowned snooker broadcasters David Hendon and Abigail Davies, sports journalist Phil Haigh and WPBSA Players Director Tian Pengfei.
Fab Fu Honoured for June
Hong Kong China’s Marco Fu was selected as the inaugural Players’ Player of the Month following his successful double qualification for the final stages of the both the Wuhan and British Open tournaments which included five century breaks in the 15-frames he played across the two events.
Having received a new two-year invitational tour card at the start of the season, Fu’s first win came against world number 16 Chris Wakelin as he hit top breaks of 136, 120, 113 and 68 to book his place in Wuhan.
A repeat looked unlikely in his subsequent British Open qualifier against Stephen Maguire as he trailed 0-3, before the three-time world ranking event winner rebounded with runs of 140, 81, 104 and 54 to complete an impressive comeback and seal his place at the venue stages.
The 47-year-old won the honour, receiving 62% of the vote, ahead of England’s Reanne Evans and Louis Heathcote, who also won both of their qualification matches.
Players including David Grace, Stan Moody, Fergal Quinn and Bai Yulu were also considered for the final shortlist.
Fu said, “To be chosen as the first ever WPBSA Players Player of the Month for my performances at the qualifiers in June is a pleasant surprise indeed. The performances were a bit of a surprise too!
“To be recognised by my peers for these performances, is a real bonus to add to a solid start to the new season”.
Ken Doherty, WPBSA Players Chairman said: “Congratulations to Marco Fu on a great start to the season. Incredible performances in his opening two matches. He is, as voted by his fellow professionals, our first ever WPBSA Players Player of the Month!”
I’m not sure how long this initiative will “live” nor that it adds much to the sport, but, anyway…
Congratulations Marco Fu.
Belgium, as you may know is a country where cycling is BIG! ↩︎
Three-time World Women’s Champion Ng, who is back on the pro tour this season after a two-year absence, was unbeaten in her three matches in Group 32 and goes through to the next phase later this month. It’s the first time in her career she has reached the last 32 of a ranking event.
And Ng’s success continues a fine start to the season for the tour’s women contingent as Reanne Evans won both of her qualifying matches last week while Bai Yulu also earned a place at the British Open.
Hong Kong’s Ng started the day with a 2-2 draw against Daniel Wells, making breaks of 57 and 53, then drew 2-2 again with He Guoqiang. In her last match of the group she beat Leone Crowley 3-0 to go top of the table with five points. He needed only a draw in his last match against Wells, while world number 44 Wells could also get through with a 3-0 victory, but as it turned out he won 3-1, which left him just behind Ng on frame difference.
Zhang Anda, one of the highest ranked players in the tournament at world number 12, safely negotiated Group 2. He started with a 3-1 win over George Pragnell, then made a 107 in drawing 2-2 with Chris Totten, before another 2-2 draw against Ka Wai Cheung, taking the fourth frame on the final black. That left China’s Zhang with five points, one ahead of Pragnell.
The action in Leicester continues on Saturday as the likes of Stuart Bingham, Antoni Kowalski, Elliot Slessor and Stan Moody enter the fray.
I’m very happy about On Yee’s results yesterday. Every single time I watch a snooker match involving a woman or a girl on YouTube the comments “feed” is full of disparaging remarks about their game or often crude and cruel sexually loaded comments about their looks. Some guys were at it again yesterday. Most, if not all, those men wouldn’t win a frame against the women they so intensely loathe and disrespect. On Yee can play, she’s always impeccably dressed, her hair arranged in an elegant and elaborate hairstyle. Her manners are impeccable too, she’s always polite and friendly, no matter what happens at the table. And then, yesterday, when her snooker did the talking there was an idiot online suggesting that she is in fact a trans boy! That last one took the biscuit!
Group 2 was a strange affair. Four of the six matches ended in a draw. Cheung Ka Wai was undefeated but still only finished third in the group…. that’s tough!
The snooker action continued in Leicester yesterday with group 9 and group 28. As always, all the detailed results can be found on snooker.org by following the links above.
Wu Yize and Ricky Walden both earned their first wins of the season and topped their respective groups in the opening round of the BetVictor Championship League.
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Three-time ranking event winner Walden lost in the qualifying rounds of both the Wuhan Open and British Open, and given that he lies 51st in the provisional end of season rankings, today’s success was much needed.
He started Group 28 with a 3-1 win over Chang Bingyu, making breaks of 79 and 78. He then made a 143, the highest break of the tournament so far, during a 2-2 draw against Steven Hallworth. And Walden ensured top spot by beating Robert Milkins 3-1 in his final match, compiling runs of 121, 79 and 55.
China’s Wu, who also lost his Wuhan Open qualifier, opened Group 9 with a 2-2 draw against Craig Steadman, helped by breaks of 94 and 92. He then beat both Kreishh Gurbaxani and Wang Yuchen 3-0 which gave him a total of seven points, level with Steadman on points but ahead on frame difference.
Both Wu and Walden progress to the second stage, starting on July 18th, when 32 players will be battling for places in the third and final stage.
The action in Leicester continues on Friday with Zhang Anda and Ng On Yee among the star names in action.
