Queen Elisabeth II died peacefully in her Balmoral residence yesterday afternoon. She was 96 tears old. She was a queen before I was born … and I’m a grand mother. Immediately, all over the Internet, respects were paid, tributes were written, and pictures were shared. Most of those images showed her, smiling, wearing her crown with pride… the only one that was in my mind, was of her, petite, frail, all dressed in black, wearing a mask, alone, mourning her husband, the man she had loved since she was 13. Alone, following the rules while those who set those rules were partying in Downing street. Those were the same people who were now flooding social media with tributes. It angered me beyond words. It saddened me beyond words.
Of course, there were also many thousand of sincere tributes, notably from snooker players, including Ronnie.
Tributes and token of respect came from all over the world. The flags were taken at half mast in front of the European Commission building in Brussels. European countries expressed their solidarity with the UK people and shared their sorrow.
Rest in peace Elisabeth Windsor, Queen, mother, grand-mother, grand-grand-mother … a formidable woman in a male dominated world, a unifying force in a profoundly divided country, a beacon of dignity in the face of a deeply corrupted political class. I hope you are now reunited with your love.
Tour Players Guaranteed Prize Money Under New WST And WPBSA Initiative
Players on the World Snooker Tour will be guaranteed to earn a minimum of £20,000 during the 2022/23 season, under a new system which offers them security in a difficult economic climate.
The initiative will be introduced with immediate effect, with players to be offered payments of up to £10,000 in September, and a further £10,000 in January.
These payments are set against prize money, so players otherwise earning £20,000 or more over the season will have the up-front payments deducted from their prize money earnings. The system will particularly benefit those who would otherwise earn less than £20,000 in prize money.
WST Chairman Steve Dawson said: “We are delighted to join forces with the WPBSA and its players organisation to fund this new programme. We recognise that these are tough times for many people given the cost of living crisis and that a £20,000 guarantee provides an important level of reassurance for many players who need to plan and prepare for life on tour.
“The top stars on our tour earn vast sums, in fact three years ago we saw Judd Trump become the first player to earn £1 million in prize money in a single season. But we recognise that further down the rankings, there are no guarantees. We have brought in this new system to support the many talented players who may need a level of security to fund their snooker careers.
“Before Matchroom took control of the sport in 2010, overall prize money had sunk as low as £3.5 million and all players had to pay around £5,000 a year in entry fees. We have since scrapped entry fees and the prize money levels are far higher. Due to the pandemic, we have not been able to stage ranking events in China since 2019, which has adversely affected our tour. But we will return to China as soon as restrictions are reduced, and we are striving to create new events, as we have done with the British Open, Turkish Masters, Hong Kong Masters and World Mixed Doubles.”
WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson
WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson added: “This new initiative is a fundamental shift in the way we are underpinning the future of our sport. This clearly shows the importance of our new structure at the WPBSA where players are represented and listened to through their own WPBSA players body, and I would like to thank the WPBSA players board for their support. In addition, this demonstrates the value of becoming a World Snooker Tour card holder where we take talent retention and the welfare of our players seriously.”
The new system, open to all 130 tour players, will run this season on a trial basis before the decision is made whether to continue next season.
Ferguson Hails New Prize Money Guarantee Scheme for World Snooker Tour
World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) Chairman Jason Ferguson has welcomed the introduction of a new prize money guarantee scheme that will see players on the World Snooker Tour (WST) guaranteed to earn a minimum of £20,000 for the first time during the 2022/23 season.
Jointly announced by WST and snooker’s world governing body the WPBSA, and supported by the WPBSA’s own players board, the new initiative will provide unprecedented support for all professional players. In particular, the scheme will provide stability for players to compete throughout the year.
Jason Ferguson, WPBSA Chairman said: “We are today delighted to be able to announce this new scheme which will underpin the future of our sport going forwards.
“There can be no question that the World Snooker Tour represents the pinnacle of our sport and that every player who has qualified through our recognised WPBSA pathways is deserving of the opportunity to compete at the very highest level.
“However, we are currently living through challenging times, with the global cost of living crisis combined with the continued impact of the coronavirus pandemic upon the international calendar, undoubtedly having a destabilising effect upon players.
