Ronnie O’Sullivan Talks Snooker Legacy | Overcoming Depression | Becoming The Greatest of All Time
Ronnie O’Sullivan is known for disrupting the snooker world in his own unique and dynamic ways but he is interested in a lot more things than snooker! He is an author, keen runner and so much more. Ronnie really loves being in the world of running. He noticed early on that many of the people who are into running are laid back, social and not materialistic. You leave the rest of your world, career, money etc at the door. None of that matters in the community of running. It’s a great escape for him to be in that world. Health and fitness was never something Ronnie focused on when he was younger. But he has spent the last few years on himself physically and is the healthiest he has ever been. He treats this ‘hobby’ as one of his addictions; he knows he has an addictive personality so has channeled it into something good. Ronnie is very humble and says there are many snooker players out there at least as good as him if not better, but he feels like snooker fans are drawn to him because of the way he plays. They want to watch him. There have been plenty of struggles in Ronnie’s life and career. By his mid-twenties he had suffered with bouts of anxiety, depression and addiction. But learning about these things and their impact on himself and the world around him helped him reframe his life and learn to live it alongside his demons. Self-sabotage can take many forms. Most people do not even recognise the behaviours they are doing to sabotage themselves. Once Ronnie was told of his self-sabotaging behaviours he began to work on them and it made a dramatic difference to his career as well as his own self-worth. The world championships in 2012 is Ronnie’s career high. He was 35 and didn’t have a lot of motivation or self-belief but he then met Steve Peters who helped him reignite his passion for snooker and he went on to win. It’s essential to have the right people around you in sport. Having a good mentor, manager, partner and role models is so important for your mental and physical wellbeing as a sportsperson as well as putting you on the right path in your career. In some ways surprising until you hear about Ronnie’s story, he would not recommend a career in snooker to anyone. He says it is a bad game, it’s can cause you a lot of damage, it is a waste of a life for almost everyone.
And Ronnie himself, on his facebook page, invited people to listen to the podcast.
Here is the podcast “teaser text”
In this episode Rob speaks to the greatest snooker champion of all time, Ronnie O’Sullivan. They have an in depth, authentic and honest discussion around Ronnie’s life; his career, his lows and his many highs too.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Ronnie is known for disrupting the snooker world in his own unique and dynamic ways but he is interested in a lot more things than snooker! He is an author, keen runner and so much more.
Ronnie really loves being in the world of running. He noticed early on that many of the people who are into running are laid back, social and not materialistic. You leave the rest of your world, career, money etc at the door. None of that matters in the community of running. It’s a great escape for him to be in that world.
Health and fitness was never something Ronnie focused on when he was younger. But he has spent the last few years on himself physically and is the healthiest he has ever been. He treats this ‘hobby’ as one of his addictions; he knows he has an addictive personality so has channeled it into something good.
Ronnie is very humble and says there are many snooker players out there at least as good as him if not better, but he feels like snooker fans are drawn to him because of the way he plays. They want to watch him.
There have been plenty of struggles in Ronnie’s life and career. By his mid-twenties he had suffered with bouts of anxiety, depression and addiction. But learning about these things and their impact on himself and the world around him helped him reframe his life and learn to live it alongside his demons.
Self-sabotage can take many forms. Most people do not even recognise the behaviours they are doing to sabotage themselves. Once Ronnie was told of his self-sabotaging behaviours he began to work on them and it made a dramatic difference to his career as well as his own self-worth.
The world championships in 2012 is Ronnie’s career high. He was 35 and didn’t have a lot of motivation or self-belief but he then met Steve Peters who helped him reignite his passion for snooker and he went on to win.
It’s essential to have the right people around you in sport. Having a good mentor, manager, partner and role models is so important for your mental and physical wellbeing as a sportsperson as well as putting you on the right path in your career.
In some ways surprising until you hear about Ronnie’s story, he would not recommend a career in snooker to anyone. He says it is a bad game, it’s can cause you a lot of damage, it is a waste of a life for almost everyone.
BEST MOMENTS
“I’m never going to get rid of that addictive nature I like to think it’s a good driving force in my life so as long as I channel it into the right direction…You can do pretty good things”
“What I am good at is getting that white ball from A to B and making the game easy”
“I’m not good with rules”
“A lot of stuff you do off the table benefits you on the table”
“I love a breakdown as it spurs me to fight back”
“Sometimes I don’t feel like being creative, I’m not a machine”
“I always played for the love of the sport”
It’s a long interview – nearly two hours – but a very positive, very honest one. Ronnie seems to be in a good place.
There aren’t many “new things” in it, no scoop, no big revelations, but it sheds a different light on some of the “incidents” and “weird moments” that have puzzled, upset, worried, amused, bemused Ronnie’s fans and haters over the years.
I enjoyed the content, but maybe not so much the style of the interview. That however is a personal thing.
