David Gilbert
Ranking, Snooker Headlines

David Gilbert extends Championship League Snooker run

David Gilbert moved into the last eight of Championship League Snooker after winning his second group stage in Leicester on Friday.

It took until the 16th day of the 2024/25 campaign’s opening ranking tournament for the Englishman to enter the fray.

But having squeezed through his initial round-robin foursome in dramatic fashion on Thursday, Gilbert was immediately back on the baize for Stage Two.

Buoyed by the terrific 136 century break that took him through a day earlier, the 2021 champion progressed to the final group stage in comprehensive fashion this time around.

Gilbert, who made a second career appearance at the semi-finals of a World Championship last month, secured back-to-back 3-1 victories over Ashley Carty and He Guoqiang.

That left him needing just a point from his final fixture against Stuart Bingham, who oddly enough Gilbert had never beaten in 13 previous attempts.

Breaks of 62 and 52, however, guaranteed the draw he required, and he duly won the third frame for good measure to ensure his 100% winning record for the day.

Gilbert will be joined in Stage Three by Long Zehuang, who despite being the lowest ranked competitor prevailed from Group C at the Mattioli Arena.

Reigning champion Shaun Murphy had looked to be on course to continue his defence of the tournament.

The Magician beat Long 3-1 to open his account and then followed that up with a 3-0 defeat of Jamie Jones.

Murphy needed only a point against final opponent Hossein Vafaei but was whitewashed by the Iranian, leaving the door ajar for Long.

Having earlier recovered to eclipse Vafaei 3-0, the 27 year-old from China orchestrated the same scoreline against Jones in his last match to top the group.

Long, Vafaei, and Murphy all finished on six points with a record of two wins and a defeat, but the former advanced thanks to his superior frame difference.

On Saturday, Stage Two continues with two more groups.

Neil Robertson has withdrawn from the competition, meaning Group E boasts only three players in the form of Ali Carter, Jack Lisowski, and Wu Yize.

In Group A, Chris Wakelin entertains Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, Fan Zhengyi, and Scott Donaldson.

Friday, June 28th – Results

Group B
1. David Gilbert 3-1 Ashley Carty
2. Stuart Bingham 3-1 He Guoqiang
3. Stuart Bingham 2-2 Ashley Carty
4. David Gilbert 3-1 He Guoqaing
5. He Guoqiang 3-1 Ashley Carty
6. David Gilbert 3-0 Stuart Bingham

Group C
1. Shaun Murphy 3-1 Long Zehuang
2. Hossein Vafaei 3-1 Jamie Jones
3. Long Zehuang 3-0 Hossein Vafaei
4. Shaun Murphy 3-0 Jamie Jones
5. Long Zehuang 3-0 Jamie Jones
6. Hossein Vafaei 3-0 Shaun Murphy


Championship League Snooker
Stage One Draw

Group 1Group 2Group 3Group 4
Scott DonaldsonHe GuoqiangShaun MurphyMark Williams
Kyren WilsonMitchell MannSteven HallworthConnor Benzey
Daniel WomersleyRonnie O’SullivanTian PengfeiDavid Grace
Baipat SiripapornKayden BrierleyReanne EvansFergal Quinn
Group 5Group 6Group 7Group 8
Ali CarterGary WilsonRobbie McGuiganJak Jones
Xing ZihaoJoe PerryBarry PinchesJordan Brown
Joshua ThomandMichael HoltSanderson LamAntoni Kowalski
Kreishh GurbaxaniHuang JiahaoTom FordBulcsรบ Rรฉvรฉsz
Group 9Group 10Group 11Group 12
Ma HailongJackson PageRyan DayJack Lisowski
Ben MertensAndrew HigginsonLiam DaviesMark Davis
John HigginsRobert MilkinsHammad MiahJiang Jun
Artemijs ZizinsIulian BoikoMarco FuAnton Kazakov
Group 13Group 14Group 15Group 16
Si JiahuiHossein VafaeiDavid GilbertFan Zhengyi
Peter LinesLouis HeathcoteXu SiAlfie Burden
Zak SuretyJoshua MulhollandDuane JonesMink Nutcharut
Jimmy RobertsonManasawin PhetmalaikulAndrew PagettZhou Yuelong
Group 17Group 18Group 19Group 20
Chris WakelinStuart BinghamLong ZehuangStuart Carrington
Ian BurnsHamim HussainAlfie DaviesPang Junxu
Rory McLeodAnthony HamiltonLei PeifanGong Chenzhi
Liam PullenAhmed Aly ElsayedJamie O’NeillGerard Greene
Group 21Group 22Group 23Group 24
Neil RobertsonJoe O’ConnorMichael WhiteMartin O’Donnell
Cheung Ka WaiAaron HillRyan DaviesRicky Walden
Jamie ClarkeHarvey ChandlerStephen MaguireRory Thor
Zack RichardsonOliver LinesDean YoungUmut Dikme
Group 25Group 26Group 27Group 28
Matthew StevensAlexander UrsenbacherDavid LilleyWu Yize
Farakh AjaibMatthew SeltYuan SijunRoss Muir
Robbie WilliamsGraeme DottLiam GrahamAllan Taylor
Haydon PinheyFlorian NuesslePaul DeavilleJoshua Cooper
Group 29Group 30Group 31Group 32
Ben WoollastonJamie JonesAshley CartyThepchaiya Un-Nooh
Stan MoodyIshpreet Singh ChadhaElliot SlessorDaniel Wells
Dominic DaleChris TottenSimon BlackwellMark Joyce
Dylan EmeryLiu HongyuMostafa DorghamJulien Leclercq

Stage Two

Group AGroup BGroup CGroup D
Scott DonaldsonDavid GilbertLong ZehuangMark Williams
Fan ZhengyiStuart BinghamHossein VafeaiBen Woollaston
Thepchaiya Un-NoohHe GuoqiangShaun MurphyStuart Carrington
Chris WakelinAshley CartyJamie JonesSi Jiahui
Group EGroup FGroup GGroup H
Ali CarterDavid LilleyJackson PageMartin O’Donnell
Wu YizeGary WilsonAlexander UrsenbacherJak Jones
Jack LisowskiRyan DayRobbie McGuiganMatthew Stevens
Neil RobertsonJoe O’ConnorMichael WhiteMa Hailong

Stage Three

Final Group 1Final Group 2
Ali CarterJackson Page
Scott DonaldsonDavid Gilbert
Mark WilliamsLong Zehuang
Martin O’DonnellDavid Lilley

Final (bo5)

Ali Carter 3-1 Jackson Page


Featured photo credit: WST

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