“We further recognise that talent can come from anywhere around the globe, there are players from no fewer than 19 countries currently represented on the World Snooker Tour and I am sure this scheme will now make it possible for anyone to achieve their dreams and fulfil their potential. Player welfare is an issue that we take extremely seriously, and there is no doubt that this scheme will ease the pressure for many of our members, allowing them to do what they do best – play snooker and entertain the many millions of fans around the world.
“This scheme demonstrates the value of earning a two-year WST Tour Card and has been made possible through the tripartite structure that exists within our sport. This includes our commercial arm WST, the WPBSA as world governing body and crucially our WPBSA Players organisation, which ensures that the views of the players are heard at all stages. This demonstrates that our new constitutional changes at the WPBSA are working. I would like to place on record my thanks to fellow Chairman at WST Steve Dawson, the WST Board of Directors, and the new Players Board currently chaired by Ken Doherty, all of whom have contributed to making this happen.”
This is indeed a radical shift from Barry Hearn’s “philosophy”, allegedly about “not rewarding mediocrity”. It isn’t “rewarding mediocrity” to pay people for their job done. It isn’t “rewarding mediocrity” to recognise that new players on tour need time to adjust: this is a very difficult sport and the top players play at a very high standard. It isn’t “rewarding mediocrity” to help players who need to “expat” – because of the UK centric nature of the tour – to relocate and settle in their new lives. All this applies, no matter the economical climate, but it is more important than ever in this time of deep crisis.
There is a small risk that a couple may abuse the system, take the money and do nothing, but it’s a small price to pay if this system allows many young talents to develop and thrive. This is about the future, and maybe even the survival, of snooker as a top sport. Well done WPBSA!
Clive Everton MBE, founder and editor of Snooker Scene magazine since 1971, has stepped down after more than 50 years at the helm.
Clive hopes to find a buyer to take the magazine forward, otherwise September’s issue will be the last.
An amalgamation of previous publications called Billiards and Snooker and World Snooker, the first edition of Snooker Scene was published in 1972, costing 12p.
Originally intended as a monthly record of results and reports from tournaments, over time the magazine became a much more significant influence across the sport.
Clive, a leading commentator for BBC from 1978, was also the sharpest journalist of the sport’s 1980s boom years. Unafraid to challenge authority, he would regularly scrutinise the actions of the sport’s decision-makers in Snooker Scene’s pages.
During the late 2000s, Clive played a vital role in the revolution which led to the WPBSA and WST coming under the wing of Matchroom Sport and Barry Hearn taking control. As declared on the front cover, the magazine told fans what was really going on in the corridors of power.
At its peak in 1989, Snooker Scene had 21,850 subscribers. Up until today it still has a loyal following. It has introduced many new fans to snooker, and has been a constant companion to those who follow the sport month by month.
Clive joins the Hall of Fame in 2017
Clive, who was inducted into the Snooker Hall of Fame in 2017 and awarded an MBE in 2019, told us: “It’s the end of a very long era and I feel a great sense of pride. The magazine has been a reliable record. It has had an impact on the politics of snooker because I wanted to keep the readership informed. Barry Hearn’s transformation of the sport might never have happened otherwise.
“I am glad to have made a contribution and to have left snooker in a better state than I found it. Billiards and snooker has always been my passion and I am fortunate that I have been able to make a living out of that.”
His final editorial began: “This is an editorial I have dreaded ever having to write but a combination of factors has led me, with the utmost sadness and regret, to decide that this issue of Snooker Scene will be the last under my ownership/editorship.
“It has been a key part of my life for the last 51 years, appearing monthly since January 1971 apart from two months during the first Coronavirus lockdown. I shall miss it dreadfully. Although I will be 85 this month, I was fully intending until very recently to continue to at least until the end of the season but conversations with doctors, accountants and colleagues have led me to conclude that this, our 619th issue, should be my last.”
In a joint statement, WST Chairman Steve Dawson and WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson said: “We congratulate Clive for the incredible feat of editing Snooker Scene for over 50 years. This must be a unique achievement in the sporting world. For many years, particularly in the pre-digital age, it was the most important source of information on snooker. Countless fans would have relished that moment every month when the magazine dropped through the letterbox.