I’m quite happy with the outcome of these two groups although I was always going to be a bit sad for some of the players involved because there is only one winner in each group. Group 9 for instance featured Wu Yize at Wang Yuchen : I really like them both but only one of them could possibly go through, and, similarly, group 28 featured Ricky Walden and Steven Hallworth …
Matthew Stevens defeated Welsh compatriot Ryan Day 3-1 in the final match of the day to end top of Group 25, while Yuan Sijun was comfortable in winning Group 18 at the BetVictor Championship League ranking event.
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Stevens and Yuan advance to the second phase, which starts on July 18th. That will see 32 players vying for spots in the third and final stage.
Former UK and Masters champion Stevens opened his day with a 3-1 win over Asia/Oceania Q School graduate Xu Yichen. However, after a 2-2 draw with Lan Yuhao, Stevens knew he would have to win his last game with Ryan Day to come through.
Day made breaks of 138 and 103 on his way to winning his first two games, meaning a draw would be enough to see him progress. It wasn’t to be for the 2022 British Open winner, as Stevens fired in runs of 80 and 58 on his way to a vital 3-1 win.
Yuan enjoyed a perfect day, scoring a trio of 3-0 wins over Stuart Carrington, Alexander Ursenbacher and Sanderson Lam to win his group.
As always, all the detailed results can be found on snooker.org: Group 18 and Group 25 . I don’t have much to add to the above report. I watched mainly group 25, only to, once more, being left wondering how Matthew Stevens hasn’t won more in his career1. The reason I chose to watch Group 25 in priority is because it featured two rookies from China, two players I can’t remember having seen before. Xu Yichen didn’t convince me at all but Lan Yuhao may have potential.
Xu Yichen is 38, which is quite “old” for a rookie player. He probably is more mature and that may be an advantage when coping with the challenges of living as an expat. On the other hand, he may be less “adaptable”. , and if he has a family, partner and children it may make it even harder for him.
although … too much alcohol might have something to do with it. ↩︎
Matthew Selt scored three straight wins to comfortably top Group 22 at the BetVictor Championship League ranking event, while Alfie Burden edged through by winning Group 3 on frame difference.
Selt and Burden advance to the second phase, which starts on July 18th. That will see 32 players vying for spots in the third and final stage.
Former Indian Open champion Selt opened his account with an electric 3-1 win over Germany’s Umut Dikme, who is competing as a top up after losing the final round of Q School Event One. Selt hammered home breaks of 119, 92 and 100, as he charged over the line.
Breaks of 67 and 91 helped him to beat tour rookie and Q School graduate Fergal Quinn 3-1, while Selt top scored with 57 in a 3-1 defeat of Scott Donaldson. A 3-0 win for Dikme over Quinn in the final game gave him the consolation of second place in the group.
World Seniors Champion Burden fell off tour at the end of last season, but competing as a top up, enjoyed an excellent day in Leicester to progress. A 3-1 win over Masters Champion Shaun Murphy, followed by a 3-0 defeat of Bulcsu Revesz allowed him to finish top. He pipped Revesz and Robbie McGuigan, who he did lose 3-1 against, on frame difference. …
There was frankly nothing much enthralling to watch yesterday, or maybe, it was me not being in the mood.
Group 3 was really bizarre. Shaun Murphy was terrible and there wasn’t much at all to separate the other three. Each of them won two matches. All matches finished on a 3-1 score except one – Alfie beat Bulcsu by 3-0 – and, basically, that particular result eventually “shaped” the group.
I saw next to nothing of the other group … as those who read this blog regularly will know already, I’m not exactly Matt Selt’s biggest fan 😉
Mahmoud El Hareedy Earns Professional Status with All-Africa Title
Mahmoud El Hareedy defeated Yassine Bellamine 6-1 in the final of the 2025 All-Africa Snooker Championship in Saïdia, Morocco to earn a two-year World Snooker Tour (WST) tour card.
The Egyptian cueist came through a field of 50 players from across the continent to win the prestigious title and secure professional status for the first time in his career.
Organised by the African Billiards & Snooker Confederation (ABSC), the event was staged at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Saïdia, Morroco and featured Seniors, Women’s and Six-Red events in addition to the main competition which offered a two-year WST tour card to the winner.
El Hareedy, who has previously competed on the WPBSA Q Tour Middle East series and also faced former world champion Stuart Bingham at the 2023 Six-Red World Championship, comfortably topped his initial five-player group to reach the knockout stages as the top seed.
Victories over Mohamed Amin (4-0) and Mohamed Ibrahim (4-1) saw El Hareedy set up a quarter-final meeting with Mutalieb Allie, to whom he had been defeated in the final of the All-Africa Six-Red Championship earlier in the week.
The Egyptian exacted his revenge at the perfect time, however, earning a 5-1 win before overcoming Matour Reda 6-2 to reach the title match in Saïdia.
There he faced Morocco’s Bellamine, who had defeated former professional Mostafa Dorgham 6-1 in the last four to reach the final in his home nation as he also aimed to join the WST for the first time.
El Hareedy was the dominant player in the best-of-11 frame final as he raced into a 4-0 lead and ultimately ran out a 6-1 victor to earn the prestigious continental crown.
