Ladies British Open 2013

Article from Tim Dunkley.

Low entries for the first event of the season but it is hoped that with a change of administration that we can start to get the numbers back to where they were a couple of years ago.

TYNE and Wear plays host to the world’s two best women snooker players on Sunday.

World number one Maria Catalano and nine-time world champion Reanne Evans will be action in the British Open at Whitley Bay Snooker Centre.

Also on the programme are a Seniors (40+) tournament, an Under-21 competition and a Plate for those not reaching the semi-finals of the main event.

The British Open, last competed for in 2010 and won by Evans, is the first of eight ranking events on the World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association’s £8,400 2013/14 tour.

Eden Resources - a Singapore-based company that organises seminars, events and training - is sponsoring the Masters and the World Championships to the tune of £5,000.

Cambridge Snooker Centre will host the International Ladies Billiards Championship on September 22.

Meanwhile, Hannah and her sister’s debut on the WLBSA circuit will mean twin billing for the Derby girls in Whitley Bay.

Ten-year-old Ellie Jones - who also enjoys golf, tennis and karate - will join her 17-year-old sibling in the draw that takes place at 9.15am. Play commences at 10am.

WLBSA BRITISH OPEN
Sunday, September 8.
Whitley Bay Snooker Centre
305 Whitley Road
Whitley Bay
Tyne & Wear
NE26 2HU
Telephone: 0191 447 0515
Website: http://www.whitleybaysnookercentre.co.uk

ENTRIES

Maria Catalano (Dudley, West Mids)
Reanne Evans (Dudley, West Mids)
Vicky Carter (Sandy, Beds)
Jenny Poulter (Maidstone)
Hannah Jones (Derby)
Maureen Rowland (Wallsend, Tyne & Wear)
Laura Alves (Dublin)
Pam Wood (Newcastle)
Ellie Jones (Derby)

WLBSA RANKINGS

Pos Name Home town/country Pts Sponsor
1 Maria Catalano Dudley, West Midlands, GB 642
2 Reanne Evans Dudley West Midlands, GB 399 MIUS
3 Emma Bonney Portsmouth, GB 347
4 Yu Ching Ching Hong Kong, China 336
5 Jaique Ip Wan In Hong Kong, China 335
6 Ng On Yee Hong Kong, China 284
7 Tina Owen-Sevilton Bridgwater, Somerset, GB 249
8 So Man Yan Hong Kong, China 223
9 Vicky Carter Sandy, Beds, GB 222
10 Eva Palmius Isleham, Cambs, Sweden 213
11 Jenny Poulter Maidstone, Kent, GB 194
12 Hannah Jones Derby, GB 182 Eden, Jaxx Q Club
13 Katie Henrick Bickley, Kent, GB 175 180poker.com
14 Tatjana Vasiljeva Latvia 174
15 Natascha Niermann Cambridge, Germany 148
16 Marianne Williams Smallfield, Surrey, GB 122
17 Jasmine Bolsover Woking, GB 120
18 Gaye Jones Melksham, Wilts, GB 99
19 Chitra Magimairaj India 88
20 Suzie Opacic Brambridge, Hants, GB 83 Kara Accountants
21 Jan Hughes St Neots, Cambs, GB 77
22 Chris Sharpe Chelmsford, GB 72
23 Martina Lumsden Eastbourne, GB 54
24 Maureen Rowland Wallsend, Tyne & Wear, GB 46 Fine Arch Cues
25 Karen Corr Republic of Ireland 35
26 June Banks Orpington, Kent, GB 25
27 Vicky Gibbs Trowbridge, GB 25
28 Naomi Clare Ripley, Derbys, GB 20
29 Kim O'Brien Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, GB 15
30 Revanna Umadevi India 14
31 Laura Alves Dublin, Brazil 14
32 Pam Wood Newcastle, GB 10
33 Fran Calvert Lowestoft, GB 10
34 Jodie Symes Swindon, GB 10
35 Michelle Marinova Bracknell, Bulgaria 10
36 Donna Davies Carmarthen, Wales 5
37 Shaghayegh Sanei Iran 5
38 Weronika Nowicka Poland 4
39 Karen Harrison Fareham, GB 0
40 Joanne Davies Derby, GB 0 Wytech
41 Clare Heseldine Broadstairs, GB 0
42 Georgina Holloway Derby, GB 0
43 Charlotte Holloway Derby, GB 0
44 Mary Hawkes Leighton Buzzard, GB 0
45 Supanni Yam-Oum France 0

2013/14 WLBSA CALENDAR

September 8, 2013: British Open at Whitley Bay Snooker Centre (£300 sponsorship by the club).

