11-year-old veteran claims first win
AN 11-YEAR-OLD from Chandler’s Ford who has been competing in a junior league since the age of five has won his first tournament away from his home club.
Bowen Zhu (pictured) “surprised” himself by claiming the fourth leg of the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour at Greenbaize Snooker Club, Bournemouth.
“It was exhilarating,” he said. “Because I’d never got that far before and I wasn’t expecting to go that far so I’m quite surprised at myself.
“My goal was to get to the semi-final. To get to the final was just amazing.”
Reflecting on the deciding frame of a 2-1 victory over Ryan Hughes, a fellow member of Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club, Zhu said: “It was a close battle.
“Ryan was a bit unlucky because a lot of his shots didn’t go to plan.
“It was better that I knew him because I sort of know his tactics but he also knows some of mine so it evens itself out.”
Zhu accounted for rankings leader Ben Tillison (Portsmouth) in the group stages but qualified for the knockout in second place behind Chloe White (Portsmouth).
A 2-1 victory over Rio Smith (Portsmouth) and a 2-0 win against Ben Hatch (Southampton), who compiled a personal best 34 break in his first match against Smith, booked Zhu a first appearance in a final.
A Year 6 pupil at Knightwood Primary School, Zhu made his debut in the Eastleigh & District Under-13 League at the age of five.
White beat Oli Line (Botley) 2-0 in the last-eight to make the semi-finals for the first time. Arnie Petty (Fordingbridge) qualified for the knockout for the first time at his 14th attempt.
Tillison, who won two of the three previous legs, made a shock group-stage exit but still leads the rankings by five points from Hughes. Zhu is four points further back in third.
The fifth leg of eight is at Woking Snooker Centre on Sunday, February 7.
BREAKS
Ben Hatch: 34.
Riley Ellis: 27, 25.
Bowen Zhu: 23, 22.
BRONZE RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Chloe White (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 2nd, Bowen Zhu (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Arnie Petty (Salisbury SC); 4th, Ozzy Rea (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 5th, Ben Tillison (Copnor SC, Portsmouth).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Ryan Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Riley Ellis (Jesters, Swindon); 3rd, Oli Line (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Connor Shaw (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 5th, Jack Ratcliffe (Jesters, Swindon).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Ben Hatch (Southampton); 2nd, Rio Smith (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 3rd, Shane Kearns (Jesters, Swindon); 4th, Callum White (Copnor SC, Portsmouth).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Chloe White 2 Line 1, Hughes 2 Petty 0, Hatch 2 Ellis 0, Zhu 2 Smith 1.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Hughes 2 Chloe White 0, Zhu 2 Hatch 0.
FINAL (25/18 points): Zhu 2 Hughes 1.
Report and picture by Tim Dunkley