The first world ranking event of the season will see 128 players at the Morningside Arena, Leicester. Stage one will run from 18-23 July, 26-30 July and 2-6 August. Stage two takes place from August 9-12, with the third and final stage on August 13.
Hong Kong’s On Yee is one of two women competing on the World Snooker Tour in the coming season, alongside Reanne Evans. The group featuring O’Sullivan, On Yee, Mark Joyce and Ian Burns will take place on July 20.
World number one Judd Trump has been drawn into a group with Anthony Hamilton, Lee Walker and Rod Lawler on Friday August 6. John Higgins’ group has an international flavour as, on July 27, he will take on Thailand’s Noppon Saengkham, Brazil’s Igor Figueiredo and Iran’s Soheil Vahedi.
On July 29, defending champion Kyren Wilson will be up against Sam Craigie, Ben Hancorn and Dylan Emery.
Each group of four players will be contested with a round-robin format. Each match is four frames, though if the score reaches 3-0 then the fourth frame will not be played.
Players will be awarded three points for a win and one point for a drawn match. The group table standings will be determined by the following criteria, in this order:
1) Most points
2) Net frame difference
3) Result of match between the two players in question (should three or more players be tied then a mini table will be produced using the criteria above).
4) Highest break in the group.
5) If the highest break is also tied, the next highest break made by the players in question will be used.
The 32 group winners in stage one will go through to stage two.
Prize money
Stage one
Group winner: £3,000
2nd place: £2,000
3rd place: £1,000
4th place: £0
Stage two
Group winner: £4,000
2nd place: £3,000
3rd place: £2,000
4th place: £1,000
Stage three
Group winner: £6,000
2nd place: £4,000
3rd place: £2,000
4th place: £1,000
On Yee Ng will be playing on the main tour this season. Wayne Griffith, the HKSI – Hong Kong Snooker Institute – Head Coach has been woorking with her for years and has been speaking to World Women Snooker, about women snooker and On Yee in particular.
On Yee is a very hard worker and she will give it 100% in the coming two years. She is determined to learn as much as she can from the experience. She is tactically sound. If anything she might not score as heavily as she would need to by professional standards just yet. But she will improve.
Griffiths Reflects on Decade of Success in Hong Kong
In recent years, the World Women’s Snooker Tour has become one of the most cosmopolitan series of events in our sport with players from across the globe regularly competing in our tournaments.
One region in particular that has played a significant role in the internationalisation of the tour has been Hong Kong, with several players based at its Sports Institute (HKSI) including our three-time world champion Ng On Yee having competed in tournaments over the past decade.
A driving force behind providing opportunities for female players in Hong Kong has been Wayne Griffiths – son of former world champion Terry Griffiths and qualified WPBSA Snooker Coach – who this September will celebrate his tenth anniversary since becoming HKSI Head Coach.
Laying the Foundations
Together with his team, including Alan Wong and David Roe who will be familiar to all on the women’s circuit, Griffiths has helped shape the infrastructure that has enabled players at the HKSI to achieve their potential during the past decade.
“I joined HKSI as Head Coach just before the 2010 Asian Games,” said Griffiths. “Billiard Sports joined HKSI in 2009 when the sport scored enough points to be considered for elite funding as a Tier A sport. This allowed an enhanced budget, a training grant for each player, travel expenses and a Head Coach. Unfortunately for them – that Head Coach turned out to be me!
“I wanted to employ a coach to work with me and I had known Alan Wong from a previous WPBSA coaching course. I knew he was native to Hong Kong and was well respected and liked as a junior coach. I felt Alan’s experience, coupled with his cultural knowledge and language skills made him a perfect addition for the team. Luckily for me, and for everyone else, he decided to take up our offer and join us in April 2011. We have been the core of the coaching team ever since and I couldn’t do without him!
“Michele Nip joined us as a full-time pool coach in 2016 (she had been part-time since 2012) and David Roe joined in the summer of the same year. Michele had brought up the junior pool team from a very young age and has developed them into Asian and World junior champions. David Roe, as a former top 16 professional player, was brought into to give us some high level ‘playing’ and international coaching experience, which I felt brought a good balance to the team overall. Both Michele and David have contributed massively to our achievements here in recent years.
“We also get around three visits per year from Lee Walker and Kelly Fisher as we seek to give the players as many different opportunities to grow and learn from the best. Their experience and input have also proved to be invaluable for us.”
World Women’s Snooker
Jaique Ip Wan In would be the first player from Hong Kong to compete on the World Women’s Snooker Tour, reaching the quarter-finals of the World Championship in both 2008 and 2009. In 2012 she became the first player from Hong Kong to win a ranking event at the Agnes Davies Memorial, defeating compatriot So Man Yan in the final.
