2023 WST Classic

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.^[1] 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.^[2][3] The last qualifying event before the 2023 Tour Championship,^[4] the tournament was streamed on Matchroom.live in all territories apart from China, Hong Kong, and Thailand, where it was carried by local broadcasters.^[4] The winner received £80,000 from a total prize fund of £427,000.^[5]

2023 WST Classic

Tournament information
Dates	16–22 March 2023 (2023-03-16 – 2023-03-22)
Venue	Morningside Arena
City	Leicester
Country	England
Organisation	World Snooker Tour
Format	Ranking event
Total prize fund	£427,000
Winner's share	£80,000
Highest break	Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (THA) (147)
Final
Champion	Mark Selby (ENG)
Runner-up	Pang Junxu (CHN)
Score	6–2

Pang Junxu reached the first ranking final of his career, where he faced Mark Selby. Competing in his home city, Selby defeated Pang 6–2 to win his 22nd ranking title.

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.^[6] 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.^[7]

Format

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.^[5] 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.^[5]

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:^[8]

• 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

Tournament 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)[a]	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 Miah	3
					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 Hallworth	2
					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 Taylor	0
					Lukas Kleckers	4
	Jimmy Robertson (ENG) (24)	3
	Lukas Kleckers (GER)	4
									Lukas Kleckers	4
									Haydon Pinhey	2
	Elliot Slessor (ENG) (56)	4
	Himanshu Jain (IND)	0
					Elliot Slessor (56)	1
					Haydon Pinhey	4
	Luca Brecel (BEL) (9)	2
	Haydon Pinhey (ENG)	4
													Lukas Kleckers	4
													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 White	4
	Joe Perry (ENG) (28)	4
	Duane Jones (WAL)	0
					Joe Perry (28)	3
					Jimmy White	4
	Graeme Dott (SCO) (37)	2
	Jimmy White (ENG)	4
													Jimmy White	1
													Pang Junxu (44)	4
	Jack Lisowski (ENG) (12)	4
	Louis Heathcote (ENG)	3
					Jack Lisowski (12)	2
					Si Jiahui	4
	Dominic Dale (WAL) (53)	2
	Si Jiahui (CHN)	4
									Si Jiahui	0
									Pang Junxu (44)	4
	Ricky Walden (ENG) (21)	1
	Ben Mertens (BEL)	4
					Ben Mertens	0
					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 Si	4
	Ding Junhui (CHN) (22)	3
	Xu Si (CHN)	4
									Xu Si	2
									Ali Carter (11)	4
	Mark King (ENG) (54)[b]	w/d
	Muhammad Asif (PAK)	w/o
					Muhammad Asif	0
					Ali Carter (11)	4
	Ali Carter (ENG) (11)	4
	Dechawat Poomjaeng (THA)	1
													Ali Carter (11)	4
													James Cahill	3
	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 Cahill	4
	Andy Hicks (ENG) (59)	1
	James Cahill (ENG)	4
					James Cahill	4
					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 Pagett	2
					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 Wells	4
	Xiao Guodong (CHN) (31)	3
	Daniel Wells (WAL)	4
									Daniel Wells	1
									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 Kleckers	1
					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

Century breaks

A total of 88 century breaks were made during the event.^[12]

• 147, 115 – Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
• 143, 140 – Shaun Murphy
• 141, 123 – Daniel Wells
• 140 – Mark Joyce
• 139 – Pang Junxu
• 138, 138, 120, 105, 104 – Mark Selby
• 138, 130, 104 – Xu Si
• 137, 104 – Ronnie O'Sullivan
• 137 – Stephen Maguire
• 136, 135, 126, 126, 121, 102 – John Higgins
• 136 – Andrew Higginson
• 135, 135, 121, 107, 103 – Gary Wilson
• 135, 104, 103 – Hossein Vafaei
• 135 – Anthony McGill
• 133 – Ding Junhui
• 132 – Jimmy White
• 131, 113 – Judd Trump
• 131 – Jamie Jones
• 131 – Andrew Pagett
• 130 – Graeme Dott
• 129, 112 – Barry Hawkins
• 129, 106, 101 – Ali Carter
• 129, 101 – Jack Lisowski
• 128, 102, 102 – Zhou Yuelong
• 128 – John J. Astley
• 127 – Tom Ford
• 126 – Noppon Saengkham
• 123 – Si Jiahui
• 122 – Xiao Guodong
• 120, 118, 117 – Lyu Haotian
• 120 – David Grace
• 115, 113 – Haydon Pinhey
• 115, 103 – Chris Wakelin
• 113, 100 – David Gilbert
• 110 – Jackson Page
• 109, 100 – Stuart Bingham
• 109 – Lukas Kleckers
• 109 – Matthew Selt
• 107 – Anton Kazakov
• 107 – Ben Mertens
• 105, 101 – Kyren Wilson
• 105 – Jenson Kendrick
• 104, 103 – Jamie Clarke
• 104 – Anthony Hamilton
• 103, 100 – Neil Robertson
• 102 – Mark Davis
• 101 – James Cahill
• 101 – Dechawat Poomjaeng
• 100 – Fan Zhengyi
• 100 – Liam Highfield
• 100 – Yuan Sijun

Notes

1. O'Sullivan withdrew because of an elbow injury.^[9][10]
2. King was suspended by the World Snooker Tour before his match.^[11]