On July 15, 2025, the Snooker Champion League ranking tournament continued its group stage matches, progressing toward the decisive second phase—the round of 32 knockout stage. So far, 24 players have secured their spots for this stage:
Stephen Maguire, Yao Pengcheng, Alfie Burden, Matthew Selt, Matthew Stevens, Yuan Sijun, Wu Yize, Ricky Walden, Zhang Anda, Wu Anyi, Stuart Bingham, Elliot Slessor, Liam Davies, Amir Sahosh, Jack Lisowski, Pang Junxu, David Gilbert, Lei Peifan, Ben Mertens, Sam Craigie, Tom Ford, Liu Hongyu, Artemis Czi?ins, and Robbie Williams.
The biggest upset of the tournament came from world number 15, Si Jiahui, who competed in Group 4. Despite accumulating 4 points with one win, one loss, and one draw, he finished second in his group and was eliminated, marking him as the only Top 16 player to exit at this stage.
The highest break in the tournament so far belongs to the three-time ranking champion Ricky Walden.
Group Stage Highlights: Table One (Group 1)
Barry Hawkins vs. John Astley
Barry Hawkins, ranked 9th globally with four ranking titles and recently the runner-up at the UK Championship, faced John Astley, ranked 77th. The pair had met three times before, with Astley leading 2-1, including a dominant 4-0 victory over Hawkins at the 2019 Scottish Open. In this match, Astley won the first two tightly contested frames by narrow margins of 6 and 3 points respectively. However, Hawkins responded with back-to-back 50 breaks, shutting out Astley in those frames and leveling the match at 2-2.
Hayden Pinhey vs. Harris Tahil
Harris Tahil took the upper hand with a 3-1 scoreline.
Hayden Pinhey vs. John Astley
Pinhey showed resilience, producing two breaks over 50. Despite trailing twice in the match, he managed to equalize both times, pushing the score to 2-2.
Barry Hawkins vs. Harris Tahil
Hawkins secured a 3-1 win.
Harris Tahil vs. John Astley
Palestinian player Tahil started strong, crafting two 50 breaks to lead 2-0. However, Astley fought back fiercely, producing a stunning 136-point century break to win the third frame, followed by a nail-biting 7-point win in the fourth to draw level at 2-2.
Barry Hawkins vs. Hayden Pinhey
In a surprising turn, Hawkins scored just 9 points over the entire match, with a highest break of only 6, losing 0-3. Despite this, he finished with one win, one draw, and one loss, totaling 4 points but a negative frame difference of -1, resulting in elimination. Tahil ended similarly with 1 win, 1 loss, and 1 draw but a neutral frame difference and was also eliminated. Pinhey’s 1 win, 1 loss, and 1 draw, combined with a positive frame difference of 1, was enough to progress to the last 32. Astley’s three draws left him with only 3 points, leading to his exit.
Group Stage Highlights: Table Two (Group 20)
Zhou Yuelong vs. Ashley Hugill
Former world number 17 and current number 32 Zhou Yuelong faced Ashley Hugill, ranked 67th. The two had met three times previously, with Zhou winning all encounters. In this match, Hugill produced two 50 breaks, while Zhou responded with a 64-point break in the second frame, but ultimately Zhou lost 1-3.
David Lilley vs. David Grace
David Lilley showcased impressive form, registering three consecutive 50 breaks, including a 90-point clearance to win a frame outright, leading to a 3-0 victory.
David Lilley vs. Ashley Hugill
Both players, ranked 57 and 67 respectively, were marking their sixth year as professionals and met for the first time. Lilley started strongly, posting two 60 breaks including a century (120 points) to take a 2-0 lead. However, Hugill fought back to level at 2-2.
Zhou Yuelong vs. David Grace
Zhou began with two successive 50 breaks to establish a 2-0 advantage. Grace responded with a commanding 71-point clearance, blanking Zhou in that frame. Zhou then won a closely fought fourth frame, sealing a 3-1 win.
David Grace vs. Ashley Hugill
Hugill hit the only century break of the match, coming from 0-2 behind to even the score at 2-2.
Zhou Yuelong vs. David Lilley
Despite hitting only one 50 break, Zhou was edged out 1-3. In a pivotal third frame, Zhou posted a 64-point break but was outdone by Lilley’s 68-point break to overturn the frame. With this defeat, Zhou ended with 1 win and 2 losses, resulting in elimination. Lilley advanced with 2 wins and 1 draw.
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This stage of the tournament highlighted some dramatic comebacks and surprising exits, underscoring the intense competition and fine margins that define top-level snooker.
