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2023 WST Classic

Snooker tournament

The 2023 WST Classic was a professional snooker tournament that took place from 16 to 22 March 2023 at the Morningside Arena in Leicester, England. It was the 13th ranking event of the 2022-23 season and the inaugural staging of the WST Classic, which the World Snooker Tour added to the calendar midway through the season to replace the cancelled 2023 Turkish Masters. The last qualifying event before the 2023 Tour Championship, the tournament was streamed on Matchroom.live in all territories apart from China, Hong Kong, and Thailand, where it was carried by local broadcasters. The winner received £80,000 from a total prize fund of £427,000.

Mark Selby won the only edition of the tournament. Competing in his home city, he defeated Pang Junxu 6-2 to win his 22nd ranking title, this was the first ranking final of Pang's career.

There were 88 century breaks made during the event. Judd Trump made his 900th century break in professional competition during his first-round match against David Lilley, becoming the third player, after Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins, to reach that milestone. Thepchaiya Un-Nooh made the highest break of the tournament, a maximum break in the fifth frame of his last-64 match against Xu Si. This was Un-Nooh's fourth competitive maximum break.

01Format

The tournament featured 128 players. The top 64 players in the snooker world rankings after the Players Championship were seeded in the draw, with the remaining 64 players drawn at random against them. Matches were played as the best of seven frames up to and including the quarter-finals. The semi-finals were played over the best of nine frames. The final was played over the best of 11 frames. The last three rounds were all played on the final day.

Prize fund

The event featured a prize fund of £427,000, with the winner receiving £80,000. The breakdown of prize money for this event is shown below:

  • Winner: £80,000
  • Runner-up: £35,000
  • Semi-final: £17,500
  • Quarter-final: £11,000
  • Last 16: £7,500
  • Last 32: £4,500
  • Last 64: £3,000
  • Highest break: £5,000
  • Total: £427,000

02Tournament draw

Top half

Section 1

  Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
                
   
 
   Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG) (1)4
   
   Mohamed Ibrahim (EGY)2
  Ronnie O'Sullivan (1)w/d
   
  David Grace (64)w/o
   David Grace (ENG) (64)4
   
   Ryan Thomerson (AUS)1
  David Grace (64)4
   
  Jamie Jones (33)2
   Sam Craigie (ENG) (32)2
   
   Hammad Miah (ENG)4
  Hammad Miah3
   
  Jamie Jones (33)4
   Jamie Jones (WAL) (33)4
   
   Rory McLeod (JAM)2
  David Grace (64)1
   
  Gary Wilson (16)4
   Gary Wilson (ENG) (16)4
   
   Lei Peifan (CHN)0
  Gary Wilson (16)4
   
  Yuan Sijun (49)3
   Yuan Sijun (CHN) (49)4
   
   Andy Lee (HKG)0
  Gary Wilson (16)4
   
  Cao Yupeng (48)3
   Ryan Day (WAL) (17)1
   
   Steven Hallworth (ENG)4
  Steven Hallworth2
   
  Cao Yupeng (48)4
   Cao Yupeng (CHN) (48)4
 
   Craig Steadman (ENG)3
 

Section 2

  Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
                
   
 
   Jordan Brown (NIR) (41)1
   
   Allan Taylor (ENG)4
  Allan Taylor0
   
  Lukas Kleckers4
   Jimmy Robertson (ENG) (24)3
   
   Lukas Kleckers (GER)4
  Lukas Kleckers4
   
  Haydon Pinhey2
   Elliot Slessor (ENG) (56)4
   
   Himanshu Jain (IND)0
  Elliot Slessor (56)1
   
  Haydon Pinhey4
   Luca Brecel (BEL) (9)2
   
   Haydon Pinhey (ENG)4
  Lukas Kleckers4
   
  Jackson Page (57)0
   Liam Highfield (ENG) (40)4
   
   Marco Fu (HKG)1
  Liam Highfield (40)2
   
  Zhou Yuelong (25)4
   Zhou Yuelong (CHN) (25)4
   
   Julien Leclercq (BEL)3
  Zhou Yuelong (25)2
   
  Jackson Page (57)4
   Jackson Page (WAL) (57)4
   
   Anton Kazakov (UKR)3
  Jackson Page (57)4
   
  Mark Williams (8)3
   Mark Williams (WAL) (8)4
 
   Sean O'Sullivan (ENG)3
 

Section 3

  Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
                
   
 
