The start of the new snooker season kicked off with the Championship League, the first ranking event of the campaign. However, the impact on the world rankings was relatively limited, with the event being played behind closed doors and offering a smaller prize fund compared to other tournaments on the calendar. The Championship League followed a league format for most of the competition, giving lower-ranked players a chance to compete in the latter stages. Players like Chris Wakelin, Noppon Saengkham, Cao Yupeng, Xiao Guodong, and Sam Craigie reached the quarter-finals, but the final showdown witnessed two experienced champions battling for the title.
Shaun Murphy emerged victorious, defeating Mark Williams 3-0 to claim his 12th career ranking title, making it his third triumph this calendar year. While the event had little impact on the rankings, Ronnie O’Sullivan maintained his position as the world number one, despite withdrawing from the Championship League. Luca Brecel and Mark Allen follow closely in second and third place, respectively. The battle for the top spot is likely to intensify throughout the season, with Mark Allen and Luca Brecel challenging O’Sullivan’s lead.
Also Read: Barry Hean & Stephen Hendry discuss why Ronnie O’Sullivan is the snooker goat
Shaun Murphy, currently in seventh place after his Championship League win, has his sights set on climbing the rankings. With only £33,000 earned for his victory, he has aspirations of challenging for the number one position, but he still has a substantial gap to close, being more than £400,000 behind O’Sullivan’s earnings. However, with few points to defend this season, Murphy has a chance to reduce the gap quickly if he can maintain his current level of form.
Ronnie O’Sullivan – £883,000
Luca Brecel – £875,500
Mark Allen – £837,500
Judd Trump – £556,000
Mark Selby – £549,000
Neil Robertson – £542,000
Shaun Murphy – £472,500
Kyren Wilson – £424,000
Mark Williams – £412,000
John Higgins – £396,500
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