Xiao Guodong joins snooker big guns Judd Trump, Neil Robertson and John Higgins in Championship League final group

ByEurosport

Updated 28/02/2023 at 22:36 GMT

Xiao Guodong completed a 3-2 win over compatriot Lyu Haotian to secure his spot in the Championship League winners' group. Xiao trailed 2-0, but won the final three frames to join Jack Lisowski, Stuart Bingham, Kyren Wilson, Judd Trump, John Higgins and Neil Robertson in progressing to the final stage. Stream top snooker action live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and Eurosport.com

Xiao Guodong makes the first 147 break of his career in style

Xiao Guodong recovered from trailing 2-0 to claim the final three frames against Lyu Haotian and book his place in the Championship League final group in Leicester.

It means Xiao will take his place alongside Jack Lisowski, Stuart Bingham, Kyren Wilson, Judd Trump, John Higgins and Neil Robertson on Wednesday and Thursday with the overall winner securing a place in the Champion of Champions event later this year.

World No. 38 Lyu won the first two frames of the Group Seven final boosted by knocks of 63 and 128, his sixth century in two days, but was forced to watch his compatriot battle back with a 56 break in the third frame before edging two lengthy frames – including a tense 45-minute decider on the pink – to progress.

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2006 world champion Graeme Dott had earlier topped the section of the invitational event with five wins from six matches – highlighted by a terrific break of 140 in his 3-2 win over Zhou Yuelong – but had no answer to former Shanghai Masters runner-up Xiao in the semi-finals with knocks of 104 and 64 helping to seal his final spot.

Former UK champion Stephen Maguire progressed to the semi-finals alongside Lyu on four points, but watched as his opponent rattled off runs of 76, 58 and 100 to reach the final.

Matthew Selt finished bottom of the seven-man group on one point, but had the consolation of equalling the record of 23 centuries at a single tournament – set by Kyren Wilson at the same event two years ago – with a 117 break in the third frame of a 3-1 defeat to Xiao.

Despite not reaching the final stages, Selt earned £21,900 for playing in all seven groups at the Morningside Arena.