Category: Snooker

Ronnie O’Sullivan became the latest leading player to praise the passion of Finland’s snooker fans after playing his first match in the Nordic country on Monday night.

The seven-time world champion finished with a 122 break in a 6-3 win over Gary Wilson before a sell-out crowd in the first of three exhibition matches with the Scottish and Welsh Open champion in the city of Tampere.

Over 6,000 tickets have been snapped up by snooker fans in selling out the Tampere Hall for the snooker GOAT’s three-night trip to the country.

“We’ve had a great day, and certainly great days still ahead,” said O’Sullivan. “It’s great to play to such a great crowd.”

Snooker has grown massively in popularity in Finland over the years due to Eurosport’s extensive coverage of the sport with the tournament promoted by former professional Robin Hull.

While Neil Robertson and Mark Selby echoed O’Sullivan’s sentiments after playing a challenge match in Tampere in December.

“Had an amazing time in Tampere Finland a few days ago. One of the best nights I’ve experienced as a player,” said Robertson.

“Mark and I were blown away by the crowd which was close to 2000 which was absolutely electric and to see snooker so popular there. Can’t wait to come back.”

The curtain was brought down on the 2023/24 snooker season on Sunday with the final two tour cards on the main professional tour handed out at the Asia & Oceania Q School in Bangkok.

Haris Tahir of Pakistan completed a 4-2 win over China’s Lan Yuhao by winning the final three frames, while Kreishh Gurbaxani of India hit back from 2-0 behind to complete a 4-2 win over Muhammad Naseem at the BSAT Academy.

Mitchell Mann secured a 4-2 win over Joshua Thomond on Saturday, the final day of the European Q School at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester, to end his one-year absence from the main circuit boosted by breaks of 65, 76 and 51.

He was joined by Pakistan’s Farakh Ajaib, Poland’s Antoni Kowalski and Chris Totten of Scotland in securing their spots on the main tour for the next two seasons.

Totten enjoyed a 4-2 win over Lewis Ullah, Kowalski completed a 4-1 win over Simon Blackwell, with Ajaib running out a 4-1 winner against talented 18-year-old Ukraine player Iulian Boiko.

“It is absolutely amazing. If I rewind the clock to 12 months ago, I’d quit the game and got a job,” said Birmingham potter Mann, who reached the last four of the Paul Hunter Classic in 2017, but opted to quit snooker last year after losing his tour card.

“I fell out of love with it and didn’t want to play. Getting a job changed my mind. I realised how good you have it playing on tour. It has all worked out nicely.”

The new 2024/25 season begins later this month with the ranking version of the Championship League getting underway in Leicester on Monday, June 10 and running until Wednesday, July 3.

Q School Qualifying event one

• Allan Taylor (Eng)
• Haydon Pinhey (Eng)
• Wang Yuchen (HK)
• Artemijs Zizins (Lat)

Q School Qualifying event two

• Farakh Ajaib (Pak)
• Antoni Kowalski (Pol)
• Mitchell Mann (Eng)
• Chris Totten (Sco)

Asia & Oceania Qualifying event one

• Sunny Akani (Tha)
• Lim Kok Leong (Mal)

Asia & Oceania Qualifying event two

• Haris Tahir (Pak)
• Kreishh Gurbaxani (Ind)

Rory McLeod and James Cahill – two figures who enjoyed huge shock wins at the World Championship in recent years – remain in the hunt to reclaim their respective spots on the main professional snooker circuit via this year’s Q School event in Leicester.

McLeod famously completed a 10-8 win over Judd Trump in the first round of the 2017 World Championship at Crucible as a 1000-1 outsider, while amateur Cahill upset snooker GOAT Ronnie O’Sullivan by the same scoreline at the same stage two years later.

Both are hoping to recapture former glories ahead of the new season, chasing four more wins to earn a new two-year card on Saturday morning at the city’s Mattioli Arena.

McLeod completed a 4-2 win over Mark Lloyd in round two of qualifying event two on Wednesday morning, boosted by a 63 break in the first frame that saw him lead from start to finish. He will face Steven Hallworth on Thursday afternoon.

Cahill also enjoyed a 4-2 win over 15-year-old Welsh talent Riley Powell on Tuesday to secure a third-round meeting with Hayden Staniland on Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, there were also wins for Mark Joyce against Jake Robinson (4-0) and Ukraine teenager Iulian Boiko in easing past Matthew Roberts (4-0) to reach the third round.