“Clive has been a remarkable servant to our sport, through his playing days, his times as a commentator and journalist, and as a friend and mentor to many people throughout snooker. We wish him all the best for his retirement and hope our fans worldwide will join us in saluting his contribution.”
Ken Doherty added on Twitter: “So sorry to see the end of the ever popular Snooker Scene magazine. I grew up through the early 80s reading about pro comps, pro-ams and young players coming through, hoping my name would be in there one day. Clive Everton has been an outstanding journalist for snooker, a pioneer.”
It’s hard to describe my feelings at this time. I have been one of the “loyal followers” and have kept every single issue I received since I subscribed. I also have been a contributor, providing pictures for most issues between 2012 and 2018. It really feels like the end of something I cherished.
I also met Clive countless times at events, notably at Premier League fixtures as early as 2007. He has a remarkably preceptive mind and immense knowledge of the game.
We were both present when Stephen Lee played his last ever match as a professional, on 11th of October 2012. Clive was commentating, I was taking pictures. Clive immediately understood what was going on and he was quite baffled too as it had only been nine days since the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) had released a statement confirming that the Crown Prosecution Service would not be taking further action against Lee over claims of match fixing relative to a 2009 UK Championship match. Clive’s deep concerns however were not about Lee, they were about the negative impact this incident could possibly have on snooker as a sport, a sport he loves with a passion.
Happy retirement Clive, and take good care of yourself. Snooker Scene will be missed.
Magazines like Snooker Scene don’t sell easily nowadays as they have largely been “overthrown” by digital media: blogs, podcasts, youtube videos and more. This is a concern to me however because proper and honest “paper” magazines and books, if kept in libraries, are our faithful “memories” of past events. They report on the context around them, and contain in-depth analysis . Current digital media can of course be released much more quickly after the events and at a lower cost, but rarely go very deep into their analysis. And also there is the important question of their integral conservation without alterations over time.
It was announced yesterday that this month’s issue of the Snooker Scene Magazine would be the last. This is truly the end of an era. For 51 years, countless snooker fans have avidly been waiting for Snooker Scene’s monthly issue, impatient to read Clive Everton’s views and thoughts about the sport they love, its stars, its politics, its problems, its future … and more. Alas, Clive, who will turn 85 tomorrow, is in ill health. He can’t commit doing this anymore. It’s sad. I hope that Clive gets the best possible care and that his health improves. Thank you Clive, for everything. Thank you.
Mark Selby and Mark Allen shine on “Ultimate Pool”
For Mark Selby it wasn’t a “first time”. This time again he teamed with his brother in law, Gareth Potts. They are competing – with great success despite Mark’s neck injury – in the Ultimate Pool Pairs Cup.
Mark Selby shines on Ultimate Pool return despite neck injury
Phil Haigh Tuesday 30 Aug 2022
Gareth Potts and Mark Selby were in fine form on Monday (Picture: Ultimate Pool)
Mark Selby returned to Ultimate Pool in style on Monday, teaming with brother-in-law Gareth Potts to win their group in the Pairs Cup and progress to the last 16.
With the snooker calendar quiet at the moment Selby was back on the small table again and the pair, being dubbed The Dream Team, won all three of their matches at the Players Pool & Snooker Lounge in Newcastle-Under-Lyme.
There are still seven more groups of the Pairs Cup to be played, with the last 16 getting underway in October.
While the short matches on the small table represent a very different challenge to upcoming snooker events, it is encouraging for Selby as he is dealing with a pretty unpleasant neck injury.
After playing through the pain at the European Masters earlier this month, Selby went for an MRI scan and it confirmed that he has a problem with discs in his neck.
Selby tweeted: ‘So the MRI scan came back Thursday evening showing protruding disc C5 C6. Exactly same area as before. Seems to be easy a little than was a week or so ago so hope going the right way. ‘Good thing is I can still get down on shot with less discomfort than i did in Germany so hopefully on the mend. More physio Tuesday.
It isn’t the first time that Mark suffers because of this neck injury. Hopefully he will be fully fit soon.