September 22, 2013: International Ladies Billiards Championship at Cambridge Snooker Centre (£500 anonymous sponsorship).

October 5, 2013: Agnes Davies Memorial at Terry Griffiths Matchroom, Llanelli.

November 2, 2013: UK Championship at North East Derbyshire Snooker Centre, Clay Cross (£300 sponsorship by the club).

November 16-17, 2013: Eden Resources Masters at Cambridge Snooker Centre (£2,000 sponsorship).

January 25, 2014: East Anglian Championship at Pot Black Club, Lowestoft.

February 23, 2014: Southern Classic at Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon.

March 30, 2014: Connie Gough Memorial at Dunstable Snooker Club (£300 sponsorship from Julie Hemingway).

April 18-22, 2014: Eden Resources World Championship at Northern Snooker Centre, Leeds (£5,000 sponsorship: £3,000 from Eden Resources and £2,000 from Northern Snooker Centre).

More details and action shots of most of the ladies available from:

Tim Dunkley (WLBSA press office)
88 Lionheart Way
Bursledon Green
Southampton
SO31 8HN
Tel home: 02380 562647
Mobile: 07986 376114
E-Mail: timdunkleysnookerdad@hotmail.com

looking at the rankings there is Karen Corr back playing snooker?

and good luck the Jones sisters lets kick some ass.

I think Karen dabbled when she was over from America. She has also played English 8 ball for Lincolnshire as well. Not sure whether she will be attending any events this year. It would be nice. :)

Ellie, the fury, hasn't played for long so this is just a chance to see whether she would like to take the game further.

I'll provide an unofficial report on her when the tournament is over. As long as she doesn't hit Hannah for beating her in the Under 21's then I'll be very happy.. Bit of a character is the lass.

REANNE Evans kicked off the 2013/14 women’s snooker season with victory in the British Open.

The nine-time world champion from Dudley, West Midlands, accounted for teenager Hannah Jones 4-1 in the final at Whitley Bay Snooker Centre, Tyne and Wear.

Derby ace Jones, 17, appearing in her first ranking final, took the first frame but was unable to deny 27-year-old Evans her 33rd World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association ranking title.

World number one Maria Catalano had pulled out of the event because of illness.

Earlier, Jones defeated her ten-year-old sister Ellie 2-0 in the Under-21 final.

Vicky Carter, knocked out 3-1 in the quarter-finals of the main event by Hannah Jones, triumphed in the Plate competition – defeating Maureen Rowland 2-0 in the final.

Local girl Rowland, from Wallsend, came close in her second final of the day. She took the first frame of the Seniors (40+) final on the pink but missed the black for the match in the next.

But perhaps the snooker gods were looking down on her opponent, Jenny Poulter, who ran out a 2-1 victor.

Poulter’s mum Jean had been taken ill when the pair arrived on Friday night from their home in Maidstone but insisted from her hospital bed that her daughter competed in the British Open.

The WLBSA wishes Jean a speedy recovery.

The British Open was the first of eight ranking events on the WLBSA’s £8,400 2013/14 tour.

RESULTS (BREAKS)

QUARTER-FINALS: Reanne Evans (48, 38, 62, 47) beat Maureen Rowland 3-0, Jenny Poulter beat Ellie Jones 3-0, Pam Wood beat Laura Alves 3-0, Hannah Jones beat Vicky Carter 3-1.

SEMI-FINALS (£40): Evans beat Poulter 3-0, Jones (42) beat Wood 3-0.

FINAL (£200/£90): Evans (45, 52, 31) beat Jones 4-1.

PLATE

SEMI-FINALS: Maureen Rowland beat Laura Alves 2-1, Vicky Carter (40) beat Ellie Jones 2-0.

FINAL (£15/£10): Carter beat Rowland 2-0.

SENIORS

SEMI-FINALS: Maureen Rowland beat Laura Alves 2-0, Jenny Poulter beat Pam Wood 2-0.

FINAL: Poulter beat Rowland 2-1.

UNDER-21

FINAL: Hannah Jones (36) beat Ellie Jones 2-0.

ENTRIES

Reanne Evans (Dudley, West Mids)
Vicky Carter (Sandy, Beds)
Jenny Poulter (Maidstone)
Hannah Jones (Derby)
Maureen Rowland (Wallsend, Tyne & Wear)
Laura Alves (Dublin)
Pam Wood (Newcastle)
Ellie Jones (Derby)

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Ellie did very well considering she has only played snooker less than ten times and it was her first competitive event. She was accepted by the ladies and encouraged during her matches which allowed her to enjoy the day. She played in the main event because Maria didn't turn up and it then made an even draw. Same for the plate. I couldn't have asked any more of her or the ladies. I am not sure that she will take up snooker. She can certainly pot and watches to see what every ball does once she has hit the white so there is ability and she sets up the shot well with no coaching. I have asked her if she will enter another event and she isn't sure. There are a few younger players who may start playing on the WLBSA tour this year. Fingers crossed and Ellie will continue to do what she wants whether that is golf, tennis, snooker, pool or all of them.