Seniors Glory for Mohamed Samy Elkhayat
Mohamed Samy Elkhayat overcame Mohamed Alaa Khairy 5-4 in the final of the 2025 All-Africa Seniors Championship.
Elkhayat, from Egypt, came through a field of 22 players from Africa to win the Seniors crown.
The Egyptian qualified for the knockout stages by finishing second place in a group that also featured the Moroccan duo of Said Machal and Idriss El Mokri as well as Mahomed Idrisse from Mozambique.
A deciding frame victory over Rabi Younes followed in the last 16 before more comfortable success against Ahmed Galal (4-0) and newly-crowned All-Africa Six-Red champion Allie Mutalieb (4-1) saw Elkhayat book his place in the final.
Former professional Khairy, who lost in the final of the main competition 12 months ago, was the opponent in the title match after he had beaten Mahjoub Tawdi in the semi-finals.
The final was a hard-fought contest that came down to a deciding frame but, ultimately, it was Elkhayat who was able to get over the line to earn the title.
Yousra Matine Wins Women’s Championship
Yousra Matine defeated Loubna Lazim 4-3 to win the 2025 All-Africa Women’s Championship on home soil in Saïdia, Morocco.
Matine, who is a former gold medalist at the 2019 African Games, won all of the seven matches she contested in her home country to secure the prestigious continental crown.
After topping her group with a clean sweep of victories, she then downed Saloua Tiane (3-0) and Hind Bennani (3-1) to reach the final where she faced compatriot Lazim.
The match between the two Moroccan cueists went right down to the wire but it was Matine who was able to win the vital seventh and deciding frame to secure the title.
Six-Red Success for Mutalieb Allie
Mutalieb Allie beat Mahmoud El Hareedy 6-4 to claim the 2025 All-Africa Six-Red Championship title in Morocco.
A total of 48 players contested the event and Allie topped his group before overcoming Rabie Chami (4-2), Arjun Lavingia (5-4), Yassine Bellamine (5-0) and Hesham Abdelaziz (6-2) to reach the title match in Saïdia.
El Hareedy, who would be crowned the All-Africa Snooker Championship winner later in the week, was his opponent in the final after he had downed Mina Awad 6-3 at the semi-final stage.
South African national champion Allie proved to be the stronger player at the vital stage as he ran out a 6-4 victor in the final to lift the trophy.
Yesterday was the first day of action of the 2025/26 season. The ranking edition of the Championship League snooker is not the most enthralling event, it’s a long hard slog that “lasts” for over three weeks, but, as I wrote yesterday it has its merits. Notably it allows us to watch most rookies in action.
The official site for the event is here. Unfortunately, it’s not properly updated and results when available are not always “reliable”. Therefore, if you look for results, you better go to snooker.org.
Two first round groups were played yesterday, Group 15 and Group 26.
Stephen Maguire made the perfect start to the BetVictor Championship League ranking event with a hat-trick of wins on the opening day to win Group 15, while tour rookie Yao Pengcheng earned a narrow victory in Group 26 in Leicester.
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Maguire and Yao both go through to the second phase which starts on July 18th, when 32 players will be battling for places in the third and final stage.
Six-time ranking event winner Maguire opened with a 3-1 win over James Cahill, firing breaks of 99, 119 and 59. The Glaswegian went on to beat Liam Graham 3-0, and rounded off his day with a 3-0 success against Michael Holt, compiling runs of 74, 58 and 50.
Group 26 was much closer and came down to the final ball of the day. China’s 28-year-old Yao, playing on the pro circuit for the first time having graduated from the CBSA Tour, opened with a 2-2 draw against Lyu Haotian then beat Jamie Jones 3-1, before drawing his last match 2-2 with Zhao Hanyang to finish with a total of five points.
Lyu beat Zhao 3-1 in his second match, which meant he needed only a draw against Jones in his last fixture, having made a higher top break than Yao, which would decide top spot if they were tied on points. From 2-0 down, Lyu made a 95 in frame three and then led 64-33 in the fourth, only for Jones to clear from the last red and snatch the frame on the final black to win 3-1. That left both Lyu and Jones on four points, one behind Yao.
The action continues on Tuesday with Shaun Murphy the star name in Group 3, while Matthew Selt is top seed in Group 22.
Group 15 offered nothing enthralling. Maguire dominated it from start to finish. None of the players involved is a rookie. James Cahill played in this as amateur but he actually turned pro in 2013… his performance was very poor which is just as well1.
Group 26 was far more interesting. The group was extremely close and competitive: none of the players won more than one match and none of the players lost more than one match… The group featured three Chinese players, including two rookies: 28 years old Yao Pengcheng and 25 years old Zhao Hanyang. Yao won the group with two draws and a win. He was the only one who didn’t lose a match. Zhao came last and was the only one in the group who didn’t win a match. I will certainly keep an eye on Yao in the coming months.
Every time Cahill wins something we are reminded that he beat Ronnie at the Crucible. Yes, he did, but if you watched that match, you will know that Ronnie was really unwell when he played it, he felt, and looked, awful. ↩︎
Ronnie O'Sullivan 