Mark Allen used the break in the snooker calendar to show off his cue sports skills at the Ultimate Pool Players Championship with some dazzling breaks.
The Northern Ireland Open champion is not due to return to competitive action on the snooker table until the opening round of the British Open on Monday 26 September against Stuart Carrington in Milton Keynes.
Allen lost 2-0 to three-time champion Mick Hill in Sunday’s final of Group 5, being edged out 9-8 and 9-3 by the 8-ball specialist in Newcastle-under-Lyme, but admits the experience has inspired him to try the smaller baize in future.
“It was a great experience. A huge thank you to the Ultimate Pool guys for having me,” said the former Masters winner.
“It was a great final to forward to against one of the all-time greats. If the calendar allows it, then I’d definitely play in more events.
“I’m a realist and I know that I’m not going to pull up too many trees in the pool world in the long run, so I’ll have to stick to what I know best – and that’s snooker.
“But as long as the calendar allows it, then there’s no reason why I can’t dip my toe in the water and play again.“
More on the “Jamie Hunter Debate” and her own feelings about it all
The previous posts about Jamie triggered what proved to be the longest and more complex discussion I was ever involved in on social media. Players like Barry Pinches, Matthew Stevens, Diana Schuler, Wendy Jans entered the debate. Barry in particular is convinced that males have a natural superiority over females when it comes to snooker and that, therefore, Jamie should not compete with the women. However, when asked if he could provide any reliable “source” or study supporting this opinion, he freely admitted that he never even saw one: his opinion is based on the fact that no female so far has been successful on the main tour. I challenged his views, pointing out that, comparatively very few girls and women play snooker because until recently at least, the sport has not been very welcoming to girls at amateur level and that “exceptional talents” are just … exceptional. The chances to identify one are extremely slim in a “small population”.
All those debates and discussions however aren’t touching the core of the issue: the feelings and struggles impacting the lives of persons like Jamie who don’t “fit” in the main social moulds.
Jamie opened up about her feelings and I think it’s very important to listen to what she has to say, so, please read this and read it with an open mind and a kind heart:
Jamie Hunter: If I didn’t transition I would be dead, it had nothing to do with snooker
Phil Haigh Sunday 4 Sep 2022
Jamie Hunter on her way to winning the US Women’s Snooker Open in Seattle (Picture: World Women’s Snooker)
Jamie Hunter won her first World Women’s Snooker ranking title at the US Open last week, but far from celebrating her success in the days to come, she has been dealing with an avalanche of abuse.
The 25-year-old came out as transgender in 2019 and started playing on the WWS Tour last year, with her first big win on the snooker table coming in Seattle after winning the Women’s World Billiards Championship earlier this year.
While the billiards triumph happened with little public scrutiny, the win in America did not and it has been a torrid time for Hunter and her family as they deal with criticism, abuse and hurtful attacks.
‘It’s not like when I won the billiards, when I got home, my dad picked us up from the airport, my parents had balloons and banners round the house,’ Hunter told Metro.co.uk.
‘This time my parents met me at the train station and it wasn’t celebratory at all, it was sad. The first thing my mum said to me was, “Are you okay?” That shouldn’t be the first thing she said . You could see the hurt in her eyes from what she’s read about me.’
Social media was rife with accusations of cheating, fellow WWS Tour player Maria Catalano was critical of Hunter’s inclusion, but it was horrific anti-trans abuse that really hurt the most.
‘The trans debate in sport is such a rife thing at the moment and people are going to have their opinions, which they’re allowed to of course, but there’s ways of going about it,’ Jamie said.
‘A lot of it wasn’t about me being a player, it was about me being alive, that was worse. People don’t want me to exist, not that they don’t want me playing sports, they don’t want me on Earth.
‘People say you can ignore it but knowing it’s going on in the background I couldn’t not read it and see how bad it was. It’s hard to ignore. I’ve got a mobile phone, it’s been buzzing every 10 seconds, how can you ignore it?
‘Monday and Tuesday I didn’t sleep much, I was just crying. When the famous people came out the woodwork and started posting stuff, I just felt that the world was crumbling around me.
