News

Jamie Jones on his Crucible debut

Jamie Jones pulled off the biggest win of his career, with a thrilling 10-8 win over Shaun Murphy, in his Crucible debut.

The Neath twenty-four year old arrived at the Crucible on the back of a stunning 10-2 qualifying win over Ricky Walden but that was nothing to compare with what unfolded over two drama packed days at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

Jones wandered around the famous venue slightly bemused on Saturday afternoon, commenting “I’m getting stopped by all these fans asking for photos and autographs, I’m just a lad from Cimla, (Neath).”

Having found his bearings Jones was introduced into the arena by Master of Ceremonies Lloyd Davies, standing in for Rob Walker who was away covering The Marathon.

It might have served as an omen that Davies has watched Jones growing up as a player since nine years old, as they played in the same snooker club in Neath.

Certainly Jones’ grin on his entrance was wider than the Severn Bridge.

He matched former World Champion Murphy frame for frame in the opening session, to trail 5-4 overnight and set up a thrilling conclusion to the match.

On the resumption Murphy opened a two frame gap for the first time to lead 7-5.

But Jones, who recovered from 3-0 adrift to beat John Higgins 4-3 a few weeks ago, dug his toes in and reeled off  four consecutive frames to lead 9-7.

He was ahead in the next, with the winning line well in sight, when the nerves hit and he missed a routine red to the centre when well set on 47. Murphy countered to take the frame.

But, as Terry Griffiths said on commentary “Jones is made of strong stuff” and he proved it by controlling the next frame and, with breaks of 32 and 26 he left Murphy needing a snooker.

There was one final twist as he went in off the brown, however a couple of shots later he slotted home a long red that ensured a superb victory.

Murphy sportingly praised his young opponent after the match saying “I thought it was a high quality match. Jamie held himself together really well. He didn’t play like a debutant. Full credit to him.”

Jones of course was ecstatic after his win but admitted to some Crucible nerves “I’ve never felt pressure like that in my life.

“I couldn’t wait to get out there and play the first session. I thought I played pretty well considering it was my debut.

“I knew how well I’d been playing this season and I thought if I could score well then I could win. But I just went out there to enjoy the match and the whole Crucible experience. To actually come out the winner is fantastic.”

Jones, who won everything in Welsh Amateur snooker, from Under 13s upwards, as well as the European Junior title, added “I’ve never played an occasion like that in my life. I was very nervous at the start and was pleased to come out at 4-5 after the first session.

“Today was a bit of a mixed bag. I potted some great balls and I missed some very easy ones. Twice I got myself into a winning position and then missed a ball. I think the Crucible does that to people.

“In the end I potted the long red and gave it ‘the fist pump’. I just didn’t know what to think at the end. I didn’t where I was!”

FRAME SCORES

Jamie Jones 10-8 Shaun Murphy
76(50)-31, 21-72, 65-62, 1-77(77), 17-68(68), 92(49)-17, 42-62, 134(134)-0, 4-102(102),
0-73(73), 63-45, 0-101(101), 68(68)-7, 71-32, 136(136)-0, 84-58, 47(47)-74(46), 67-12

Tony Drago

Tony Drago has been awarded one of two European wildcards by WPBSA, which secures the next two seasons on the World Professional Tour.

A delighted Drago said “I’d like to thank WPBSA and Barry Hearn for this opportunity.

“I’m thrilled, not just for me, but also for Paul [Mount] and the whole of the On Q Team.

Drago was glued to the Jamie Jones v Shaun Murphy match, cheering on his On Q Promotions stable mate, when the news came through.

“Most of all I’m so happy for my mother. She was heartbroken when I told her I’d dropped off the tour at the end of this season.

“I would have entered the Q School to try and regain my place but I’m relieved I don’t have to.”

Drago on his way to victory

The quick fire Maltese star went on to say “Snooker in Europe is very strong now and along with Luca [Brecel], the other European wildcard, I’ll be striving to continue to promote the growth of the game.

“My only disappointment is that we haven’t got a major event in Malta at the moment.

“I hope that if I can get some good results that will help to secure an event in Malta again.

“We’ve always had good players and everyone is fanatical about snooker there. We’ve had great events there for many years.

Looking back on this season Drago commented “I didn’t feel that I was playing badly.

“I started the season defending a lot of points which was hard. In one match I lost to Cao Yupeng and people said to me ‘Who’s he?’ Now look where he is.

“It’s a hard tour and there’s no easy matches, but I’ll be back next season and I’ll be very determined.”

Depending on the snooker calendar Drago will also pursue his successful 9-ball career.

“I hope to play in the World 9 Ball again in Doha in June, but the dates clash across the final stages of the Wuxi Classic.