At this time the Tour was based exclusively within the UK prior to becoming a subsidiary organisation of the WPBSA in 2015, providing an additional logistical challenge for Jaique and the other players who would join her in subsequent years.
“HKSI started with just four women players (the ‘golden girls’ as I believe they were known) of Ng On Yee, Ip Wan In Jaique, So Man Yan and Yu Ching Ching in 2010,” said Griffiths. “Three of these ladies were gold medal winners at the 2010 Asian Games.
“These four ladies were very keen to travel to international events to test themselves against the best players in the world. To do this we knew we had to come to the UK and enter WWS events.
“Obviously, the travel was an issue for us. It is generally 24 hours door to door for a UK trip from Hong Kong and a 7-8 hour time difference to get over. Fortunately for us however, we were well funded and supported by the HKBSCC, HKSI and the HKSAR Government. This allowed us to travel a few days early to get over the long trip and get some practice at the venue. We learned a lot of lessons along the way and this meant we felt we were getting stronger, on and off the table, with every trip we made.
“Even though we did not manage a win over Reanne Evans early on, we did start to score some positive results against other top players. This gave us all some encouragement and showed that we were moving in the right direction.
“However, Reanne was still the ‘Queen’ and Maria Catalano and Emma Bonney were the other business end players who always were tough to beat. It was around this time we felt things were becoming a little comfortable for the four ladies and we went in search of a ‘Sigmoid Leap’!
“To intensify competition, in 2013 we added another player, Wan Ka Kai, who was selected through a local TID event and went on to be Hong Kong’s second highest WWS ranked player not long after. Since then we have followed this strategy of increasing the members of the team to keep levels of motivation high.”
‘Respect but no fear’
Of course while many players from Hong Kong have gone on to establish themselves on the circuit, the most successful player to date has been our current world number two Ng On Yee, who famously ended the 10-year reign of Reanne Evans at the World Championship in 2015, going on to win the biggest tournament on the calendar three times over a four-year period from 2015-2018 and becoming world number one.
Her WWS debut came four years prior to her first world title when as a 20-year-old she crossed cues with Evans for the first time, losing 4-1 in a match that would launch a healthy rivalry that continues to this day.
“I think this was my first major overseas event with the ladies and I remember it quite vividly,” recalled Griffiths. “Regarding On Yee specifically, she was still developing on the table at that time. However, what encouraged me about her at that event was her attitude. Two things I remember in particular.
“The first was a round robin match against Revanna Umadevi from India. On Yee looked like losing the match at 1-1 and 45+ behind with three reds left. She then fluked a red and cleared with a 50 break to win on the black. This was not a massive break or a critical victory maybe, but it did show me a little about the mental make up of this young player.
“The second thing I remember was the knockout match with Reanne. On Yee did well but was still roundly beaten. However, it was On Yee’s positive attitude before, during and after the match that told me that here we had someone who mentally could mix it with the best.
“There was respect but no fear and a dogged determination to beat Reanne in the future – who at that time was pretty much seen as unbeatable. We set about breaking down what was needed to close the gap and On Yee worked diligently to achieve this. We knew there was some way to go, but that first event showed me that Hong Kong had a special player with the attitude and belief of a champion.”
Ng claimed her first WWS title at the 2012 Northern Championship, before defeating Evans for the first time on her way to winning the 2013 UK Championship. Two years later she would deliver her biggest performance to date as she defeated Evans in the semi-finals of the World Championship in Leeds, before claiming the trophy with a 6-2 success against Emma Bonney in the final.
“During the 2015 World Championship I was actually working down the road with Marco Fu in Sheffield and it was Alan Wong who guided On Yee to what was her biggest win to date. It was a great achievement. To end the reign of a dominant world champion is never easy and we all know what a great competitor Reanne is.
“This victory made sure that On Yee would be seen as one of the top female players in the world. The win made a lot of noise back in Hong Kong and was a massive boost for the sport – and for On Yee personally. In 2016 she received the coveted ‘Best of the Best’ sports award for Hong Kong for her results in 2015 and this launched her as a well-known personality in the region. For a female snooker player to win this award it was a significant step in the sport’s history in Hong Kong.
“We are all so happy to see a player with a great attitude and work ethic, who has listened and acted on the advice she has been given (rather than paying it lip service) to make the most of her talent. On Yee works hard and, maybe more importantly, she works smart. It is not an accident that the best players will be the players who are striving to improve and are never satisfied.
“This desire to get better however, has to be balanced for it not to become negative. On Yee has got this balance just about right now and it has been an honour and a pleasure for us all to be part of her journey to date.”
‘A Journey not a destination’
Since becoming world champion Ng has increasingly had the opportunity to compete against the world’s best male players at events including Q School, Challenge Tour and the 6-Red World Championship in Thailand.