But evergreen former world No. 2 Tony Knowles lost 4-1 to Martyn Taylor in the second round, while three-time women’s world champion Ng On Yee was defeated 4-0 by Alex Taubman.

Four tour cards are up for grabs at qualifying event two, with Allan Taylor, Haydon Pinhey, Wang Yuchen and Artemijs Zizins all earning spots on the main circuit for the next two seasons via qualifying event one.

Sunny Akani and Kok Leong Lim secured places on the main circuit for next season via the Asia and Oceania Q School in event one in Bangkok, with two more tour cards available from event two’s final day on Sunday.

Former world No. 2 Tony Knowles made a winning start in his quest to become the oldest player in history to qualify for the main professional circuit.

The evergreen Bolton favourite, 68, avenged a 4-3 defeat to Jack Borwick in event one of Q School in Leicester last week by completing a 4-3 win over the 17-year-old Scottish player in the first round of event two on Monday.

“I should have won 4-3 last week, but unfortunately I missed an easy pink,” said Knowles, who admitted he struggled with the pace of the match table after claiming the final three frames.

“I could do with a series of wins to improve as I’m not scoring enough when I get in. That’s all to do with not knowing where the white is going to end up.

“I like playing snooker and matches, and the conditions here are the same as you have on tour.

“Mentally, it is about trying to get out of the habit of playing the shots you used to play on the older tables.”

Knowles would love to create history by returing to the main circuit 41 years after lifting his second ranking title in 1983

“That’s the only reason I’m here,” added Knowles, who meets Martyn Taylor in the second round on Tuesday morning. “To try to do that.”

He needs to win six matches at the city’s Mattioli Arena with the best-of-seven frame encounters running until Saturday.

Knowles reached the last 32 of Q School in 2021 before losing 4-2 to Mark Lloyd.

Three-time women’s world champion and new women’s British Open Ng On Yee also progressed with a 4-3 win over Gary Thomson that included a massive fluke on the final black after fluking the final blue in levelling at 3-3.

Meanwhile, 13-year-old Hong Kong hopeful Shaun Liu secured a 4-2 win over Yu Kiu Chang.

World champion Kyren Wilson believes Finland will soon be part of the professional World Snooker Tour circuit after competing in a invitational event over the weekend that saw Helsinki baize fans flock to the city centre.

Wilson reached the final of the inaugural Taom Helsinki International Snooker Cup, losing 6-3 to two-time Crucible runner-up Ali Carter in Sunday night’s final before a sell-out 1400 crowd at the capital’s House of Culture.

Wilson enjoyed wins over Ryan Day (4-3) and Robert Milkins (5-2) with Carter a last-minute replacement for Luca Brecel in the event, before completing victories over Jimmy White (4-1) and Jak Jones (5-3).

Carter produced a 114 break in the final to delight the fans.

“I’m going to tell tournament organisers how great I thought this event was. The Finns have treated me, my brother and the other players so well. With 1400 tickets sold for each match, there should be a professional event here.

“Let’s hope that happens soon.”

Wilson and Carter have already confirmed their return to the Finnish capital for next year’s event which is due to be held on the weekend of 17-18 May.

Iulian Boiko produced some superb scoring form to remain on course for a quickfire return to the main World Snooker Tour circuit at Q School.

The 18-year-old Ukraine player struggled to make the grade and dropped off the professional tour in 2020, two years after becoming the youngest professional in history aged 14 in 2020.

The Kyiv potter qualifed after receiving a two-year card after finishing runner-up at the 2022 world junior final, but is poised to secure a new two-year card after reaching the last 32 of event one at Q School on Friday with a 4-1 win over Andres Petrov that saw him weigh in with breaks of 79, 60, 94 and 52.

He will face Artemijs Zizins on Saturday morning chasing three more victories in his quest to return to the big time.

Elsewhere, 1995 world semi-finalist Andy Hicks completed a 4-3 win over Sean Sullivan to reach the last 32 while there also a 4-2 win for Mark Joyce against Yu Kiu Chang.

The last 32 and last 16 rounds will be completed on Saturday at the Mattioli Arena, host venue for this year’s Q School, before Sunday’s quarter-finals produces four winners, who all earn tour cards for the next two seasons.

The best-of-seven frame encounters run between Tuesday May 21 until Sunday May 26 at qualifying event one.

Qualifying event two begins on Monday May 27 until Saturday June 1 in Leicester with the same process providing four more tour cards.

Two Asia and Oceania qualifying events in Bangkok (22-27 May and May 28 until June 2) will see four more tour cards up for grabs.