On February 2, 2022, Beijing time, the snooker Champions League began the seventh group competition, the first day of the game, substitute Neil Robertson participated in the Richie Walton actually lost 4 games, ranking 1st from the bottom, before the German Masters, he was a big dark horse, broke into the final four, and was beaten back to its original form in the Champions League. Ritchie Walton has two games left, against Ding Junhui and Martin Gould, can he win one?
In the German Masters that ended before, 39-year-old Rich Wharton successfully played the role of dark horse, he eliminated three seeded players such as Neil Robertson, Luka Brechel and Karen Wilson to advance to the final four, as if regaining the peak state of the past. However, he lost to Zhao Xintong, who eventually won the championship in the semifinals, and even so, Richie Wharton's world ranking rose to 18th, getting closer and closer to the top 16.
Because Neil Robertson withdrew from the Champions League, Rich Walton was given the opportunity to play as a substitute, and it was optimistic that he would continue to play the role of dark horse, after all, he has been in the game state. However, Richie Walton was beaten back to his original form on the first match day. Losing 3-0 to Ali Carter, 1-3 to Higgins and 2-3 to O'Sullivan, the fourth round was played by Karen Wilson, who had just beaten the German Masters, but Richie Walton lost three straight sets after winning the first set.
On the first matchday, Richie Walton lost all four battles, ranking first from the bottom, and can be said to have withdrawn from the competition early. On the second matchday, Richie Walton will face Ding Junhui and Martin Gould, which will be a battle of honor for Rich Walton, can he win a victory? Judging by the state shown on the first matchday, it is more difficult.
Ding Junhui won 2 and lost 1 on the first matchday, followed by Higgins, Richie Wharton and O'Sullivan. World number two O'Sullivan is currently fifth with 1 win and 3 losses, followed by Ding Junhui and Ali Carter. Higgins finished third with 2 wins and 1 loss, followed by Ding Junhui, Karen Wilson and Martin Gould. Karen Wilson won all 4 games and finished first, followed by Ali Carter and Higgins!
I hope that Ding Junhui will continue to work hard and strive to become the fourth Chinese player to break into the winners' group after Liang Wenbo, Zhao Xintong and Yan Bingtao!