While the lower ranked players scrap it out at the World Championship qualifiers, action resumes at Crondon Park Golf Club for those involved in the Championship League…
I do usually like to cover these matches in detail but with the World Championship going on at the moment unfortunately I do not have the time to do so this week. I aim to post a summary of today’s action later on this evening, as well as full results but it will be hard to do much more.
You can however find all the latest scores here over at the Matchroom Sport website, or here at Global Snooker.
Also for my tournament preview post, please click here.
Monday News
Ending the first day on top was perhaps surprisingly 1997 World Champion Ken Doherty who has struggled for wins of any sort all season. Today though after an early defeat to John Higgins, he started to score well and perhaps just being able to play without the pressure of his ranking situation hanging over his head, he could relax a little and enjoy the matches. Wins over Matthew Stevens and Barry Hawkins, as well as a draw with Mark King now sees him well positioned to reach the semi-finals, though nothing is guaranteed quite yet. It was a similar story too for Jamie Cope, though having played one match less and not lost yet, he is in an even stronger position than Ken.
Currently occupying the remaining two qualification spots are Mark King and Matthew Stevens, with Ken the other two newcomers to this season’s competition. Things were not looking too good for Stevens after his first two matches but a 3-1 win over fellow Welshman Mark Williams in the final match of the day has put him right back into contention again.
Speaking of Williams, as things stand he will be heading out of the competition along with another double world champion, John Higgins as they lie at the bottom of the group. There is still a long way to go but having already played four matches and lost three, Williams will probably need to defeat both Doherty and Higgins tomorrow and hope for the best. John has only played three matches so has given himself more of a chance, indeed he came back from a far worse position in Group Three and nearly ended up making the main event.
Tuesday News
Well done to Mark King who came through to beat Ken Doherty in the final and move into the all-important winners group. For Ken at least it is a return to form of sorts, scoring well and winning matches which can only do him good with the World Championship coming up.
Losing their places on the group though were Mark Williams and Barry Hawkins, the latter losing his place despite winning tow matches while Matthew Stevens won only the one. Hawkins though won less frames than the Welshman, thanks in part his heavy 4-0 defeat to Ken last night and loses out as a result.