Championship League: Neil Robertson withdraws from season's first ranking event in Leicester as Ashley Carty advances

World No. 6 Neil Robertson opted out of the first ranking event of the 2023/24 season as the Championship League began at the Morningside Arena in Leicester. The 128-player tournament runs until Friday 21 July with former world champions Ronnie O'Sullivan, Judd Trump, Mark Williams, Shaun Murphy and Ken Doherty all scheduled to compete and world seniors champion Jimmy White also in the mix.

Neil Robertson withdrew from the first ranking event of the season as the Championship League got underway at Leicester's Morningside Arena on Monday.

The 2010 world champion was due to meet Ashley Carty in his Group 3 opener, but was replaced by former Crucible qualifier Craig Steadman in a section that also contained Sean McAllister – who replaced Liam Highfield – and Adam Duffy.

23-time ranking event winner Robertson joins world champion Luca Brecel – winner of the event a year ago – Mark Selby, Mark Allen and John Higgins in opting out of the early summer snooker action.

Masters

How Murphy reminded the world that he is one of snooker's greatest showmen

20/01/2025 at 19:32

Carty won the section courtesy of a 3-0 win over Duffy in his final group match having earlier drew 2-2 with Steadman and McAllister, respectively.

He edged through to the last-32 group stage on frame difference after finishing on five points alongside McAllister.

'An extraordinary exhibition of snooker' - Murphy makes 147 against Wells

Video credit: TNT Sports

Welshman Daniel Wells dominated Group 30 to join Carty in advancing with 3-0 wins over David Grace and Andrew Higginson and a 3-1 victory against 2006 world champion Graeme Dott.

Hossein Vafaei competes in Group 11 on Tuesday with Shoot Out winner Chris Wakelin in Group 21 as the competition continues.

There are 32 groups of four at the Championship League, with the winner of each group progressing to the second stage which, will contain a further eight groups of four, before two final groups of four compete to reach the semi-finals and final.

World No. 1 Ronnie O'Sullivan is due to return to action on Monday July 10 and has been drawn in Group 1 alongside Scott Donaldson, Rod Lawler and Alfie Burden, who was successful in regaining a fresh two-year tour card at Q School earlier this month.

'Extraordinary' - Vafaei smashes into reds on break-off against O’Sullivan

Video credit: TNT Sports

Three-time world champion Mark Williams faces Dylan Emery, Ken Doherty and Thor Chuan Leong in Group 6 on Friday June 30, while Masters winner Judd Trump meets Jimmy White, Reanne Evans and Xu Si in Group 2 on Tuesday July 11.

Tour champion Shaun Murphy takes on Tian Pengfei, Lukas Kleckers and Andrew Pagett in Group 4 on Wednesday July 12.

Championship League Stage 1

Championship League Stage 2

Championship Stage 3

Victorian Plumbing UK Championship

UK Championship Day 1 recap: Ding recovers to edge out Milkins after O'Sullivan's loss to Hawkins

23/11/2024 at 14:19

BetVictor English Open

English Open as it happened - Murphy, Wilson and Selby all progress as Trump escapes defeat

16/09/2024 at 12:12