“That would be a great problem to have, to qualify for Wuxi, and if that happened then I’d withdraw from the Pool.”

Jamie Jones & Mark Allen

Mark Allen is back at his favourite venue ahead of the start of his first round match against Cao Yupeng on Saturday evening.

“I love the Crucible”, said the Northern Ireland star. “Yes, it’s definitely my favourite venue. I’ve had some good memories from here but the atmosphere, the fans and everything about it makes it the highlight of the year.”

Allen is accompanied by his fiance Kyla, brother Arran, his mum and dad and friend Joe Shortt, who has supported Allen since he first picked up a cue.

Allen and Crucible debutant Jamie Jones shared some memories of their early days.

“We first met in an Under 14 event when Wales came over to Belfast in 2000″, remembers Allen.

Jamie Jones and family

“We went on to play each other in the final of the 2004 European Under 19 Championship in England. Jamie won that time, but I managed to win the event the following year.”

“If I had to give Jamie one piece of advice about his first time at the Crucible it would be ‘enjoy it’.”

Jones is lapping up the Crucible atmosphere ahead of his debut on Sunday afternoon when he takes on former champion Shaun Murphy.

“I’m a bit lost at the moment”, laughed the Welshman. “It’s just amazing to be here. When I think back to when Mark and I were young juniors and now we’re both here playing.

“When I walked across people stopped and asked me for autographs and pictures. It’s strange really, I’m just a lad from Cimla.

“I’m going to spend some time today watching some of the matches and getting used to the atmosphere inside the Crucible.

“I’ve got great support here with my father here, my uncle Byran and best friend Lee.

“The Welsh fans and players have all sent their best wishes too. It’s a small country and we all know each other and there’s a few of the lads I’ve known since junior and amateur days coming up to watch.”

Joe Perry & Tatiana Vasiljeva

Joe Perry lifted the World title today, but not in the Crucible where he will be bidding for the World Professional crown, but in the World Mixed Doubles.

Perry, together with his partner Latvia’s Tatiana Vasiljeva, successfully defended the World Mixed Doubles title which they won last year.

By coincidence Vasiljeva is coached by Wayne Griffiths, son of Terry, who is Director of Coaching for the On Q Promotions players.

Their hardest match came in the Quarter Finals, when faced by former World Champion Mandy Fisher, playing with top billiards player Phil Mumford. Perry and Vasiljeva prevailed 3-2.

They went on to beat Germany’s Natascha Niermann and W. Scott 3-0 in the semi final before repeating the feat in the final against Emma Bonney and N. Ward.

Perry now moves on to the Crucible Theatre where he faces former Champion Graeme Dott in the first round.

Their first session gets underway at 2.30pm on Tuesday 24 April and the match concludes at 10.00am on Wednesday 25 April.

Jamie Jones.

Jamie Jones will crown a superb season with an appearance at The Crucible Theatre, after a brilliant 10-2 win over Ricky Walden in the final qualifying round of the Betfred World Championship.

Victory also moved Jones provisionally into the Top 32 in the World.

It will be Jones’ fourth appearance in a television venue this season, after he also appeared in the China Open, the Sky Shoot Out and the PTC Grand Finals, where he knocked out John Higgins.

Jones, aged twenty-four, is from Neath in West Wales, a hot bed of Welsh snooker and will be the first man from the town to play at the Crucible since Steve Newbury.

He becomes the seventeenth Welshman to qualify for the famous venue.

Jones won’t know who he will play until Monday afternoon, when the final draw will be made but he’d love to draw one of the ‘big names’.

“I’d be happy to draw Ronnie O’Sullivan because it would be a big occasion.

“I’m going to the Crucible with nothing to lose, I’m just going to enjoy the occasion.”

Still in shock after his stunning victory Jones added ”It hasn’t sunk in yet that I’m going to the Crucible, it’s crazy.

“I went there as a spectator about ten years ago and I was barely even watching the matches, I was just dreaming of playing there. Maybe it will sink in when the draw comes out.

Mark Davis

“To be 8-1 up today was flattering, and in between sessions I was very nervous and shaky because I knew it was mine to lose. I just wanted to get the two frames I needed.

“I had a lot of momentum coming here because I did well in the PTC Grand Finals. I beat John Higgins there which helped me a lot because it was a big crowd and I had never experienced that before.

“I felt a lot more at home in front of the crowd today, I was able to settle down and play well.

Mark Davis joins Jones and Mark Allen at the Crucible after beating fellow On Q Promotions player Rob Milkins.

But there was disappointment for Gerard Greene who was edged out by Ryan Day.

