Date: January 4, 2026 Event: Second Grand Final of the Sunday League Location: Travneviy pool bar The second Grand Final of the mini-season concluded this...
Grand Final Sunday League: Battle of Nerves, December Rotation, and Q4 Mini-Season Statistics
Петросов Арсен · 2026-01-10
1. Mini-Season Analytics (First League)
Statistics from the last three months show a clear distribution of power at the top of the table:
- Anton Sinokop (Rating #1). The most stable player in the league. Over the reporting period – 7 podium finishes, including one victory. The league founder maintains the top spot thanks to consistently finishing in the top 3.
- Howard Rickard (Rating #2). "Countryman" demonstrated a steady game throughout the quarter, securing one victory. It was this consistency that allowed him to secure the second spot in the overall standings.
- Arsen Petrosov. Highest efficiency of the mini-season – 5 victories, one second, and one third place. Arsen shows the best win rate, but due to missing several stages, he conceded the position in the general rating to Howard.
- Mykola Nykyforov. The player with the highest result guarantee. If Mykola participates in a tournament, he is in the prizes: 3 victories, two "silvers", and two "bronzes".
- Vladyslav Moroz. Despite a busy schedule, he showed class: one victory and three finals appearances.
- Oleksandr Noskov. Demonstrated a dependency of results on motivation, yet retained his place in the elite thanks to points earned.
2. Rotation Results: Returns and Breakthroughs
The final tournament of December was decisive for forming the final composition of League 1. The rotation results determined the direct participants of the Grand Final:
- Serhii Hryn. Showed character and sporting grit. After being relegated from the first division in November, he used his last chance in December, scored the necessary points, and "jumped" back into League 1, earning a legitimate right to participate in the final.
- Vasyl Krasnozhenov. The leader of League 2, who guaranteed his promotion with a stable game (4 podiums, 1 victory). Vasyl entered the Grand Final as a full-fledged League 1 player.
3. Forced Replacements
Since the mini-season leaders – Anton Sinokop (medical reasons) and Howard Rickard (Thai tour) – could not participate, the organizers exercised the right to complete the bracket.
Personal invitations were extended to the best League 2 players at the time registration closed:
- Hennadii Olshanyi
- Zhihao Zhang
These participants received a unique chance to test their skills in the elite division against the strongest opponents of the mini-season.
4. Grand Final Proceedings
The atmosphere at the tables was maximally concentrated – "super serious," ruling out any jokes.
Group Stage: The high density of results confirmed the status of the Grand Final: there were no "easy" opponents here. Every game mattered for the distribution of places in the groups. Ultimately, the following players qualified for the playoffs:
- From Group A: Arsen Petrosov and Vasyl Krasnozhenov.
- From Group B: Mykola Nykyforov and Vladyslav Moroz.
Playoffs (Semi-finals): The knockout stage treated spectators to a battle of characters. Particularly intriguing was the confrontation between Vasyl Krasnozhenov and Mykola Nykyforov. Experience and composure allowed Mykola to secure a confident 7:3 victory and advance to the final.
Final: Mini-Season Culmination The decisive battle brought Arsen Petrosov and Mykola Nykyforov to the table. This match became a true thriller with an incredible script.
Arsen started the meeting powerfully, seizing the initiative and winning the first 4 games in a row (4:0). It seemed the fate of the trophy was sealed. However, Mykola staged a fantastic comeback, winning the next 5 games consecutively and flipping the score to 4:5. Then the "seesaw" battle began: 5:5, 5:6 (Mykola goes ahead), 6:6 (Arsen levels, decider). In the decisive moment, Mykola claimed the victory.
Video recordings of both matches can be found on the Sunday League YouTube channel.
Winner: Congratulations to the Grand Final winner – Mykola Nykyforov, who won the main prize of the mini-season in a tense confrontation!
5. Future Plans
As previously noted, beta testing of the updated rating system is complete, and a new 2026 season and new mini-season are starting in the Sunday League!
Throughout January, players will compete in joint tournaments to determine the top eight and return to the two-league format. Points earned in the Grand Final have become an excellent starter set for all participants of the Sunday tournament.
The next Grand Final is coming very soon – on the first Sunday of April.
The mini-season is closed. Rating points are fixed. Preparation for the next stage of the Sunday League begins now.