The 2024 Snooker Pro League ushered in the high-profile Champions League, which is a wonderful battle for the quarterfinals. In the competition on June 29, Beijing time, heroes from all walks of life gathered together, among which the rise of Chinese player Long Zehuang was particularly eye-catching. In this Champions League, the light of Chinese snooker shines, and six players successfully advance to the top 32, showing strong competitiveness.
As the defending champion, Murphy was naturally one of the spotlights of the tournament. He was in the same group as Iran's Wafi and Chinese newcomer Long Zehuang in the group stage and will be looking to defend his title again. Murphy is not only an evergreen in the snooker world, his number of championships has reached 12, only two short of tying Ding Junhui's record. He was in hot form, having previously performed well in exhibition matches in the United States, and in the second stage of the Champions League, he relied on his consistent performance and experience to defeat Long Zehuang and Jamie Jones in succession, but he unexpectedly missed at a crucial moment, losing to Wafai, and finally fell into a small race.
The young Long Zehuang became the dark horse of this competition. Although he lost to Murphy in the first game, he performed well in the next two games, winning back-to-back opponents and finally coming back to the top of the group with a 2-1 record. It was the first time in his career that he reached the quarterfinals of a ranking tournament, creating a historic breakthrough and new heights for himself. After the game, Long Zehuang was in a happy mood, looking forward to the next game, and especially looking forward to fighting for more honors for Chinese snooker.
In the other group, Gilbert showed a strong competitiveness. He took less than a day of rest to lead the group stage with three consecutive wins, showing the temperament and consistency of a champion. Gilbert has already won a ranking tournament before, and this Champions League could be a second chance for him to reach the top. His performances have shown that the Champions League seems to be a blessing for him, and he will continue to fight for the title and try to win again.
Despite the outstanding performances of the various players in the Champions League, the title is still uncertain. The rise of Long Zehuang and Gilbert's consistent performances have brought new expectations, but the competitiveness of Murphy and other veterans should not be underestimated. Every game can produce a new champion, and this uncertainty is precisely the charm of snooker competition. In the next match, who can stabilize their minds at key moments and who can stand out in the fierce competition will all become hot topics among fans.
The Champions League is about to reach its climax, and the performance of each player will determine the final champion. In this pinnacle showdown of snooker, who will have the last laugh and who will leave the field with regret is destined to wait until the last minute to reveal the answer.