2022 Ways Seniors Snooker World Championship – Lee Walker and Philip Williams win on the opening night

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This is the official report on what happened during the opening session of the 2022 Ways Seniors Snooker World Championship:

Welsh Winners on Opening Night of World Seniors Championship

Lee Walker and Philip Williams flew the flag for Wales as they both advanced to the last 16 of the 2022 Ways Management World Seniors Snooker Championship during the event’s opening session at the Crucible Theatre on Wednesday night. 

After the previous two editions of the championship were held behind closed doors, fans were welcomed back for the most prestigious outing on the World Seniors Snooker Tour. 

Former world professional championship quarter-finalist Walker defeated two-time ranking event winner Tony Knowles 3-0 in the first match of the evening. 

Walker claimed the opening frame on the pink, before runs of 66 in both frames two and three saw him set up a date with Stephen Hendry on Friday afternoon.  

Williams also recorded his first victory at the venue stages of this championship as he eliminated Canada’s Bob Chaperon, 3-1. 

The Welshman established a 2-0 lead, although the 1990 British Open champion kept his hopes alive when taking the third frame on the final black. 

However, Williams – aided by an effort of 40 – eventually got across the line to book a meeting with defending champion David Lilley, the man who knocked him out of last year’s edition and at the UK Seniors Championship in January. 

The match between Lee Walker and Tony Knowles was a very one-sided affair, as I expected. Lee is playing at a very high level, as you would expect from someone who only just dropped off the main tour and coaches one of the legends of the sport in Mark Williams. Tony has been out of the game for quite a while and is significantly older too. There was no real contest.

Bob Chaperon, on the other hand, did actually give a good account of himself. The match was closer than the score suggests. Bob’s problem was that he didn’t score well enough. He did compete in the tactical department, but couldn’t make the most of the opportunities he had earned. I can only guess that the conditions were quite alien to him. Philip Williams was his good solid self.