Women's South Coast Classic

[snookerdad]

WOMEN’S snooker star Reanne Evans heads to Eastbourne on Saturday keen to regain her world number one spot.

The 23-year-old four-time world champion from Dudley joins a 21-strong field for the World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association’s South Coast Ladies Classic at The Q Ball Snooker Club.

Queen of the South Emma Bonney, the three-time and reigning women’s world billiards champion from Cosham, Hampshire, dethroned Evans after beating June Banks in the British Open final at Newmarket last November.

At Eastbourne last season, Bonney, 32, won her first ever WLBSA ranking event.

Ronnie O’Sullivan’s 26-year-old cousin and world number four Maria Catalano, world number three Katie Henrick, from Bickley, Kent, and world number five Banks from Orpington, Kent, join Evans and Bonney as favourites for the event.

The South Coast Ladies Classic is the fourth of six WLBSA ranking events this season. Following the Connie Gough National Championship in Luton in March, Cambridge Snooker Centre hosts the World Championships in April. Evans will be bidding for a record fifth straight world title.

WLBSA South Coast Ladies Classic
Saturday, February 7, 2009
The Q Ball Snooker Club
126-134 Seaside
Eastbourne
BN22 7QP

Tim Dunkley (WLBSA Press Office)

[snookerdad]

REANNE Evans has regained the world number one spot in women’s snooker.

A decisive victory in the South Coast Classic (on Saturday, February 7) took the four-time world champion from Dudley back to the top of the World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association’s rankings.

Evans beat Ronnie O’Sullivan’s 26-year-old cousin Maria Catalano 3-0 in the final at the Q Ball Snooker Club, Eastbourne.

In fact, the 23-year-old did not drop a frame in the fourth ranking event of the season.

In the semi-finals, Evans missed the green on 95 to wrap up a 3-0 victory over Katie Henrick.

Portsmouth’s Emma Bonney, who took the number one spot with victory in the British Open in Newmarket in November, fired in a 77 in the second frame of a 3-1 semi-final defeat by Maria Catalano.

Evans said: “I thought I was way in front but I’m happy to be back to number one now.

“It’s good to be ladies number one but I want to play on the men’s (circuit). I do need to improve but I’m cueing OK.”

Catalano said: “She played well. I had a few chances but didn’t take them. It’s a bonus to get to the final. I haven’t been practising much so I suppose I should be happy with what I’ve done.”

Evans, who won the inaugural EASB Ladies Tour event in Leeds on February 1, heads to St Petersburg, Russia, next month with Catalano for the European Team Championships.

Derby schoolgirl Hannah Jones, 12, doubled the black in the deciding frame of the Plate final to clinch a first title on the senior circuit.

Supanni Yam-Oum, a director of SR Cues Ltd based in Ashford, Kent, donated a handmade £380 cue to Evans.

Making her WLBSA debut, Yam-Oum, originally from Thailand and now living in Canterbury, started playing snooker in November aged 56.

She said she “loved” the event and added: “If you can’t play snooker you can’t sell the cues.”

The WLBSA South Coast Classic attracted a 21-strong field.

It was the fourth of six WLBSA ranking events this season. Following the Connie Gough National Championship in Luton in March, Cambridge Snooker Centre hosts the World Championships in April. Evans will be bidding for a record fifth straight world title.

RESULTS:

FIRST ROUND: Hannah Jones bt Marianne Williams 3-2, Martina Lumsden bt Jan Hughes 3-1, Gaye Jones bt Laura Alves 3-2, Vicky Ashby bt Supanni Yam-Oum 3-0, Stacey Hancock bt Maureen Logan 3-0.

LAST 16: Emma Bonney bt H Jones 3-0, Eva Palmius bt Sue Selby 3-0, Jenny Poulter bt Naomi Clare 3-0, Maria Catalano bt Lumsden 3-0, Katie Henrick bt G Jones 3-1, Chris Sharpe bt Ashby 3-1, Suzie Opacic bt Wendy Jenkins 3-0, Reanne Evans bt Hancock 3-0.

QUARTER-FINALS: Bonney bt Palmius 3-0, Catalano bt Poulter 3-1, Henrick bt Sharpe 3-0, Evans bt Opacic 3-0.

SEMI-FINALS (£75): Catalano bt Bonney (77) 3-1, Evans (95) bt Henrick 3-0.

FINAL (£300/£150): Evans bt Catalano 3-0.

PLATE

FIRST ROUND: H Jones bt Clare 2-0, Hughes bt Alves 2-0, Lumsden bt G Jones 2-1, Ashby bt Jenkins 2-0, Selby bt Logan 2-0,

QUARTER-FINALS: H Jones bt Yam-Oum 2-0, Hancock bt Hughes 2-0, Ashby bt Selby 2-1, Williams bt Lumsden 2-0.

SEMI-FINAL: H Jones bt Hancock 2-1, Ashby bt Williams 2-0.

FINAL: H Jones bt Ashby 2-1.

Tim Dunkley (WLBSA press office)