‘Sharron Davies was one, an MP on Facebook was taking a personal attack at me calling me a cheater.
‘If someone with that power can take a personal attack at me on social media…I just didn’t know what I was supposed to do.’
Anyone wishing harm on Hunter is clearly not interested in the debate over trans people in sport, but to those who are interested in whether it is fair that Jamie competes on the women’s tour, she is happy to put their minds at rest.
‘A lot of people who disagree with trans people in sport, they don’t know what actually happens,’ she said.
Hunter alongside beaten finalist Rebecca Kenna and the WWS team (Picture: World Women’s Snooker)
‘I’ve had people saying I have an advantage because I don’t have boobs, but I’ve had a boob job, so that’s nonsense.
‘People say I have an advantage because I’ve got longer arms. I’m 5’4″ and weigh less than nine stone. It’s not like I’m built like a bodybuilder.
‘People talk about testosterone. I have to provide blood tests to prove I’ve got low testosterone. In fact my testosterone level is only 1.6 nanomoles per litre and the average female range is 2-4, so I’m actually lower than the average female.
‘But people don’t know that because they don’t know anything about me and a lot of the time don’t know anything about trans people.
‘One of the requirements for playing under the WPBSA rules is that your ID documents have to say you’re female. That sounds dead easy, but you need to have lived as a woman for two years, show proof of two years living in your gender. Pay slips, utility bills, letters from work, a letter from your doctor.
‘Then to get the medication to get your testosterone levels down you have to have at least four hours of therapy, you have to be signed off by a psychiatrist and two doctors. It takes months.
‘Some people were saying: “What if Ronnie puts a wig on and wants to play women’s events?” Just to get your passport to say female is a lot of hard work and you have to prove a lot of things.
‘You can’t just wake up one morning and decide you fancy playing women’s tournaments.
‘I don’t want to sound like I’m retaliating, but I want to be open about it. Firstly to inspire others to know they can do what they want to do and be who they want to be, and secondly to educate people.
‘People come up to me and ask if it’s alright to ask a certain question, and I’ll always answer because I’d rather them ask me than look at something on Twitter.’
Hunter’s impressive win in Seattle has been impossible to enjoy (Picture: World Women’s Snooker)
Some of the criticism towards Hunter does seem to suggest that she changed gender so she could have a better chance of winning snooker tournaments. While that sounds ridiculous in itself, it is even more so when she explains what led her to make the huge decision in 2019.
‘If I didn’t transition when I did, my parents wouldn’t have been picking me up from the airport the other day, they’d have been putting flowers on my headstone,’ she said.
‘That’s how bad it was. I don’t think people realise I was a couple of months away from committing suicide. They make out as if I played snooker as a man, I was rubbish, so decided to do it in the women’s instead. I changed my gender for my wellbeing and my life, not for anything else.’
Asked if she could put into words what it is like to feel like you’re in the wrong gender, Jamie explained: ‘Obviously people have body image issues. Wanting to be slimmer or taller or different colour hair or whatever.
‘Can you imagine what it’s like looking in the mirror and feeling like it’s in a film, where the image in the mirror isn’t what is in front of it. That’s what it’s like. Having body parts that you don’t like.
‘Then the dread, the fear of what could happen if you did say something. I couldn’t even tell my mum and dad because I was scared they’d disown me.
‘Scared to walk in Asda in case people said something to me. What if my friends don’t want to know me anymore? What if I’m ridiculed at work? What if people assault me? It’s terrifying.
‘When I was younger I was just so angry and filled with hatred that I just locked myself away. My dad used to tell me to go out and get a life. I used to sit in my room and do nothing. Showering in the dark, never looking in the mirror.’
Hunter’s surgeries, medication, therapy and other procedures have cost around £20,000 so far, with the NHS waiting list around five years and too long to wait for.
It is by no means that she is competing on the women’s tour on a whim and accusations of cheating have no grounding as she complies with the rules set out by snooker’s governing body, as confirmed by WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson this week.
‘People have made out that I failed as a man at snooker and that’s why I’ve done this, it’s nonsense. I never tried to do anything as a man, I played in local leagues with my friends, I never entered proper tournaments as a man,’ she said.
