Sullivan emerges victorious from “awful day”
SURREY snooker amateur Ronnie Sullivan emerged from “an awful day” in south London with his first Cuestars winner’s trophy for over six years.
The 20-year-old from Dormansland, near Lingfield, ended his drought in the sixth leg of the Under-21 Gold Tour at Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon.
Sullivan pocketed £100 in prize money after beating Matthew Jameson 2-0 in the final.
But he admitted: “It’s been an awful day, really, because I’ve been trying to get over the line because I’ve had a mental block about winning for the past few years.
“I’ve probably quit the game about a thousand times.”
Sullivan explained that moving to Spots & Stripes in Redhill and practising with Phil O’Kane, who has “helped me massively”, has rekindled his enthusiasm for the game.
He thanked Spots & Stripes managing director Nigel Smith and D & L House Clearances for sponsoring him.
It was a remarkable debut in the top tier by Jameson.
The 13-year-old opted to move up to Gold, to “give myself a challenge”, after making a personal best 81 break in a league match in his home town of Brighton.
Sullivan said: “He done me 2-0 in the groups. He played really solid and doesn’t miss any easy balls. He reminds me of (Mark) Selby. He’ll be good in a few years.”
Beaten semi-finalist Riley Ellis (Swindon) recorded his first competitive century, a 112 in the third-frame decider against Zain Jeraj (Tooting) in the round-robin group stages on one of the club’s professional-standard Star tables.
William Thomson (Chandler’s Ford) replaces O’Shay Scott, who was in Morocco for the WSF Championship, at the top of the rankings.
The event was sponsored by Frames Sports Bar and snookerdad Tan Jeraj.
Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon, also hosts the seventh leg of ten on Sunday, February 16.
BREAKS
Riley Ellis: 112(PB).
Ronnie Sullivan: 62, 50, 48, 43, 43.
Will Forster: 60.
Matthew Jameson: 54.
Ryan Spratt: 41.
GOLD RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP: 1st, John Donovan (Hurricane Room, Colindale); 2nd, Ryan Spratt (Chandlers Ford SC); 3rd, Dylan Beer (Salisbury SC); 4th, Will Forster (Waterlooville Sports Bar).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Matthew Jameson (Castle SC, Brighton); 2nd, Ronnie Sullivan (Spots & Stripes, Redhill); 3rd, William Thomson (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, William Hurley (Lanes Sports Bar, Rayleigh).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Riley Ellis (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Asten Sahota (Chandlers Ford SC); 3rd, Donnie Gola (Mildmay Club); 4th, Zain Jeraj (London Snooker, Tooting).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Thomson 2-1 Donovan, Sullivan 2-1 Sahota, Jameson 2-0 Gola, Ellis 2-0 Spratt.
SEMI-FINALS: (15 points): Sullivan 2-1 Thomson, Jameson 2-1 Ellis.
FINAL (£100/£25, 25/18 points): Sullivan 2-0 Jameson.