“On Yee has improved considerably in the last 2 – 3 years and her game is getting closer to the men’s level – as the performance against Alan McManus in the 2019 World Championship showed,” said Griffiths. “However, she is a realist and she knows she has some way to go to consistently be at the level she needs to qualify for the men’s game through Q School or other accepted avenues.
“Our feeling has always been that if On Yee is always striving to improve enough to reach the men’s top tier, then we can be sure she will still be at or very near the top of the women’s game. This approach has worked relatively well to date.
“We are always looking for our own marginal gains as we strive to improve all our players in Hong Kong. We collect a lot of data here at HKSI in terms of skills benchmarking and matchplay ability. This factual and measurable data gives us a very good idea of where our players are in terms of reaching the next level. Through gap analysis, we then set about trying to formulate plans that will hopefully see the player improve in the key areas highlighted.
“We see this as a journey and not a destination, and the best On Yee can hope for is that she realises her full potential. If this means she is one of the first female players to play by right on the main tour, it would be an achievement she, and everyone here at the HKSI and the HKBSCC, would be very proud of. In the meantime, however, to quote our mantra here, she will focus on trying ‘to be a better player tomorrow’.
As Ng has continued to achieve success on the women’s circuit, she has been joined by further players from Hong Kong with seven currently ranked inside of the top 30. For each WWS events the HKSI runs an internal selection policy which as Griffiths explains, helps to create pressure situations to test the players.
“We are fortunate enough to have a strong squad of female players here in Hong Kong and they all get excellent support from HKBSCC, HKSI and the Hong Kong Government,” continues Griffiths. “We have no other player quite at On Yee’s level yet, but her ability and achievements are certainly inspiring them all to keep working hard to improve. So Man Yan, Ip Wan In Jaique, Ho Yee Ki, Fong Mei Mei, Cheung Yee Ting and Chu Pui Ying are all very good female players in their own right, and every one of them has supported HKSI with top results in recent years.”
The last decade has not only been significant for players based at the HKSI, but the circuit as a whole which has become more international since coming under the remit of the WPBSA in 2015. New events in mainland Europe, Asia and Oceania have led to the promotion of new talent and new opportunities for players globally, something that Griffiths is supportive of.
“The work done by the WWS team means that the Ladies’ game is now unrecognisable compared to where it was when I first attended in 2011,” explained Griffiths. “The depth and breadth of standard has improved significantly, numbers have increased (competitors and countries) and the events are now run, reported and marketed in a more professional manner.
“The women’s game now has far more respect and a lot more interest around the world. In terms of getting results however, it is has become a lot harder in recent years. Great players from the UK, mainland Europe, and especially now from China (Bai Yulu) and Thailand (Nutcharut Wongharuthai et al) have pushed the standards higher and higher.
“All these things come together to point to a very bright future for the women’s game, and all of us in Hong Kong look forward to be a part of it for many years to come!”
We would like to thank Wayne for his time and we look forward to seeing his team and all of the players from the HKSI again at upcoming tournaments.
As we face an exceptionally long gap between the World Championship and the start of the season, it’s good to see a few persons/clubs’ initiatives to get pro and amateurs playing
Matches start 9.30am
Best of 7’s all the way through
Dress code – Smart casuals (shorts & slippers won’t be allowed)
Please note, once you have sent in your request to enter, we will then send you the confirmation followed by the bank details to pay your entry.
Strictly the first 32 to enter and pay will be confirmed. Players won’t be confirmed until we receive your entry fees.
Final – will be on Live stream all over the world!
To enter please message us on Facebook or email djhsnookeracademy@outlook.com
And some fans having time on their hands are putting it to good use.
Snooker Scene podcast listener Matt Tresco has compiled a Masters almanac, very much in the vein of Chris Downer’s Crucible almanac. It features every conceivable fact about the tournament and can be downloaded for free at the following link: https://mastersalmanac.blogspot.com#almanac
I have downloaded it. Thank you Matt Tresco for this interesting document.
This year’s Q-School results triggered a lot of discussions about the state of the amateur game, and the shortage of opportunities for young players to hone their skills by playing competitive snooker.
This event is the first of the SNOOKER LEGENDS CUES OF TOMORROW- SUMMER CUP,
SUMMER CUP U21’S £1500 WINNER! £4150 PRIZE POT!
Held at The Crucible in Reading 26-30th July 2021
Open to all players of any gender or nationality providing they hold amateur status and are at the correct age on or before the first days play of 26th July 2021.
Capacity of the event is 32.
Players will earn ranking points based on the frames they win.
At the conclusion of the groups the top 4 in each group list will be invited into the Final Day where the Champion will be crowned.
In the event more than one player is tied on the same ranking points the following criteria will be used to define group position
Both groups are randomly drawn at the start of the event.
