While Mark Selby produced a brilliant comeback earlier today to capture the 2013 Antwerp Open title, the day also saw the conclusion of the 2013/14 EBSA Qualifying Tour, with Steven Hallworth defeating Duane Jones to capture the fourth and final event of tour…
As was the case last season, alongside the 2013/14 European Tour, there will be a separate EBSA Qualifying Tour, which will see twelve players moving on to a final qualifying event at the end of the campaign.
From it will emerge three winners, who will step up to the main tour next season and following the second of this season’s four regular events in Furth last weekend, we now have an early ranking list to follow…
Since Barry Hearn came back into snooker back in 2010, there have been a number of changes to the sport, such as the introduction of PTC events and flat draws, aimed at helping to provide a level playing field and provide increased opportunities for players of all ages to shine.
With the changes, we have seen a number of new, young faces make it onto the main tour and another hoping to join them is 17-year-old Sean Hopkin, who you may recall as being the ‘Shaun Murphy Scholar’ at the 2013 Snookerbacker Classic tournament.
Click below to read more about Sean from the man himself, about how he first became interested in snooker and as to why any potential sponsor or manager out there should believe in his ability to make it in the game…
Congratulations to Finland’s Robin Hull, who has today captured the EBSA European Championship in Poland with an emphatic 7-2 win against Welsh amateur Gareth Allen.
Having scored heavily throughout the competition, Robin moved into an early 3-0 lead in the final with breaks of 99 and 56, before completing victory with back-to-back century breaks.
It is the second time that Robin has captured this title, following his first victory back in 1997 and is a result that will see him earn a two-year tour card for the professional circuit, beginning immediately, notwithstanding the fact that he has missed out on the opening events of the campaign.
Well done to Welshman Darren Morgan and Belgium’s Wendy Jans, who won the Masters and Ladies events respectively.
Congratulations to Stuart Carrington, Jak Jones and Patrick Einsle, who each today regained a place on snooker’s main tour by winning two matches at the 2013 EBSA play-offs at the EIS in Sheffield.
Having qualified for today’s play-offs courtesy of their performances at a series of four amateur events staged alongside a number of the professional European Tour events this season, the trio will now join snooker’s main tour for the next two seasons and you can read quotes from them here at World Snooker.
Welsh youngster Jones first turned professional following his victory at the 2010 European U-19’s Championship, while Carrington earned a main tour card through the Q School in 2011, perhaps most notably defeating Matthew Stevens at a PTC event during last season.
Congratulations to James Cahill, who today defeated fellow Englishman Ashley Carty 6-0 to win the 2013 European Under-21 Championship in Bor, Serbia. As well as claiming what is a prestigious title in its own right, the victory also means that the 17-year-old will graduate to the main tour at the start of next season, reportedly receiving a two-year card onto the pro circuit…
Last week saw Oliver Lines take victory in the Leeds leg of the 2013 Snookerbacker Classic and whilst at the event, I was able to capture the deciding frame of his 4-3 victory against Antony Parsons on camera. Without further ado, click below to watch the action here at PSB, or you can watch on YouTube by visiting my channel here…
