Kyren Wilson, the titleholder, has been sidetracked from competitive play.
The second stage of this year's BetVictor Championship League Snooker has wrapped up. surprisingly, the defending champion Kyren Wilson, 32, failed to move forward and was knocked out in the initial round. On the other hand, several players have carried on their impressive performances from last season.
Qualifiers from the second week
The second stage of the BetVictor Championship League Snooker [Link in English] took place from June 17-22 at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester. This peculiar tournament consists of three blocks with a total of 32 groups.
The following players advanced to the next round during the second stage:
- Robbie McGuigan
- Jak Jones
- Martin O’Donnell
- Wu Yize
- Alexander Ursenbacher
- David Lilley
- Scott Donaldson
- Hossein Vafaei
- Si Jiahui
- Stuart Bingham
- Stuart Carrington
- Long Zehuang
So far, 24 players have progressed to the next round. In the second round, the 32 competitors will be split into eight groups, and they will face off again. It's already clear that there will be exhilarating matches in the upcoming round.
Current sports betting odds
The BetVictor Championship League is a significant event: it mark the beginning of the 24/25 snooker season. However, sports betting enthusiasts can also anticipate the tournament and wager on their chosen players.
Bookmakers currently view seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, 48, as the favorite:
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: 6.50
- Neil Robertson: 7.00
- Mark Williams: 8.00
- John Higgins: 11.00
- Shaun Murphy: 11.00
Neil Robertson, 42, has already advanced to the second round of the competition and is leaving the 23/24 season behind. Robertson struggled with his form in the 23/24 season and consequently missed the 2024 Snooker World Championship.
Unexpected exit for Wilson
A surprise occurred in the second week of the Championship League Snooker: reigning champion Kyren Wilson was eliminated in the opening round. Fans and experts were eager to see Wilson's performance in his first match as the champion.
Wilson competed in Group 1 on June 20. With Scott Donaldson, 30, Daniel Womersley, 32, and Baipat Siripaporn, 25, Wilson seemed to be in a straightforward group. However, he failed to advance after winning one match and tying two, and was eliminated from the tournament.
It was Scott Donaldson who won Group 1. Donaldson triumphed against Womersley and Siripaporn. He drew with Wilson, which assisted him in securing the group victory.
Wilson's inaugural season as the champion hasn't started well. After his elimination, he will have a four-week hiatus before traveling to China in mid-July to participate in the Shanghai Masters.
Vafaei and Si maintain top form
While Kyren Wilson's season began on a sour note, several players have continued their strong performances from last season. Hossein Vafaei, 29, is one such player.
He defeated all three opponents in Group 14 and advanced to the second round of the BetVictor Championship League Snooker convincingly, losing only a single frame. Vafaei impressed with his outstanding form and indomitable spirit last season. Keeping an eye out for Vafaei in the current season could yield results.
This also applies to Si Jiahui, 21. The youngster emerged victorious in all three matches in Group 13, thus progressing to the second round in impressive fashion, losing only a single frame. Si made waves at the 2024 World Championship by defeating three-time champion Mark Williams, 49. Despite his young age, Si plays with a calm and focused demeanor.
There was also an upset in Group 26: Alexander Ursenbacher, 28, from Switzerland, clinched the group and advanced to the second round of the BetVictor Championship League Snooker, although his victory was narrow and he tied two matches.
Shanghai Masters schedule revealed
The commencement of the BetVictor Championship League Snooker has officially initiated the 24/25 season. Following this tournament is the Shanghai Masters, taking place from July 15 to 21. The WST recently unveiled the schedule, promising numerous exciting matches.
The top eight players in the world rankings are automatically qualified for the second round, where high-profile matches such as Luca Brecel, 29, against Si Jiahui, Judd Trump, 34, against Mark Williams, or Mark Allen, 38, against Gary Wilson, 38, could materialize. The semi-finals could feature Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump, as well as Mark Allen and Kyren Wilson.
A glance at the Shanghai Masters schedule already suggests that the tournament will be an event to remember for snooker fans, either physically present or tuning in online, as snooker is highly popular in China.
Which players are competing this week?
The third and final block of the preliminary round begins today and concludes on June 27. Spectators can look forward to many prominent players from the top 16 of the WST World Rankings this week.
Gary Wilson and John Higgins, both 49, will commence the competition today. They displayed impressive performances in the last season, with Higgins advancing to the quarter-finals but eventually falling to the eventual champion, Wilson.
Snooker enthusiasts can witness Ronnie O’Sullivan, the seven-time world champion and tournament front-runner, on June 25, Tuesday. Last season, O’Sullivan grabbed five championship titles, but unfortunately, he was ousted in the quarter-finals of the World Championship, plummeting from the top spot to the fifth position in the rankings.
Other players participating this week include Jack Lisowski, 32, Ali Carter, 44, and Shaun Murphy, 41. Moreover, two female contestants, Mink Nutcharut, 24, and Reanne Evans, 38, will join the fray in the BetVictor Championship League Snooker.
In Germany, online casinos offer betting opportunities for the ongoing BetVictor Championship League Snooker. The defending champion Kyren Wilson may look to regain his form and challenge for the title in upcoming tournaments, after an unexpected early exit during the second stage.
Despite Wilson's setback, players like Hossein Vafaei and Si Jiahui have maintained their impressive form from last season. Both Vafaei and Si have advanced to the next round of the BetVictor Championship League Snooker, with Si even defeating three-time champion Mark Williams in the 2024 World Championship.
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