Market2021 Championship League (ranking)
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2021 Championship League (ranking)

The 2021 Championship League was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place from 18 July to 13 August 2021 at the Morningside Arena in Leicester, England. The event featured 128 players and was played as three rounds of round-robin groups of four, before a best-of-five final. It was the 17th edition of the Championship League and the first ranking tournament of the 2021–22 snooker season. It was one of two Championship League events held over the season, with a following invitational event held as the 2022 Championship League (invitational).

Format
The 2021 Championship League was hosted from 18 July to 13 August 2021 at the Morningside Arena in Leicester, England. 128 players took part in the event. The competition began with 32 rounds of group matches with each group consisting of four players. Two groups were played to a finish every day during three blocks, from 18 to 23 July, from 26 to 30 July and from 2 to 6 August, using a two-table setup in the arena. The groups were contested using a round-robin format, with six matches played in each group. All matches in group play were played as best-of-four frames, with three points awarded for a win and one point for a draw. Group positions were determined by points scored, frame difference and then head-to-head results between players who were tied. Places that were still tied were then determined by the highest made in the group. The 32 players that topped the group tables qualified for the group winners' stage, consisting of eight groups of four players. The eight winners from the group winners' stage qualified for the two final groups, with the final taking place later on the same day. The winner took the Championship League title and a place at the 2021 Champion of Champions. Prize fund The breakdown of prize money for the tournament is shown below. ;Stage One • Winner: £3,000 • Runner-up: £2,000 • Third place: £1,000 • Fourth place: £0 ;Stage Two • Winner: £4,000 • Runner-up: £3,000 • Third place: £2,000 • Fourth place: £1,000 ;Stage Three • Winner: £6,000 • Runner-up: £4,000 • Third place: £2,000 • Fourth place: £1,000 ;Final • Winner: £20,000 • Runner-up: £10,000 • Tournament total: £328,000 ==Summary==
Summary
won his first ranking event. The first stage was held over 32 groups with 128 participants between 18 July and 6 August. Peter Lines won Group 8 over Mark Williams after winning their match 3–0, despite losing to Jak Jones. Noppon Saengkham won all three of his matches, including over four-time world champion John Higgins to win Group 9. This was Saengkham's first professional match since being forced to withdraw from the 2021 World Snooker Championship due to a positive case of COVID-19. World number 115, Ashley Hugill won Group 24, with wins over John Astley and Stephen Maguire. Former UK Championship winner Maguire finished bottom of the group. Defending champion Wilson lost just two frames as he won Group 16. Tom Ford won Group A, after he completed a whitewash over world number one Judd Trump. Ali Carter won Group E over two former world snooker champions Shaun Murphy and Graeme Dott, winning all three of his Group matches 3–1. Joyce, however, finished bottom of Group H, won by David Gilbert. Allen won the first of the stage three groups, completing 3–0 victories over Ford and Wilson, as well as a 3–1 win over Bai Langning. Despite a loss in the opening match to Cao Yupeng, Gilbert won the second Group after victories over Carter and Ryan Day. ==Stage One==
Stage One
