Reanne Evans won the women’s snooker Wytech Masters and Paul Wood UK Championship titles at the weekend.
WYTECH MASTERS
REANNE Evans, the six-time women’s world snooker champion, continued her dominance of the £1,400 Wytech Masters with a 3-1 victory over Maria Catalano in this year’s final (on Saturday, September 25).
The queen of the women’s circuit has now won all four non-ranking Masters tournaments, which are traditional held on the eve of the new World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association’s season.
In a repeat of the 2009 final, the two top seeds - both from Dudley, West Midlands - made it safely through a 20-strong field at the North East Derbyshire Snooker Centre, Clay Cross.
Maria Catalano, ranked second on the WLBSA circuit, took the first frame. Evans easily won a scrappy second and clinched the last two on the final colours.
Evans said: “Maria played really well, first frame. I didn’t pot a ball.”
Catalano, 28, said: “I feel like I should have won it. Reanne nicked it off me really.
“I played alright. I only started practising on Tuesday. I had a few problems with my cue. I thought I was going to get pumped first round. I was just happy to get to the final. That was a bonus for me.
“It was a good final. I enjoyed it. I was happy with the way I played. I’ve just got to get my head down now and start practising.”
Evans, the only woman on the professional circuit, admitted she struggled to adapt to life back on club tables.
“It’s a bit different to what I’ve been used to the last few months,” said the 24-year-old.
“You’re in a booth on your own instead of in a wide open club and the tables are better, tighter and faster.”
Still searching for a first win since receiving a wildcard onto the Main Tour, Evans added: “There are no easy matches. You have to keep 100-per-cent concentration and try your hardest. (A win) would give me that bit of extra confidence.”
Mark Jones, from main sponsors Wytech, described the last two frames in the final as “very tense”.
“Maria played exceptionally well and the result did not reflect the performance,” he said. “The top two players made the final and, unfortunately, there’s one winner and one loser.”
And he added: “It was the best year we’ve had, by far. They’re beautiful tables. The girls were all together, everybody could come in and have a look and mill around. It was a better atmosphere.”
Catalano, who pocketed the £100 high-break prize for a run of 56, led the praise for the popular tournament.
“It was fantastic” she said. “The set-up was phenomenal. It’s one of the best tournaments. Mark (Jones) and his team do a great job.”
WYTECH MASTERS SPONSORS
Primary sponsor: Wytech Ltd (www.wytech.co.uk)
Secondary sponsor: Capital City Solutions (www.ccsmaintenance.co.uk)
High-break sponsor: The Q Room in Derby (www.theqroom.co.uk)
WYTECH MASTERS RESULTS (BREAKS)
ROUND ONE: Natascha Niermann beat Marianne Williams 2-0, Gaye Jones beat Jasmine Bolsover 2-1, Jan Hughes beat Deb Burchell 2-0, Hannah Jones (31) beat Laura Alves 2-0, So Man Yan beat Maureen Rowland 2-0, Tina Owen-Sevilton beat Jenny Poulter 2-1, Chris Sharpe beat Joanne Davies 2-0, Vicky Ashby beat Naomi Claire 2-1.
ROUND TWO: Niermann beat G Jones 2-0, H Jones beat Hughes 2-1, So Man Yan beat Owen-Sevilton 2-1, Sharpe beat Ashby 2-1.
QUARTER-FINALS (£70): Reanne Evans (49) beat Niermann 3-0, H Jones beat Eva Palmius 3-1, So Man Yan beat Emma Bonney 3-1, Maria Catalano (56, 55, 35) beat Sharpe 3-0.
SEMI-FINALS (£90): Evans (51) beat H Jones (39) 3-0, Catalano (44) beat So Man Yan 3-0.
FINAL (£340/£165): Evans (35) beat Catalano (44, 41, 35) 3-1.
WYTECH MASTERS PLATE RESULTS
ROUND ONE (£10): Deb Burchell beat Maureen Rowland 2-0, Joanne Davies beat Naomi Clare 2-1, Jenny Poulter beat Marianne Williams 2-1, Jasmine Bolsover beat Laura Alves 2-1.
QUARTER-FINALS (£15): Vicky Ashby beat Bolsover 2-0, Tina Owen-Sevilton beat Davies 2-0, Gaye Jones beat Burchell 2-0, Poulter beat Jan Hughes 2-0.
SEMI-FINALS (£25): Poulter beat G Jones 2-1, Owen-Sevilton beat Ashby 2-0.
FINAL (£50/£35): Poulter beat Owen-Sevilton 2-0.