Hannah played OK. Not great snooker at all really until she had a 42 break to win the final frame against Pam Wood in the semi final. She started well enough against Reanne in her first ever ladies main event final but as soon as she won the first game- which she did convincingly - she seemed to give up. Going for everything outrageously and not really playing the table. It was a shame and very frustrating. She doesn't know what happened but I think she just blew up. It is all experience and playing Reanne is daunting but Hannah was a black ball away from beating Reanne in an event about 18 months ago when she knocked in a 50+ clearance in the 4th frame to force a decider after Reanne had knocked in a 40+ break in the frame. Then she responded to another 50+ break from Reanne in the decider to knock in a 48 missing a tough black for the clearance and the match. So she is capable. I just need to find out what is going on in her head. I think I need a PhD for that though! She is young but I would have thought she would be further on than this. She seemed to impress the locals who turned up to support the ladies.

Some photographs from the day that include Ellie, Hannah and Reanne.

Mark explain something how come Maria is World no 1 Reanne seems to be winning most.

Last season Reanne missed a few tournaments which Maria won. Maria and Reanne got to the final of the worlds with double ranking points but Maria had won enough to be way ahead on points. Reanne is catching up though with the British win but is still 83 points behind Maria. With 65 to win and 50 for runner up then I think the number 1 spot will be decided at the World Champs in 2014. There are 7 more tournaments this year but still I would expect Reanne and Maria to factor in most of the finals providing they enter the tournaments which means Reanne would need to win all of the remaining events before the World to be 3 points ahead going in to the World Champs.

Just for a second remove your proud father hat and speak as Snooker Island's Ladies snooker Expert.


where do you think Hannah is at in terms of challenging those two and would you place hannah as maybe 3rd at the moment maybe not in the rankings yet but in terms of strides shes making.

I would put Hannah further down the list possibly around 6. She is an exciting player and when her eyes are in she can pot balls from anywhere. She can certainly beat Reanne and Maria if the wind is in the right direction BUT she hasn't got the game to beat them yet in my opinion. She has a lot of hard work to do and experience to gain before she gets that convincing win which will announce her arrival as a true contender.

I have to put the Hong Kong girls into the mix and double IBSF World Ladies Champion Ng On Yee is a solid player who always plays well against Hannah. As you may know they have the funding and support from their government so they have had access to top class facilities and coaching from Wayne Griffiths for the past few years. Plus they are incentivised to do well in events as they get to keep their winnings and they also get bonuses for getting into the latter stages of tournaments. All this on top of a basic salary that they get paid. Yu Ching Ching is a tenacious player but can be hot or cold and Jaique is a solid veteran of the game whose knowledge gives her an edge in close battles.

I also know that Wendy Jans will be making an appearance this year and she is a tremendous player as well and one of the all time best. She does tend to struggle against Reanne but she makes a significant amount of good breaks in her matches and pummels her opponents. I am not sure how she would handle Maria but it is a close 2 and 3 with Reanne ahead based on her experience, knowledge of the table and ability to practice full time. I know Wendy has her own club but she has told me herself that she doesn't really practice other than before an event.

Tatjana Vasijeva is a solid player - she beat Wendy in the European final. She is technically very good having been coached by Terry and she is very accurate. I have to put her above Hannah because she has the resources to practice full time and leverage top class coaching. Plus she has a single minded drive to succeed in snooker.

In one year Hannah will be a different prospect but at the moment I see the ranking list as follows, providing the listed ladies play in a number of events:

Reanne
Maria
Wendy
Ng On Yee
Tatjana Vasiljeva
Hannah Jones | Yu Ching Ching | Jaique Ip Wan In
Emma Bonney

I haven't mentioned the Thai girls. There is an exceptional player in their funded squad called Amornrat who has a lot of potential as well as a girl I first saw in the World Championships in Thailand called Nicha who is 18 months older than Hannah and back then impressed me with her knowledge when she was 12. They aren't in the list as they wont be entering WLBSA events.

From India I would mention Chitra Magimairaj. She is a very dedicated player and can upset players but I would think that Hannah should have the better of certainly by the time the World Champs comes around.