Stage One consisted of 32 groups, each containing four players. Group 11 Group 11 was played on 5 August. Matches • ''Joe O'Connor 2–2 Andy Hicks'' • Zhao Xintong 2–2 David LilleyZhao Xintong 3–1 Andy Hicks • Joe O'Connor 0–3 David Lilley • Zhao Xintong 1–'''3 Joe O'Connor''' • Andy Hicks 1–3 David Lilley Table Group 12 Group 12 was played on 23 July. Matches • Anthony McGill 1–3 Billy CastleMark Davis 2–2 Yuan SijunMark Davis 3–0 Billy Castle • Anthony McGill 0–3 Yuan SijunYuan Sijun 3–1 Billy Castle • Anthony McGill 0–3 Mark Davis Table Group 13 Group 13 was played on 26 July. MatchesOliver Lines 2–2 Peter DevlinJoshua Thomond 3–0 Luke Pinches • Joshua Thomond 0–3 Peter DevlinOliver Lines 3–0 Luke Pinches • Joshua Thomond 0–3 Oliver LinesPeter Devlin 3–0 Luke Pinches Table Zhou Yuelong was originally due to take part in this group, but withdrew and was replaced by Joshua Thomond. Group 14 Group 14 was played on 26 July. MatchesMartin Gould 2–2 Ryan DaviesKen Doherty 3–1 Rory McLeod • Ken Doherty 3–0 Ryan Davies • Martin Gould 2–2 Rory McLeodRory McLeod 3–1 Ryan Davies • Martin Gould 2–2 Ken Doherty Table Group 15 Group 15 was played on 4 August. MatchesMark King 3–1 Andrew Pagett • Matthew Stevens 3–1 Ross Muir • Matthew Stevens 1–3 Andrew PagettMark King 2–2 Ross MuirMatthew Stevens 3–1 Mark King • Andrew Pagett 1–3 Ross Muir Table Group 16 Group 16 was played on 29 July. MatchesKyren Wilson 3–1 Dylan Emery • Sam Craigie 3–0 Ben Hancorn • Sam Craigie 3–0 Dylan Emery • Kyren Wilson 3–1 Ben Hancorn • Ben Hancorn 2–2 Dylan EmeryKyren Wilson 3–0 Sam Craigie Table Group 17 Group 17 was played on 4 August. MatchesShaun Murphy 3–0 Michael Collumb • Jamie Jones 3–1 Chen Zifan • Jamie Jones 2–2 Michael CollumbShaun Murphy 3–1 Chen Zifan • Chen Zifan 2–2 Michael CollumbShaun Murphy 2–2 Jamie Jones Table Group 18 Group 18 was played on 28 July. MatchesZhao Jianbo 2–2 Gerard Greene • Robert Milkins 1–3 Haydon Pinhey • Robert Milkins 0–3 Gerard GreeneZhao Jianbo 3–0 Haydon Pinhey • Robert Milkins 2–2 Zhao JianboGerard Greene 3–1 Haydon Pinhey Table Group 19 Group 19 was played on 19 July. MatchesAli Carter 3–1 Michael Georgiou • Dominic Dale 2–2 Sydney WilsonDominic Dale 2–2 Michael GeorgiouAli Carter 3–0 Sydney Wilson • Sydney Wilson 1–3 Michael GeorgiouAli Carter 2–2 Dominic Dale Table Alfie Burden was originally due to take part in this group, but withdrew and was replaced by Sydney Wilson. Group 20 Group 20 was played on 29 July. MatchesRobbie Williams 3–0 Iulian Boiko • Graeme Dott 3–1 Si Jiahui • Graeme Dott 3–1 Iulian Boiko • Robbie Williams 0–3 Si JiahuiGraeme Dott 2–2 Robbie WilliamsIulian Boiko 2–2 Si Jiahui Table Group 21 Group 21 was played on 30 July. MatchesStuart Bingham 2–2 Michael White • Elliot Slessor 0–3 Gao Yang • Elliot Slessor 1–3 Michael WhiteStuart Bingham 3–0 Gao Yang • Gao Yang 1–3 Michael WhiteStuart Bingham 3–1 Elliot Slessor Table Group 22 Group 22 was played on 30 July. Matches • Hossein Vafaei 1–3 Jackson PageRyan Day 3–1 Barry Pinches • Ryan Day 3–0 Jackson Page • Hossein Vafaei 2–2 Barry PinchesRyan Day 2–2 Hossein VafaeiJackson Page 2–2 Barry Pinches Table Group 23 Group 23 was played on 19 July. MatchesAlexander Ursenbacher 3–0 Aaron Hill • Scott Donaldson 1–3 Leo Fernandez • Scott Donaldson 1–3 Aaron HillAlexander Ursenbacher 3–0 Leo Fernandez • Scott Donaldson 0–3 Alexander Ursenbacher • Aaron Hill 0–3 Leo Fernandez Table Group 24 Group 24 was played on 2 August. MatchesSunny Akani 2–2 Ashley HugillStephen Maguire 2–2 John Astley • Stephen Maguire 1–3 Ashley HugillSunny Akani 2–2 John Astley • Stephen Maguire 0–3 Sunny AkaniAshley Hugill 3–0 John Astley Table Group 25 Group 25 was played on 3 August. MatchesYan Bingtao 3–0 Robbie McGuigan • Jamie Clarke 2–2 Louis HeathcoteJamie Clarke 3–0 Robbie McGuigan • Yan Bingtao 3–1 Louis Heathcote • Louis Heathcote 3–0 Robbie McGuigan • Yan Bingtao 3–1 Jamie Clarke Table Group 26 Group 26 was played on 27 July. Matches • Steven Hallworth 0–3 Cao YupengGary Wilson 2–2 James Cahill • Gary Wilson 0–3 Cao YupengSteven Hallworth 3–1 James Cahill • Gary Wilson 2–2 Steven HallworthCao Yupeng 3–1 James Cahill Table Group 27 Group 27 was played on 3 August. MatchesAshley Carty 3–1 Lukas Kleckers • Matthew Selt 2–2 Fraser PatrickMatthew Selt 2–2 Lukas KleckersAshley Carty 2–2 Fraser PatrickMatthew Selt 3–1 Ashley Carty • Lukas Kleckers 3–1 Fraser Patrick Table Group 28 Group 28 was played on 21 July. MatchesBarry Hawkins 3–0 Kuldesh Johal • Ben Woollaston 2–2 Zak SuretyBen Woollaston 3–0 Kuldesh Johal • Barry Hawkins 3–0 Zak Surety • Zak Surety 2–2 Kuldesh JohalBarry Hawkins 2–2 Ben Woollaston Table Group 29 Group 29 was played on 28 July. MatchesThepchaiya Un-Nooh 3–1 Zhang Jiankang • Martin O'Donnell 0–3 Craig Steadman • Martin O'Donnell 1–3 Zhang JiankangThepchaiya Un-Nooh 2–2 Craig SteadmanCraig Steadman 2–2 Zhang Jiankang • ''Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 2–2 Martin O'Donnell'' Table Group 30 Group 30 was played on 5 August. MatchesDavid Gilbert 3–1 Sanderson Lam • Liam Highfield 3–0 Jamie Wilson • Liam Highfield 3–1 Sanderson Lam • David Gilbert 3–0 Jamie Wilson • Jamie Wilson 2–2 Sanderson LamDavid Gilbert 3–0 Liam Highfield Table Group 31 Group 31 was played on 23 July. MatchesPang Junxu 2–2 Chang BingyuLuca Brecel 3–1 Dean Young • Luca Brecel 1–3 Chang BingyuPang Junxu 2–2 Dean Young • Luca Brecel 0–3 Pang JunxuChang Bingyu 3–0 Dean Young Table Group 32 Group 32 was played on 20 July. Matches • '''Ronnie O'Sullivan 3'''–1 Ian Burns • Mark Joyce 3–1 Saqib Nasir • Mark Joyce 2–2 Ian Burns • '''Ronnie O'Sullivan 3'''–0 Saqib Nasir • Saqib Nasir 0–3 Ian Burns • ''Ronnie O'Sullivan 2–2 Mark Joyce'' Table Ng On-yee was originally due to take part in this group, but withdrew and was replaced by Saqib Nasir. ==Stage Two==
Stage Two
Stage Two consisted of eight groups, each containing four players. ==Stage Three==
Stage Three
Stage Three consisted of two groups, each containing four players. Group 1 Group 1 was played on 13 August. MatchesKyren Wilson 2–2 Bai LangningMark Allen 3–0 Tom Ford • Mark Allen 3–1 Bai Langning • Kyren Wilson 2–2 Tom FordTom Ford 3–1 Bai Langning • Kyren Wilson 0–3 Mark Allen Table Group 2 Group 2 was played on 13 August. MatchesAli Carter 2–2 Ryan Day • David Gilbert 1–3 Cao YupengDavid Gilbert 3–0 Ryan Day • Ali Carter 3–1 Cao Yupeng • David Gilbert 3–1 Ali Carter • Ryan Day 3–1 Cao Yupeng Table ==Final==
Final
The final was played on 13 August as the best of five frames. == Century breaks ==
Century breaks
There was a total of 74 century breaks made during the tournament. The highest break was made by Mark Allen, who made a 146 in his stage three match against Kyren Wilson. • 146, 137, 127, 124, 124, 123, 115, 110, 103, 102 Mark Allen • 143, 139, 131, 100 David Gilbert • 140, 100 Jimmy Robertson • 137, 125 Stuart Carrington • 136, 134 Ryan Day • 134, 116 Stuart Bingham • 133 Craig Steadman • 132 Mitchell Mann • 130, 129, 114, 104 Yan Bingtao • 130, 111 Matthew Stevens • 130 John Higgins • 130 Martin O'Donnell • 128 Judd Trump • 127, 125 Chang Bingyu • 127 Andy Hicks • 125, 115, 100 Peter Lines • 125, 112, 105, 104, 101 Ricky Walden • 124 Tom Ford • 122 Barry Pinches • 119 Anthony Hamilton • 119 Soheil Vahedi • 118 Bai Langning • 117, 113 Cao Yupeng • 117 Gary Wilson • 116 Joe O'Connor • 115 Louis Heathcote • 114, 108 Noppon Saengkham • 113, 102 Mark Davis • 112, 104 Michael White • 111, 103 Yuan Sijun • 111, 100 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh • 111 Robert Milkins • 107 Barry Hawkins • 106 Graeme Dott • 103, 100 Kyren Wilson • 102 Jamie Jones • 102 Sydney Wilson • 100 Shaun Murphy • 100 Fergal O'Brien • 100 Dean Young == References ==
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