Tournament notes
• The 32 entries will be randomly drawn into two groups of 16
• Every player will be guaranteed 15 matches, 3 on Monday, 4 on Tuesday to Thursday
• All matches are best of 3 with all three frames played in every match
• Matches are played at 10am, 12 noon and 2pm and 4pm each day
• Every frame won is a ranking point.
• At the end of match ‘15’ on Thursday 29th the top 4 in each group qualify for Friday Final Stages.
• The event then becomes a knockout with the Winner of Group A playing the player who finished in position 4 in Group B. So 1v4, 2 v 3
• Finals day (Friday) is best of 5 at Quarters, Semis and Final but of course not all 5 frames are played.
• Players understand matches are not officiated although if their match is selected for streaming it will have a referee
• A ‘roving’ referee will be in place to assist with any decisions that arise.
• The full miss rule is played
• Dress code will be suit style trousers, polo shirt with collar and proper shoes (not trainers)
• The club has air conditioning and Costa Coffee on site, it will serve hot and cold food.
Prize Money
Winner £1500 and Cup & Medal
Runner up £750 & Medal
Semi Finals £400
Quarter Finals £250
Highest Break £100
• All prize money will be paid within 14 days into the players designated bank account.
Entry Fee £250
Please contact Jason@snookerlegends.co.uk if interested. Limited Spaces
And these are the full terms and conditions
All events in the SNOOKER LEGENDS CUES OF TOMORROW- SUMMER CUP, staged by ROKiT Events Ltd, are subject to the following Standard Conditions of Entry which are subject to change at the discretion of Snooker Legends without notice.
Please be reminded that all players are responsible for keeping Snooker Legends up to date with their current email address.
Entry Criteria: The Snooker Legends Cues of Tomorrow is open to all players of any gender or nationality providing they hold amateur status and are at the correct age on or before the first days play of 26th July 2021.
This means to enter you must still be 20 years of age on the 26th July 2021
All entries are subject to SNOOKER LEGENDS approval and we can refuse and refund the entry from any event to any player without giving a reason. Anyone found to not be eligible on the day of play will be disqualified from the event and lose their entrance fee. Although we are independent from all National Governing Bodies anyone who is currently serving any ban or WPBSA suspension is not eligible to enter.
Players can purchase one place in the event as long as the event is not full or past its closing date. Capacity of the event is 32. Snooker Legends reserve the right to compile a reserve list.
Players will earn ranking points based on the frames they win. At the conclusion of the groups the top 4 in each group list will be invited into the Final Day where the Champion will be crowned.
In the event more than one player is tied on the same ranking points the following criteria will be sued to define group position
1, One frame shootout if two players
2, If three players are tied a round robin one frame of 6 reds
3, If tied after that a round robin black ball respot will decide who progresses
4, If 4 players are tied then a random draw 6 reds semi final and then final will decide.
5, IF the only decision to be made is finishing position of the qualifiers then head to head will be used to define place 1-4 as all players will have qualified for finals day anyway.
Both groups are randomly drawn at the start of the event.
Tournament notes
• The 32 entries will be randomly drawn into two groups of 16
• Every player will be guaranteed 15 matches, 3 day from Monday to Thursday
• All matches are best of 3 with all three frames played in every match
• Matches are played at 10am, 12 noon and 2pm and 4pm each day to allow the club to have its tables back in the evenings for normal operations.
• Players will be able to play in the evenings by hiring tables at the clubs rates if they require practice or more games with other players.
• Every frame won is a ranking point.
• At the end of match ‘15’ on Thursday 29th the top 4 in each group qualify for Friday Final Stages.
• The event then becomes a knockout with the Winner of Group A playing the player who finished in position 4 in Group B. So 1v4, 2 v 3
• Finals day (Friday) is best of 5 at Quarters, Semis and Final but of course not all 5 frames are played.
• Players understand matches are not officiated although if their match is selected for streaming it will have a referee
• A ‘roving’ referee will be in place to assist with any decisions that arise.
• The full miss rule is played
• Dress code will be suit style trousers, polo shirt with collar and proper shoes (not trainers)
• The club has air conditioning.
• Snooker legends reserve the right to place two logos on the players, players can also wear two logos of their own for the event.
• Players will agree to promote the event on any social media they have
• Players will agree to give interviews if asked
Prize Money
Winner £1500 and Cup
Runner up £750
Semi Finals £400
Quarter Finals £250
Highest Break £100
• All prize money will be paid within 14 days into the players designated bank account.
• The Cup remains the property of the tour and must be returned after one year.
Entry Fee £250 with £30 payable to secure your place. Rest is due June 1
• If a player is under 16 all communications must be with their parent or guardian.
• The deposit is non refundable and you understand if you do not pay the balance on request you lose the deposit and your place in the event.
All players understand, and accept, that qualifiers are played in a snooker club and whereas every effort will be made to provide the best standard of tables, we cannot replicate professional tournament table conditions. We will work with all clubs to provide the best conditions we can. No match is guaranteed a referee, a roving designated event referee will help with any disputed decisions and all black ball re spots.
