Zhao Xintong crashed out of Championship League Snooker on Thursday as the Stage Two lineup was finalised in Leicester.
The remaining two groups from Stage One produced dramatic endings at the Mattioli Arena.
As the world number three, Zhao was the highest-ranked player in this year’s draw and entered the fray as the pre-tournament favourite to land a seventh career ranking crown.
The 2025 world champion began strongly with victories over Simon Blackwell, where he compiled a 140 total clearance, and Gao Yang.
However, the frame he lost in his 3-1 triumph over the latter proved decisive.
Final opponent David Grace, who had orchestrated a brace of 3-0 wins over the same players, needed only a draw from his game with Zhao.
The Chinese competitor twice edged in front, but Grace ultimately held his nerve to score the 2-2 draw he required to advance instead.
Zak Surety progressed from a similarly close Group 32, meanwhile.
The Englishman entered his final round-robin match against Matthew Selt needing a win to usurp his fellow Englishman into top spot.
Having won his first couple of games, a draw would have been enough for Selt and again it all came down to the last frame of the day’s play.
Surety produced the goods when it mattered the most, compiling a terrific 136 century break to secure a 3-1 win.
Thursday, July 9
Group 1 Results
Zhao Xintong 3-0 Simon Blackwell
David Grace 3-0 Gao Yang
David Grace 3-0 Simon Blackwell
Zhao Xintong 3-1 Gao Yang
Gao Yang 2-2 Simon Blackwell
Zhao Xintong 2-2 David Grace
Group 1 Table
1. David Grace – 7 points
2. Zhao Xintong – 7 points
3. Gao Yang – 1 point
4. Simon Blackwell – 1 point
Click here for more information about the tournament.
Group 32 Results
Zak Surety 3-1 Gong Chenzhi
Matthew Selt 3-1 Andrew Higginson
Matthew Selt 3-1 Gong Chenzhi
Zak Surety 2-2 Andrew Higginson
Andrew Higginson 2-2 Gong Chenzhi
Zak Surety 3-1 Matthew Selt
Group 32 Table
1. Zak Surety – 7 points
2. Matthew Selt – 6 points
3. Andrew Higginson – 2 points
4. Gong Chenzhi – 1 point
Grace and Surety will be straight back to the baize on Friday when they compete against one another in Group A of Stage Two.
They will join Chinese pair Lei Peifan and Liu Hongyu, while Group B also takes place on Friday featuring Luca Brecel, Hossein Vafaei, Pang Junxu, and Ian Burns.
Saturday will see the players in Groups C and D back in the fray, with reigning champion Stephen Maguire, Gary Wilson, Stan Moody, and Dylan Emery in the former and Zhou Yuelong, Noppon Saengkham, Scott Donaldson, and Iulian Boiko in the latter.
There is a day off on Sunday before play resumes on Monday.
Chris Wakelin, the only member from the top 16 left in the draw, is in Group E alongside Ali Carter, David Gilbert, and He Guoqiang with Marco Fu, Chang Bingyu, Jak Jones, and Mark Joyce in Group F.
Tuesday will then pit Jack Lisowski, Zhang Anda, Jimmy Robertson, and Cheung Ka Wai against each other in Group G, and Elliot Slessor, Jackson Page, Xu Si, and Dean Young make up Group H.
The eight group winners from Stage Two will advance to Stage Three on Wednesday, where the last two group winners will eventually face off against one another for the title.
Championship League Snooker represents the opening ranking event of the fledgling 2026/27 snooker season.
The overall winner on July 15th will take home £33,000 worth of prize money and ranking points, plus a ticket to the lucrative Champion of Champions invitational later this year.
Live coverage is available for Ireland and UK viewers on the Matchroom Multi Sport and Matchroom Pool YouTube channels.
Featured photo credit: WST
