Bonney defends British Open Title

NEWMARKET plays host to the world’s finest women snooker stars on Saturday.

Emma Bonney travels up from Portsmouth to defend her British Open title, the third ranking event on the World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association (WLBSA) circuit.

World number three Bonney, 33, the four-time WLBSA world billiards champion, defeated Kent’s June Banks 3-0 in last year’s final.

She returns to the Newmarket Snooker & Bowl bidding for a third WLBSA snooker title.

“I like the club and enjoyed it last year,” said Bonney. “I hope that I play well again this time. It would be nice to defend the title.”

Reanne Evans, the undisputed world number one from Dudley, West Midlands, won last month’s East Anglian Championship in Cambridge. She hopes to extend her remarkable 46-match unbeaten run on the WLBSA circuit. Victory in Newmarket would be the 24-year-old’s 20th WLBSA title. She won the British Open in 2004 and 2006.

Evans will not travel to India for the IBSF World Championships that starts on Sunday. The three-time, and defending, champion failed to find a sponsor.

She said: “At least I’ll be able to play in Newmarket. I’m looking forward to going and trying to keep my good run going.”

Bonney added: “It’s a shame that no one’s going to represent England in the IBSF but, having said that, it is good to be competing against all the top players in Newmarket.”

Ronnie O’Sullivan’s 27-year-old cousin Maria Catalano, Kent’s Katie Henrick and Bonney are seen as Evans’ main rivals for the title.

2009 British Open

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Newmarket Snooker & Bowl

2-12 All Saints Road

Newmarket

CB8 8NL

Tel: 01638 560975‎

WLBSA provisional snooker rankings 2009/10:

Pos	Name	Town	Pts	Sponsor
1	Reanne Evans	Dudley, West Mids	520
2	Maria Catalano	Dudley, West Mids	410
3	Emma Bonney	Portsmouth	385
4	Katie Henrick	Bickley, Kent	370	180poker.com
5	Eva Palmius	Isleham, Cambs	236
6	Chris Sharpe	Chelmsford	210
7	Suzie Opacic	Brambridge, Hants	191	Kara Accountants
8	Jenny Poulter	Maidstone	165
9	June Banks	Orpington, Kent	150
10	Gaye Jones	Melksham, Wilts	149
11	Hannah Jones	Derby	137	Wytech + The Q Room
12	Martina Lumsden	Eastbourne	130
13	Marianne Williams	Smallfield, Surrey	112
14	Joanne Davies	Derby	102	Wytech
15	Vicky Ashby	Hemel Hempstead	99
16	Tina Owen-Sevilton	Taunton	98
17	Jodie Symes	Swindon	74
18	Pam Wood	Newcastle	67
19	Natascha Niermann	Germany	59
20	Jan Hughes	St Neots, Cambs	56
21	Naomi Clare	Ripley, Derbys	56
22	Stacey Hancock	Burgess Hill	55
23	Maureen Logan	Wallsend, Tyne & Wear	53	Fine Arch Cues
24	Laura Alves	Dublin	25
25	Georgina Holloway	Derby	24
26	Supanni Yam-Oum	Canterbury	17
27	Mary Hawkes	Eaton Bray, Beds	17
28	Charlotte Holloway	Derby	12
29	Rita Holmes	Minehead	0