Igor Figueiredo, the reigning World Seniors Champion showed his class again yesterday as he won “the Hull 900” event. The events was shown on Channel 5, and there was a very good and enthusiastic crowd in the arena in Hull. An estimate 650 fans attended the event.
Congratulations Igor!
Before the event proper, a lunch with the fans was organised.
The trophy is truly magnificent …
The channel 5 coverage was very good. Dennis Taylor was in the commentary box.
Reigning World Seniors Snooker Champion Igor Figueiredo dramatically added another title to his collection as he compiled a counter-attacking clearance of 48 in the deciding frame to defeat Jimmy White 2-1 on the final black and win the latest Mr. Vegas 900 Series event.
Former professional player Figueiredo travelled from his home in Brazil to compete in the six-player, World Seniors Snooker Tour one-day spectacular at the Connexin Live arena in Hull which was played to unique 900 rules.
The 46-year-old’s day didn’t get off to a great start, though, as he lost the opening match of the tournament to Ken Doherty, who made a 67 break in what was a repeat of the World Seniors Snooker Championship final at the Crucible Theatre from a few months ago.
Doherty – who defied fatigue and jetlag having been in a different continent the day before when commentating on the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters in Riyadh – then defeated Barry Pinches to qualify from and finish top of Group A.
That result meant the final fixture of the group was a straight shootout to see who took the other qualifying spot, and it was Figueiredo who comfortably dispatched Pinches to progress into the semi-final knockouts.
In Group B, Malta’s Tony Drago got the better of both Jimmy White (with a 57 break) and Stephen Hendry to win the pool. To determine the other qualifier, it was a repeat of the final of the first World Seniors 900 event in Epsom late last year, but the result was reversed as White defeated and eliminated Hendry from the tournament.
In the semi-finals – which were also single-frame fixtures – both group runner-ups advanced to the best-of-three title match as White ended Doherty’s campaign and Figueiredo denied Drago. White’s clash with Doherty was a rerun of the preceding 900 event that the latter triumphed in on home soil at the iconic Goffs arena in Ireland in March.
Four-time World Seniors Snooker Champion Jimmy White – the most successful player in seniors snooker history – was hoping ‘third time’s a charm’ and that he could secure a maiden 900 title. He was on course to do so as he crafted a crucial 69 break which assisted him to go 1-0 up, although a contribution of 63 in frame two was vital in aiding Figueiredo to level the contest at 1-1 and force a deciding frame.
There was a scrappy start to the final frame, but 62-year-old White managed to find a fruitful opening with a break of 40. However, he misplaced position – when just a few more pots away from the finish line – and was unable to continue the break, allowing his opponent back to the table. Figueiredo would go on to pot a red from distance and coolly construct a frame, match and event-winning clearance.
It is the second snooker final in as many days to be decided on the final black ball in a deciding frame thriller with a counter-attack following Judd Trump’s heroics in Saudi on Saturday night.
The two referees on duty, Mark Beale and Tatiana Woollaston did a sterling job… as alway.
The whole event was played in great spirit and the players enjoyed themselves, as did the attending fans.
And here are some more images, taken by Andy Chubb, and shared by WSS on social media
The WPBSA World Seniors Tour 