The Event is staged in a WPBSA 147 Clubs and all clubs hold a Safeguarding Children’s Policy. Any coaches present will hold a WPBSA Qualification and have a valid DBS Check.
Please note if a player has a coach who does not hold a WPBSA License they are welcome to attend but will not be allowed to coach their player in the venue.
Failure to pay the balance on June 1 may see you excluded from the event and your place allocated to another player.
Entries cannot be transferred to another player or another event. Late entries may be accepted after the closing date subject to the absolute discretion of the SNOOKER LEGENDS. A Top up system may be used with SNOOKER LEGENDS discretion. SNOOKER LEGENDS may extend or close entry dates without notice, and at its discretion based on current entries at any time.
Sanctions and penalties may be put in place for players who enter but then do not show up for their event but only after close monitoring and a review of player circumstances for non-attendance.
Dress Code: Players will be required to a smart polo shirt with a collar, suit trousers and shoes. Should a player have a medical condition that prevents them from wearing this attire then a signed letter must be forwarded to this office in advance of your first days play from your doctor.
The decision of the Tournament Director will be final in respect of Non-adherence to the Dress Code. Noncompliance with the Dress Code will result in a breach of the terms and conditions of entry for this tournament. The sanction in this case to be at the discretion of the tournament director but MAY be withdrawal from the tournament without refund of entry fee. The Tournament Director also reserves the right to report a player to the SNOOKER LEGENDS for a breach of the dress code.
Mobile Phones/Electronic Communication Devices: Players are NOT permitted to use any mobile phones or other electronic communication devices during the course of a match. Any player seen in breach of this by any SNOOKER LEGENDS tournament official or referee will be reported to the Tournament Director and will be dealt with by the Tournament Director on conclusion of the match. The Tournament Director will then determine whether any sanction is required taking account of any mitigating circumstances. The only available sanction in this case to be at the discretion of the tournament director MAY be withdrawal from the tournament without refund of entry fee. The Tournament Directors decision will be final in respect of exceptional mitigating circumstances.
Smoking/E-cigarettes: Players are NOT permitted to smoke or use e-cigarettes during the course of a match. Any player seen in breach of this by any WSS tournament official or referee will be reported to the Tournament Director and will be dealt with by the Tournament Director on conclusion of the match. The Tournament Director will then determine whether any sanction is required taking account of any mitigating circumstances. The only available sanction in this case to be at the discretion of the tournament director MAY be withdrawal from the tournament without refund of entry fee. The Tournament Directors decision will be final in respect of exceptional mitigating circumstances.
Alcohol: Players are NOT permitted to drink alcohol during the course of a match. Any player seen in breach of this by any WSS tournament official or referee will be reported to the Tournament Director and will be dealt with by the Tournament Director on conclusion of the match. The Tournament Director will then determine whether any sanction is required taking account of any mitigating circumstances. The only available sanction in this case to be at the discretion of the tournament director MAY be withdrawal from the tournament without refund of entry fee. The Tournament Directors decision will be final in respect of exceptional mitigating circumstances. Coaching: Coaching is not permitted during play. For the avoidance of doubt this includes between frames or any mid-session intervals. Any player seen in breach of this by any WSS tournament official or referee will be reported to the Tournament Director and will be dealt with by the Tournament Director on conclusion of the match. The Tournament Director will then determine whether any sanction is required taking account of any mitigating circumstances. The only available sanction in this case to be at the discretion of the tournament director MAY be withdrawal from the tournament without refund of entry fee. The Tournament Directors decision will be final in respect of exceptional mitigating circumstances.
Grievances:
a. Should the Player wish to make any criticism or complaint or raise any grievance in respect of any matter relating to SNOOKER LEGENDS or its employees or directors, a Referee, Tournament, Director, Equipment, any of the Partners or any of the Venues at any time then the Player shall do so by:
i. Contacting the Tournament Director for those complaints arising during a SNOOKER LEGENDS Event.
ii. Contacting Jason Francis at jason@snookerlegends.co.uk
Any player found to have made public any grievance outside of the above options shall be reported to the Tournament Director. The Tournament Director will then determine whether any sanction is required taking account of any mitigating circumstances. At the discretion of the tournament director sanction MAY be withdrawal from the tournament without refund of entry fee and/or referral to Snooker Legends.
Visa and Travel
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Yesterday six players got a professional tour card for 2021/22/23: Duane Jones, Lei Peifan, Dean Young and Ian Burns were Q-School Event 3 laureates, whilst Hammad Miah and Mitchell Mabb topped the order of merit.
Jones, Dean Young, Lei Peifan and Ian Burns all secured tour cards for the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons. While Hammad Miah and Mitchell Mann earned spots by virtue of finishing third and fifth respectively in the Order of Merit, which was taken from all three Q School events.