‘It’s absolutely bonkers to say I’d have done all this to play on the women’s tour. I follow the rules. I would never have entered if I didn’t follow the rules.
‘I was talked into joining the tour in the first place, I didn’t know if I would be allowed to play. But people told me there are rules and guidelines, just stick to them, so I did. When people say I’m cheating, it’s just not true.
‘I just love playing snooker, I love competing. I’ve got dreams and aspirations of getting into the top five women and maybe getting onto the World Snooker Tour.’
Hunter is also keen to point out that her improved results on the table are down to a huge amount of hard work and not perceived advantages from growing up in another gender.
‘It’s upsetting when people say I’m just winning because I’ve got physical advantages. I don’t really sleep because I’m just non-stop. Work, practice, go to bed,’ she said.
‘I’ve started practicing more, that’s why I’ve been getting better, because I’ve put the effort in. It’s not because I’ve got dead long arms and I’m dead tall, because I’m not.
‘I do 6pm-11pm four days a week and then Sunday I do 9 or 10 hours. I work a 40 hour job as well, so it’s hard work.’
Hunter has been hurt by the criticism since her win in Seattle but is motivated by the knowledge that she is inspiring people in a similar situation to hers to follow their own paths.
‘I had a message from a girl from Poland who’s transgender,’ Jamie explained. ‘She plays snooker and said she was really worried about joining the snooker world as she wouldn’t be welcome, but as she heard I’m playing and enjoying it and doing well, it gave her the belief that she can too.
‘Receiving that message from her is better than any trophy I could get. Putting myself in the limelight and taking all this garbage off everyone has improved a life and hopes of one person. It’s amazing.
‘I got an email in work from someone saying their son is transgender and he’s got hope for a better world – not snooker related – but things he wants to do in his life, that it’s possible for him regardless of his identity. Receiving message like that is incredible.
‘I’m just a small person, not with millions of followers, I just play snooker in a small town in the northwest of England. To think I’ve made a difference, words can’t describe it.’
Hunter is getting through the difficult time she has endured since her impressive win in the States but warns those who abuse trans people online that others in her situation may not get through it.
‘If I didn’t transition when I did, I would be dead. But if someone else was in my position now, receiving all this abuse, that might send them over the edge,’ she said.
‘Being alive and being transgender is difficult enough, just to go out shopping. For me to put myself in the position to be in the public eye is even harder. For months in the past I was scared to go outside.
‘I’m quite thick-skinned. It has upset me and I’ve done a lot of crying, but that’s it. Someone else, it could have spelled the end.
‘The trans suicide rate is ridiculously high. Get one of those people, add 5,000 hate messages in 24 hours and their odds of surviving aren’t good.’
As much as there has been a wave of hideous messages, there has also been support for Hunter as she continues her journey on the snooker table and in life, which have meant a huge amount to her and her family.
‘There has been so many supportive messages and I’ve tried to respond to all of them,’ she said. ‘Also the WWS, Jason Ferguson and the board members of the WPBSA have been fantastic.
‘I’d like to say thanks to people that have reached out. Words can’t describe how grateful I am that people would take time out of their day to protect me online or just write a small message. It makes the world of difference.
‘I wish I could show you the look in their eyes when I tell my parents that someone has said something nice, it means a lot.’
So … for those waving around ridiculous questions like “What if Ronnie decides to wear a wig and goes to play on the women tour?” … be reassured. It won’t happen! 😂 It’s not that simple. It’s not simple at all. It’s not “fun” to live as a “different” person, someone who doesn’t fit in the accepted social moulds. It’s bloody difficult. It’s extremely challenging and painful. It’s not a choice either. Be kind.
The first of six Q Tour events set to take place this season, over 100 of the world’s top amateur snooker players travelled to North Shields aiming to collect early ranking points in their pursuits of qualifying for the World Snooker Tour.
The top ranked player at the end of the term will earn promotion to the professional circuit, with the next 16 on the ranking list advancing to a play-off where there is an additional card on offer. Each regular Q Tour event carries a prize fund of £12,000.
