Reigning Vinny.co.uk Ultimate Pool Champions League Champion Chris Melling got his title defence off to a near perfect start as he won Group 3 of the competition to qualify for the last 16 later this year.

In what was Ultimate Pool’s first televised event, Melling lifted the trophy just less than a year ago, and he is on for a repeat in 2022 after finishing top of the group with maximum points following three comfortable victories at the Players Pool and Snooker Lounge.

The night began with four-time world ladies champion Emma Cunningham producing some fantastic shotmaking to come back from losing the first frame to defeat qualifier and recent Challenger Grand Slam semi-finalist Jake-Dylan Newlove, 3-1.

Melling lived up to his moniker of ‘The Magician’ as he got his campaign underway with a 4-0 victory over Rob Wharne, rounding off with a break clearance in the fourth frame. Professional Wharne stayed out in the arena to face Newlove, and despite rattling off consecutive break clearances he lost 3-2 to the amateur who was also clinical in the balls.

The winners from the opening session clashed in match four but it was Melling who stayed in control, finding a Golden Break in frame three on his way to a 4-0 success over ‘The Wookie’.

Going into the final set of fixtures, only Wharne was eliminated. Northern Ireland’s Cunningham kept her hopes alive with an impressive 4-2 win over former Supreme Masters winner Wharne to move onto four points.

The prospect of only the second-ever three-way 6-reds shootout was on if Newlove could topple Melling in the final match, but the defending champion was in no mood for such entertainment as he registered two break clearances in a 4-1 success to maintain his 100% record and win the group. The only frame he lost in that match – and the whole night – was a break clearance from his opponent.

Melling moves forward to the last 16 of the competition where he will be in a group alongside professional number one Shane Thompson and former world champion Jack Whelan. The fourth player in that quartet will be discovered in next week’s high-profile group which consists of Greg Batten, Eddie Barker, Tom Cousins and Karl Boyes.