Welshman Jones came into the concluding round assured of an immediate return to the World Snooker Tour, after sealing a place in the top two on the Order of Merit. However, he capped off qualification in style with an good win over talented 18-year-old Si. Jones led 3-2 before being pegged back to a decider, where he got himself over the line.
Jones suffered relegation from the circuit at the end of last season, after recording just nine match wins throughout the campaign. However, the 28-year-old did showcase his ability in 2019, when he went on a run to the semi-finals of the German Masters in Berlin.
Jones said: “It’s been a tough six weeks to be honest with you. Losing my place on the tour, I only fell off by one position in the one-year list. To come back and get straight through doesn’t get any better, I’m over the moon with it.
“I think on paper this is the toughest Q School I’ve ever played in. The draw was just a minefield. With it being seeded the way it has, people said it would be easier but it isn’t. There are seeds all over the draw and before you could be in a little spot without them.
“I’m just going to try and keep going and practising, rather than take a break and start again. The iron is hot now so I’ll keep the ball rolling for as long as I can.
“In round three I went for a bit of breakfast before the match and I couldn’t get into my hotel room. The card wouldn’t work. We tried for an hour and a half and I thought I wouldn’t make it. I came over to tell the tournament director I might not make it. Eventually we managed to bust the door open with spanners, crowbars and tools, it was all coming out. The hotel allowed me to do it to make my match. I am very lucky to even be here!”
Scotland’s 19-year-old Young became the only player of this year’s Q School to secure a debut berth on the World Snooker Tour, beating Haydon Pinhey 4-1 in the final round.
The 2018 Scottish Under-21 champion impressed on his televised debut at the 2020 Shoot Out, where he scored wins over David Grace and Liam Highfield, before bowing out at the hands of current Masters champion Yan Bingtao in the last 32.
Young came through a tricky section of the draw to seal his professional status for the first time. He defeated Matthew Roberts, Florian Nuessle, Dylan Emery and Mitchell Mann on his way to the final round. Young top scored with a break of 91 in his defeat of England’s Pinhey.
“I’m speechless at the moment, but it was an unbelievable feeling at the end,” said the Edinburgh cueman. “Practising with Scott Donaldson has brought my game on a lot. He plays at the same club as me so we’ve been practising with each other day in and day out.”
Former Welsh Open quarter-finalist Burns regained his professional status with a 4-1 win over Mark Lloyd.
Despite being highly placed in the order of merit, Burns had to win to have any chance of returning to the circuit he was relegated from earlier this year.
Burns defeated Liam Davies, Yu Kiu Chang, Soheil Vahedi, Simon Blackwell and Lloyd on his way to successfully negotiating event three.
Burns said: “I’m relieved more than anything. After coming so close in the first event, losing out to Peter Lines in the final round. I’m over the moon to get through.
“That last match is horrible. I never expected to get through easily. It is just a case of getting over the line. Duane Jones and Lei Peifan were playing with no pressure, but I am just so relieved to get through.
“My little boy was born back in January, so there is that going on in life as well. I think it spurs you on a little bit to not do it for myself but do it for the family as well. It has been tough coming back and a long three weeks in Sheffield. Especially in your hotel room trying to kill time. You just have to fill your time as best you can and keep yourself focussed.”
Chinese 18-year-old Lei topped the order of merit and was already guaranteed a tour place coming into the final round and ended an impressive three weeks by beating Billy Castle 4-2.
Lei came through Q School at the age of just 15 in 2019, to earn a maiden spell on the tour. However, he lost his professional status at the end of last season. Wins over Jed Mann, Patrick Wallace, Ben Mertens, Sanderson Lam and Castle in event three ensured his immediate return.
Dean Young is the only new player amongst the 14 who came through the 2021 Q-School, the only one who has never been a professional before.
The final “set” of laureates is a reasonable one: Lei Peifan, Yuan Sijun, Dean Young, Jackson Page, Duane Jones, Hammad Miah and Mitchell Mann are all under-30, with Lei, Yuan, Dean and Jackson aged between 18 and 21. I’m glad that there are no under-18 kids graduating this time: most of them are lambs for the slaughter and the long terms effects of a disastrous first two years on tour can be very damaging.
The other seven – Peter Lines, Fraser Patrick, Craig Steadman, Barry Pinches, Mick Judge, Alfie Burden and Ian Burns – are all over 35. Experience matters and, of course, several of them had the opportunity to play in WSS events and stressed how important the Seniors Tour had been for them this season.
The above results triggered a number of rather negative discussions on social media yesterday, ranging from the “death” of the amateur game to calls to exclude older players from Q-School or to exclude older professionals from WSS competitions, as well as the adequacy of the Q-School system itself.
