LONDON, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Three-time world champion Mark Selby reached the second stage of the Snooker Championship League after claiming two wins and one draw in Milton Keynes, England on Sunday.
Selby, 37, began the first stage by beating Fergal O'Brien 3-1 in the four-man group. Then the world number four defeated Brandon Sargeant with the same scoreline before drawing 2-2 with Chinese player Lyu Haotian in the last match.
The 22-year-old Lyu took a 2-0 lead but handed Selby several chances to end the game 2-2. It meant that Lyu finished second with one win and two draws.
"Lyu had a couple of chances to beat me 3-0 and again to beat me 3-1, so he'll be disappointed there because he'll feel he lost it rather than I won it, but he gave me chances and all I can do is to pick up the pieces, which I did," Selby told the tournament's website.
In other action on Sunday, Jamie O'Neill took top spot in his group after two wins and one loss.
The Championship League has been expanded to a full World Snooker Tour ranking event this season, featuring 128 players in three stages over 21 days.
Stage One involves 32 groups of four players, with the player who tops each group progressing to Stage Two.
Stage One will be played across two blocks of eight days: September 13-20 and September 28-October 5.
China's Xiao Guodong, Zhao Xintong and Zhou Yuelong have passed the first stage. World number one Judd Trump also reached the second stage. Enditem
