Long Zehuang and David Gilbert reach 2024 Championship League Snooker Finals Day

Friday signalled the start of stage two of the 2024/25 professional season’s opening event - the previous 16 days of action produced 32 stage one group winners from the original entry of 128.

• Results, schedule, essential 2024 Championship League information

China's Long is into the last eight of a ranking event for the first time in his career after recovering from an opening match 3-1 loss to defending champion Shaun Murphy before pipping Murphy and Hossein Vafaei to the Group C top spot on frame difference.

The 27-year-old - only in his second season as a pro - bounced back from the early disappointment by defeating both Vafaei and Jamie Jones, 3-0.

Going into the final fixture of the group, Murphy required a minimum of a draw against Vafaei to win the pool. However, Vafaei - who could no longer finish first - did Long a massive favour by hitting breaks of 54, 76 and 89 in a 3-0 victory.

Long, Vafaei and Murphy all ended up on six points each, but Long had a superior frame difference of plus four. Vafaei and Murphy were both on plus two, but the former claimed second place due to their head-to-head result.

Over on table two, David Gilbert - who staged a remarkable last gasp salvo to win his stage one group on Thursday - returns to Finals Day after capping Group B with three wins from three.

A recent World Championship semi-finalist, the 43-year-old - who claimed this title in 2021 - defeated Ashley Carty 3-1 first up before later getting the better of last season's Rookie of the Year He Guoqiang 3-1 in a tie where Gilbert compiled a break of 132.

The final fixture of the group was a decisive one, as Gilbert - who needed to avoid defeat - faced Stuart Bingham - who had to win.

Gilbert got the job done as he took the opening two frames before depositing the third for a 3-0 victory to end with a 100% match-winning record in the group.