Hossein Vafaei bought his new yr off to the right begin after profitable Group 1 of Championship League Snooker on Saturday in Leicester.
The Iranian skilled a tough calendar yr of 2024 through which he failed to achieve the enterprise stage of any tournaments.
Vafaei had been ranked as excessive as quantity 15 on this planet rankings in direction of the tip of 2023 however ended final yr down at quantity 26.
This model of Championship League Snooker received’t present the 30 year-old with any enhance within the rankings with it being an invitational competitors.
But the previous Shoot Out king shall be buoyed by a powerful outing during the last couple of days on the Mattioli Area.
Vafaei received 4 out of his six round-robin fixtures to comfortably qualify for the knockout levels in second place.
A 3-1 semi-final victory over Ryan Day adopted earlier than contributions of 117 and 77 helped him to a 3-1 triumph in opposition to Jak Jones within the group ultimate.
Prize Cash
Teams 1–7
Winner: £3,000
Runner-up: £2,000
Semi-final: £1,000
Body-win (league stage): £100
Body-win (play-offs): £300
Highest break: £500
Winners’ Group
Winner: £10,000
Runner-up: £5,000
Semi-final: £3,000
Body-win (league stage): £200
Body-win (play-offs): £300
Highest break: £1,000
Hossein Vafaei is the primary to advance to the Winners’ Group of Championship League Snooker, which can happen at the beginning of February.
As normal, a spot within the prestigious Champion of Champions shall be up for grabs for the eventual winner.
Jones, Day, and Pang Junxu – who had topped the league part earlier than dropping within the first knockout spherical – could have one other alternative to progress from Group 2.
Chris Wakelin will moreover be given a second likelihood after ending fifth, with the returning quartet to be joined on Monday and Tuesday by three newcomers.
Ali Carter, Si Jiahui, and Robert Milkins will all enter the fray within the behind-closed-doors match.
Carter received the rating occasion version of Championship League Snooker that was held on the identical venue firstly of the marketing campaign.
Elliot Slessor and Gary Wilson have each been eradicated, nevertheless, having completed on the backside of Group 1.
Schedule
Group 1: January 3–4
Hossein Vafaei
Jak Jones
Pang Junxu
Ryan Day
Chris WakelinElliot Slessor
Gary Wilson
Group 2: January 6–7
Jak Jones
Pang Junxu
Ryan Day
Chris Wakelin
Ali Carter
Si Jiahui
Robert Milkins
Group 3: January 8–9
Ronnie O’Sullivan
Kyren Wilson
Mark Selby
Group 4: January 10–11
Barry Hawkins
Stuart Bingham
Jackson Web page
Group 5: January 20–21
Judd Trump
Tom Ford
Neil Robertson
Group 6: January 22–23
David Gilbert
Jack Lisowski
Noppon Saengkham
Group 7: January 24–25
Xiao Guodong
Zhou Yuelong
Matthew Selt
Winners’ Group: February 3–4
Featured photograph credit score: CLS / Zheng Zhai