Following his performances at Q School earlier this year, Muir avoided Friday’s qualifying rounds and began his tournament in the last 64 as a seed.
The 26-year-old Scot defeated countryman Michael Collumb 3-1, Tyler Rees 3-0, and then made a 137 – the highest break of the tournament – as he eliminated Leo Fernandez 3-1 to progress to Finals Day.
In the quarter-finals Muir dispatched reigning English amateur champion Jamie Curtis-Barrett 4-0, and registered runs of 71 and 102 en route to denying Rory McLeod 4-1 in the last four.
On the other side of the draw, Englishman Pragnell also started out in the last 64 and saw off Alfie Lee 3-1, Michael Georgiou 3-0, Florian Nuessle 3-1, Stan Moody 4-0 and then Luke Simmonds 4-2 in the other semi-final with the help of 74 and 56 breaks.
Muir began the final in good scoring form with efforts of 57 and 107, although Pragnell twice levelled the scores when claiming frames two and four. However, Muir dominated the table in the closing stages, restricting his opponent to a total of just 22 points in the final three frames as he added further contributions of 50 and 66 for the win.
Former professional Muir – who dropped just five frames throughout the entire event – pockets £2,500 and goes to the top of the rankings.
The second Q Tour event takes place at the Castle Snooker Club, Brighton from 16-18 September.
Congratulations Ross!
This is particularly pleasing as Ross’ career was derailed by health issues impacting his vision.
WPBSA Q TOUR 2022/23 | EUROPEAN QUALIFYING ROUNDS OPEN FOR ENTRY
5th September 2022
The European venues hosting Q Tour events this season have now been announced, with new locations in Belgium and Sweden added to the circuit.
Q Tour Event 3 will take place at the Delta Moon in Mons, Belgium between 14-16 October.
Q Tour Event 4 will take place at the Snookerhallen in Stockholm, Sweden between 25-27 November.
As with all Q Tour events this season, both of these European events will see 16 successful qualifiers from the Friday qualifying rounds joining the 48 players who have already qualified for the weekend’s last 64 stage.
…
The qualifying rounds for both these European events are now available to enter via WPBSA SnookerScores.
World Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, defending champion and local favourite Mark Allen, Judd Trump, Mark Selby and Neil Robertson are among the snooker kings set to play on the first day of the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open in Belfast on Sunday October 16th.
The tournament at the fantastic Waterfront Hall runs from October 16 to 23. It’s the first of the season’s BetVictor Home Nations Series, with the winner to receive the Alex Higgins Trophy. Antrim’s Allen won the title for the first time last year when he beat John Higgins 9-8 in a dramatic final.
The event will be televised by Eurosport and a range of other broadcasters worldwide. All of the world’s top 16 are among a line up of over 70 players. Matches on the opening day include:
Kyren Wilson v Ken Doherty (10am)
Judd Trump v Rod Lawler (1pm)
Mark Selby v Reanne Evans (afternoon session)
Neil Robertson v Fraser Patrick (afternoon session)
Ronnie O’Sullivan v Lukas Kleckers (7pm)
Mark Allen v Chang Bingyu (not before 8pm)
Local talent Joe Connolly, age 14 from Belfast, has been handed a wild card place in the event and he’ll be up against 18-year-old Robbie McGuigan, the Northern Ireland amateur champion. That match takes place on the Sunday afternoon.
I only “scanned” through the draw quickly but one last 64 match in particular caught my attention: Ding Junhui v Micael White.
About two weeks ago, Ronnie was interviewed for the Breakdown podcast produced by Orla Chennaoui and Greg Rutherford who both work for Eurosport, as he does himself.
A lot of what is in there has been heard before. He speaks about his 7th World title, how he detached himself from snooker and how it helps him to actually continue to play, the difficult years after both his parents were sent to jail, his addictions … and more.
Maybe, actually, the most interesting bit is the feedback by the hosts…
Players on the World Snooker Tour will be guaranteed to earn a minimum of £20,000 during the 2022/23 season, under a new system which offers them security in a difficult economic climate.
Originally intended as a monthly record of results and reports from tournaments, over time the magazine became a much more significant influence across the sport.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 