If you want my non proud eyes. I think Hannah has a lot of work to do. She isn't where I thought she would be and I feel she needs a jolt to get her re-focused. This is as much to do with the teenage years. I didn't realise how much growing up as a girl would affect her but it has and I hope that she gets through the fog soon. She has so much potential but doesn't actually realise/believe it. In fact she lacks so much self confidence that it is hard to believe. When people watch her at the table they see a confident young lady. She is shaking in her boots. Once she gets over this hurdle she will do damage.

This is my unbiased and fair appraisal of Hannah 2 months into her full time training.

Speculating but in 1 year having steered herself through the fog of teenage life and realising her potential I would put Hannah just behind Reanne in the list and ahead of Wendy and Maria. This would be based on strides she will have made. There will be a changing of the guard in the next few years. Reanne will factor heavily in events for the next 10 years but we need to see another name at the top. It will be Hannah or Jasmine Bolsover in my opinion flying the flag for the UK - unless another youngster pops up that we haven't seen yet. Overseas I cannot say at the moment but I'll put my thinking cap on and write up my opinion later.

markj147 wrote:Speculating but in 1 year having steered herself through the fog of teenage life and realising her potential I would put Hannah just behind Reanne in the list and ahead of Wendy and Maria. This would be based on strides she will have made. There will be a changing of the guard in the next few years. Reanne will factor heavily in events for the next 10 years but we need to see another name at the top. It will be Hannah or Jasmine Bolsover in my opinion flying the flag for the UK - unless another youngster pops up that we haven't seen yet. Overseas I cannot say at the moment but I'll put my thinking cap on and write up my opinion later.

Any idea how far developed the Russian young women Anastasia Nechaeva and Daria Sirotina are ? Guess the European Team Championship'll give an indication of that.

And any thoughts on what seems to be a policy of putting Yana Shut from Belarus into Men's Under 21 competitions to give her more experience - a good or bad idea?

Just to mention, there's also a girl of about Ellie's age from Thailand who has sponsorship from Wiraka to play snooker and pool, Bandana Snookergirl (aka Phaa aka Sasiwimon Wannaprathip !) - seen on youtube -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n5OhiDOAj8

roy142857 wrote:Any idea how far developed the Russian young women Anastasia Nechaeva and Daria Sirotina are ? Guess the European Team Championship'll give an indication of that.

And any thoughts on what seems to be a policy of putting Yana Shut from Belarus into Men's Under 21 competitions to give her more experience - a good or bad idea?

Just to mention, there's also a girl of about Ellie's age from Thailand who has sponsorship from Wiraka to play snooker and pool, Bandana Snookergirl (aka Phaa aka Sasiwimon Wannaprathip !) - seen on youtube -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n5OhiDOAj8

There are a lot of good female players out there. I think Europe - excluding the Uk for this post - have more decent female players than the UK playing at a better standard overall. Not sure why this is although it may have coincided with the development of the Pro game over the past few years. More women enjoy a social trip to the cuesports hall in my opinion than they do in this country, although I am seeing attitudes changing over here in some of the clubs.

Russians - Daria is a very good player and break builder. I think she plays better than Anastasia. Both come from a 9ball background I believe but they have adapted really well to International snooker. Their potting accuracy is frightening some time. As a team they are consistent, although I have noticed Anastasias head dropped against Hannah in the European Teams in Sofia.

Belarus - Yana Shut has potential and she is gaining experience all the time. I would say that she is going to get good experience against the Under 21 men but that I wouldn't expect her to win too many frames/ matches. depends on what the ability of some of the other countries are like. In my opinion it is a good thing. She will learn a different way to play the game, more attacking. She will win frames, get chances and have open tables more often than not which will allow her game to develop and flow. In general ladies snooker frames tend to be difficult. Lots of chances but also lots of messy tables and you do change your game to accommodate which is not a good thing.

Thailand - Phaa. A very very good prospect. One to win a world title in the future. Much better at the same age as Hannah was and potentially more passionate about all areas of the sport. Technically good and now entrenched in the Thai sports academy and is competing regularly, she came to the game at a higher lever way before Hannah and has a table of her own in the house which she has practiced hard on. To be fair Hannah has never had a table in the house and used to play a couple of times a week from the age of 9 to 11. She is 1 year younger than Ellie and I have been following her since she was 7. We converse a fair amount and she looks up to Hannah. Hannah being front and centre in the media seems to have inspired a few new players to the game. Although I am not sure whether she will go the 9-ball route or snooker. Time will tell.

There are so many young players out there that it is difficult to keep an eye on them. I think you can start to see how they are going to develop as players around the age of 14-16. Yana Shut is an example. I watched her play in Sofia and she was an OK player for her age with a lot of potential and I believe that she has improved alot since then.

Opportunity to play and support is a massive bonus in snooker. It would be nice if more had the chance to play the game and develop their skills.