There is no doubt that the amateur game isn’t in the best of shapes and I have already shared my thoughts about the reasons why young players struggle to get and stay on the tour, but this season there is the additional “corona virus” factor. Whilst the pro tour essentially went on as normal behind closed doors, the amateur game came to a complete halt and amateurs had very little opportunities to play competitively, practice and prepare. It was even worse for the overseae’s players who had to face additional hurdles related to travel restrictions, tests, administrative paper work and quarantine. It’s a shame but no surprise under those circumstances that none of them managed to get through this year.
Anyway … Well done and good luck to all of this year’s laureates!
Norwich potter Pinches, age 19, is through to the last 16 of Q School for the first time and will face Mark Lloyd next. The four quarter-final winners on Sunday in Sheffield earn a two-year tour card, as do the next two highest players on the Order of Merit.
Luke’s father Barry, age 50, came through event two earlier this week. If Luke successfully follows him, they will join Peter and Oliver Lines as father-and-son duos on the pro circuit. In the last 32, Pinches beat Callum Beresford 4-1.
Lloyd ended the hopes of Tony Knowles with a 4-2 success. From 2-0 down, Lloyd took four in a row with a top run of 56.
Ian Burns came from 3-1 down to beat Soheil Vahedi 4-3, taking the last three frames with breaks of 56, 63 and 106.
Veteran David Finbow, who reached number 28 in the world during his 1990s peak, could return to the tour for the first time since 2004. The 53-year-old came from 3-1 down to beat Dylan Mitchell 4-3.
Joshua Cooper – nephew of Shaun Murphy – beat Robbie McGuigan 4-1, setting up a match with China’s Si Jiahui. Duane Jones saw off Michael Georgiou 4-1 and will now face a Welsh derby against Michael White. Two-time ranking event winner White let slip a 3-0 lead against Hammad Miah 4-3, but made a 74 in the decider to win 4-3.
Also through to the last 16 are Simon Blackwell, Lei Peifan, Sanderson Lam, Billy Castle, Ross Bulman, Haydon Pinhey, Mitchel Mann and Dean Young.
There are only two non British/Irish players amongst the remaining 16, two young Chinese, both relegated pros, Lei Peifan and Si Jiahui. Other than those two, we a have some young talents still in this draw: Mark Loyd, Luke Pinches, Haydon Pinhey, Dean Young, Ross Bulman and Josuah Cooper are all under-25. The way the draw pans out at least three of them will be in the quarter-finals.
Hammad Miah is currently on top of the order of merit. He’s not mathematically “safe” but would need a lot of results to go against him today to miss out on a fresh two years tour card. Lei Peifan, who is still in the tournament, is second and the same is true for him should he lose to day.
Michael White is still in the draw and I hope that he makes it through because his chances to get a fresh tour card via the order of merit are extremely thin: he would need Sanderson Lam to lose by 4-0 in the last 16, Ian Burns to lose in the last 16, and Lei Peifan, Duane Jones and Mitchell Mann to be amongst today’s laureates.
Amongst those who bowed out yesterday are Michael Giorgiou, Soheil Vahedi, Ross Muir, Bai Langning and Luo Honghao.
Michael, Ross, Bai and Soheil are high in the order of merit and will probably get opportunities to play via the top-up system if they so wish and if it’s actually possible.
Of course, for Soheil who is Iranian, there are additional questions about his status in the UK and how he can support himself and his family. He must be able to stay and work in the country for this to be a realistic option. I hope that it will possible if that’s what he wants.
As for Michael Giorgiou, if his FB page is anything yo go by, he hates the game … for now at least.
For Luo, who is only 21, was rookie of the year in 2018, qualified fot the Crucible on his maiden season, I fear that this could be the end of the road and it’s a real shame. Lewis and myself were there, at the EIS, when Luo qualified for the Crucible. He had so much battling spirit and passion in him back then. What happened that turned him into the anxious bag of nerves we have seen over the last couple of years? It’s very sad.
This was shared by James and relayed by Michael Day on twitter (*):
It’s an order of merit of the English juniors in 2009/10. Mot many have made it and been able to stay on the main tour. Only two have been really succesful: Jack Lisowski and Kyren Wilson: they were both 18 years old at the time, and both turned professional in 2010. Stephen Craigie, who topped that list by some distance, completely disappeared from the snooker map.
(*) Michael observed that “the rivalry between Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson going back to their juniors days” is not credible, unless by “juniors” people mean “children”. Judd, who is nearly two and a half years older than Kyren, turned pro in 2005. Kyren was only 13 at the time and never competed against Judd on the amateur circuit after that.
Duane Jones booked an immediate return to the World Snooker Tour after defeating China’s Si Jiahui 4-3 in the final round of Q School event three.
Former Welsh Open quarter-finalist Burns regained his professional status with a 4-1 win over Mark Lloyd.