   Judd Trump (ENG) (5)4
   
   David Lilley (ENG)1
  Judd Trump (5)4
   
  Wu Yize (60)1
   Wu Yize (CHN) (60)4
   
   Ashley Hugill (ENG)1
  Judd Trump (5)2
   
  Jimmy White4
   Joe Perry (ENG) (28)4
   
   Duane Jones (WAL)0
  Joe Perry (28)3
   
  Jimmy White4
   Graeme Dott (SCO) (37)2
   
   Jimmy White (ENG)4
  Jimmy White1
   
  Pang Junxu (44)4
   Jack Lisowski (ENG) (12)4
   
   Louis Heathcote (ENG)3
  Jack Lisowski (12)2
   
  Si Jiahui4
   Dominic Dale (WAL) (53)2
   
   Si Jiahui (CHN)4
  Si Jiahui0
   
  Pang Junxu (44)4
   Ricky Walden (ENG) (21)1
   
   Ben Mertens (BEL)4
  Ben Mertens0
   
  Pang Junxu (44)4
   Pang Junxu (CHN) (44)4
 
   Jenson Kendrick (ENG)2
 

Section 4

  Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
                
   
 
   Ben Woollaston (ENG) (45)4
   
   Dylan Emery (WAL)2
  Ben Woollaston (45)1
   
  Hossein Vafaei (20)4
   Hossein Vafaei (IRN) (20)4
   
   John Astley (ENG)2
  Hossein Vafaei (20)2
   
  Scott Donaldson (52)4
   Scott Donaldson (SCO) (52)4
   
   Zak Surety (ENG)2
  Scott Donaldson (52)4
   
  Barry Hawkins (13)0
   Barry Hawkins (ENG) (13)4
   
   Barry Pinches (ENG)0
  Scott Donaldson (52)1
   
  Oliver Lines (61)4
   Lyu Haotian (CHN) (36)4
   
   Michael Judge (IRL)1
  Lyu Haotian (36)4
   
  Joe O'Connor (29)1
   Joe O'Connor (ENG) (29)4
   
   Jamie O'Neill (ENG)1
  Lyu Haotian (36)3
   
  Oliver Lines (61)4
   Oliver Lines (ENG) (61)4
   
   Mitchell Mann (ENG)0
  Oliver Lines (61)4
   
  Neil Robertson (4)3
   Neil Robertson (AUS) (4)4
 
   Luke Simmonds (ENG)2
 

Bottom half

Section 5

  Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
                
   
 
   Mark Allen (NIR) (3)4
   
   Peter Lines (ENG)0
  Mark Allen (3)4
   
  Mark Davis (62)3
   Mark Davis (ENG) (62)4
   
   Fergal O'Brien (IRL)2
  Mark Allen (3)1
   
  Noppon Saengkham (30)4
   Noppon Saengkham (THA) (30)4
   
   Ian Burns (ENG)3
  Noppon Saengkham (30)4
   
  Fan Zhengyi (35)3
   Fan Zhengyi (CHN) (35)4
   
   Andres Petrov (EST)0
  Noppon Saengkham (30)2
   
  Stuart Bingham (14)4
   Stuart Bingham (ENG) (14)4
   
   Ng On-yee (HKG)0
  Stuart Bingham (14)4
   
  Matthew Stevens (51)2
   Matthew Stevens (WAL) (51)4
   
   Victor Sarkis (BRA)1
  Stuart Bingham (14)4
   
  Martin Gould (46)1
   Anthony McGill (SCO) (19)4
   
   Peng Yisong (CHN)0
  Anthony McGill (19)1
   
  Martin Gould (46)4
   Martin Gould (ENG) (46)4
 
   Andrew Higginson (ENG)2
 

Section 6

  Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
                
   
 
   Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (THA) (43)4
   
   Asjad Iqbal (PAK)2
  Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (43)2
   
  Xu Si4
   Ding Junhui (CHN) (22)3
   
   Xu Si (CHN)4
  Xu Si2
   
  Ali Carter (11)4
   Mark King (ENG) (54)w/d
   
   Muhammad Asif (PAK)w/o
  Muhammad Asif0
   
  Ali Carter (11)4
   Ali Carter (ENG) (11)4
   
   Dechawat Poomjaeng (THA)1
  Ali Carter (11)4
   
  James Cahill3
   Anthony Hamilton (ENG) (38)4
   
   Farakh Ajaib (PAK)3
  Anthony Hamilton (38)4
   
  Matthew Selt (27)3
   Matthew Selt (ENG) (27)4
   
   Michael Holt (ENG)3
  Anthony Hamilton (38)2
   
  James Cahill4
   Andy Hicks (ENG) (59)1
   
   James Cahill (ENG)4
  James Cahill4
   
  Shaun Murphy (6)3
   Shaun Murphy (ENG) (6)4
 
   Oliver Brown (ENG)0
 

Section 7

  Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
                
   
 
   Kyren Wilson (ENG) (7)4
   
   Dean Young (SCO)1
  Kyren Wilson (7)4
   
  Stuart Carrington (58)0
   Stuart Carrington (ENG) (58)4
   
   Adam Duffy (ENG)1
  Kyren Wilson (7)4
   
  Tian Pengfei (39)0
   Chris Wakelin (ENG) (26)4
   
   Reanne Evans (ENG)1
  Chris Wakelin (26)3
   
  Tian Pengfei (39)4
   Tian Pengfei (CHN) (39)4
   
   Alfie Burden (ENG)3
  Kyren Wilson (7)2
   
  John Higgins (10)4
   John Higgins (SCO) (10)4
   
   Michael White (WAL)3
  John Higgins (10)4
   
  Mark Joyce (55)1
   Mark Joyce (ENG) (55)4
   
   Gerard Greene (NIR)1
  John Higgins (10)4
   
  Jamie Clarke (42)0
   Tom Ford (ENG) (23)3
   
   Andrew Pagett (WAL)4
  Andrew Pagett2
   
  Jamie Clarke (42)4
   Jamie Clarke (WAL) (42)4
 
   Rebecca Kenna (ENG)0
 

Section 8

  Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
                
   
 
   Jak Jones (WAL) (47)4
   
   Sanderson Lam (ENG)1
  Jak Jones (47)2
   
  David Gilbert (18)4
   David Gilbert (ENG) (18)4
   
   Ian Martin (ENG)0
  David Gilbert (18)2
   
  Robbie Williams (50)4
   Robbie Williams (ENG) (50)4
   
   Aaron Hill (IRL)1
  Robbie Williams (50)4
   
  Robert Milkins (15)2
   Robert Milkins (ENG) (15)4
   
   Mink Nutcharut (THA)2
  Robbie Williams (50)3
   
  Mark Selby (2)4
   Stephen Maguire (SCO) (34)4
   
   Alexander Ursenbacher (SUI)3
  Stephen Maguire (34)1
   
  Daniel Wells4
   Xiao Guodong (CHN) (31)3
   
   Daniel Wells (WAL)4
  Daniel Wells1
   
  Mark Selby (2)4
   Zhang Anda (CHN) (63)4
   
   Peter Devlin (ENG)3
  Zhang Anda (63)3
   
  Mark Selby (2)4
   Mark Selby (ENG) (2)4
 
   Robbie McGuigan (NIR)1
 

Finals

  Quarter-finals
Best of 7 frames
Semi-finals
Best of 9 frames
Final
Best of 11 frames
            
   
 
  Gary Wilson (16)4
   
  Lukas Kleckers1
  Gary Wilson (16)4
   
  Pang Junxu (44)5
  Pang Junxu (44)4
   
  Oliver Lines (61)3
  Pang Junxu (44)2
   
  Mark Selby (2)6
  Stuart Bingham (14)2
   
  Ali Carter (11)4
  Ali Carter (11)0
   
  Mark Selby (2)5
  John Higgins (10)2
 
  Mark Selby (2)4
 

Final

Final: Best of 11 frames. Referee: Rob Spencer
Morningside Arena, Leicester, England, 22 March 2023
Pang Junxu (44)
 China
2, 6 Mark Selby (2)
 England
Frame scores: 0, 104 (104), 0, 138 (138), 79, 18, 27, 87, 0, 120 (120), 64, 16, 33, 81, 0, 83
75 Highest break 138
0 Century breaks 3

03Century breaks

A total of 88 century breaks were made during the event.

Watch videos about 2023 WST ClassicExplainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article 2023 WST Classic, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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