Four more On Q Promotions players are in action in the final qualifying round on Sunday: Dominic Dale, Alfie Burden, Joe Perry and Barry Hawkins are all bidding for a place in Monday’s Crucible draw.

DRAW. RESULTS & SCHEDULE

LAST 32 – CRUCIBLE – Saturday 21 – Thursday 26 April

MARK ALLEN v Qualifier – (Saturday 21 April 19.00 & Sunday 22 April 14.30)
JAMIE JONES
MARK DAVIS
DOMINIC DALE
BARRY HAWKINS
JOE PERRY

ROUND FIVE – LAST 48 – Saturday 14 – Sunday 15 April
Dominic Dale v Ben Woollaston
Jamie Jones 10-2 Ricky Walden
Mark Davis 10-5 Robert Milkins
Gerard Greene 8-10 Ryan Day
Barry Hawkins v David Morris
Alfie Burden v Peter Ebdon
Joe Perry v Jamie Burnett

ROUND FOUR – LAST 64
36 – Jamie Jones 10-9 Andy Hicks
37 – Robert Milkins 10-4 Xiao Guodong
38 – Gerard Greene 10-9 James Wattana
45 – Jimmy White 8-10 Liu Chuang
48 – Alfie Burden 10-3 Jack Lisowski

ROUND THREE – LAST 80
18 – Adam Wicheard 0-10 Anthony McGill
20 – Andy Hicks 10-3 Liam Highfield
23 – Michael White 2-10 Yu De Lu
27 – Tony Drago 7-10 Justin Astley
28 – Jimmy Robertson 9-10 David Gilbert
32 – Alfie Burden 10-5 David Grace

ROUND TWO – LAST 96
2 – Adam Wicheard 10-5 Tian Pengfei
4 – Liam Highfield 10-5 Matthew Couch
5 – Andrew Pagett 8-10 Aditya Mehta
9 – Andrew Norman 8-10 Igor Figueiredo
16 – Sam Baird 8-10 David Grace

ROUND ONE
Jamie O’Neill 5-10 Igor Figueiredo

Non-Tour Round Two
Jamie O’Neill 5-0 Stephen Ormerod

Non-Tour Round One
Jamie O’Neill 5-4 David Gray

Fu flew in from Hong Kong, along with coach Wayne Griffiths, son of Terry, to base himself at South West Snooker Academy to prepare for his match against Joe Jogia.

“I’ve been very happy here”, said Marco. The playing conditions are perfect.

Fu, Mount, Griffiths

Meanwhile Terry Griffiths was watching over Barry Hawkins’ as he had a final day’s practice against Dominic Dale.

“I’ve had a great week here”, said Hawkins, the 2012 Shoot Out Champion. As well as the tables being spot on, I’ve had top class practice partners all week.

“It’s also been a nice atmosphere here, meeting some of the international visitors and youngsters who use the South West Snooker Academy.

“We’ve had some laughs too with our manager Paul Mount and with the players and that all helps when you’re preparing for a big event.”

Despite losing 10-9 to Jamie Jones, Andy Hicks took the trouble to ring the players to assure them that they couldn’t be preparing in better conditions saying:

“I spent a solid week at the Academy practicing in preparation for the World Championship and for the first time ever I never got ‘caught out’ by the tournament table once during my matches, because the table conditions at the Academy were identical to the World Snooker match conditions.

Dominic Dale, who moved from Vienna to Stroud to base himself at South West Snooker Academy echoed Hicks’ thoughts saying “The Academy is just perfect for me.

“It’s given me a settled practice base in ideal conditions. My match preparations are better now than they’ve ever been.”

Dale went on to pay personal tribute to Paul Mount “Joining On Q Promotions as a managed player was the best thing I’ve ever done.

“Paul is one of the nicest men I’ve met and he’s totally trustworthy. Thanks to Paul and the On Q Promotions team I know that everything is taken care of for me, from travel to accounts, to entries.

“If I have had any problem, big or small, Paul has spared no effort in sorting it out for me.

“I think the 25 players with On Q must be the luckiest players on earth, it’s like being part of a big family. I can’t thank Paul enough for everything he’s done for me.”

DRAW. RESULTS & SCHEDULE
(All matches are the best of 19 frames, played over two sessions,
with 9 frames in the first session)

LAST 32 – CRUCIBLE – Saturday 21 – Thursday 26 April
MARK ALLEN v Qualifier – (Saturday 21 April 19.00 & Sunday 22 April 14.30)
JAMIE JONES
MARK DAVIS

ROUND FIVE – LAST 48 – Saturday 14 – Sunday 15 April
Dominic Dale v Ben Woollaston
Jamie Jones 10-2 Ricky Walden
Mark Davis 10-5 Robert Milkins
Gerard Greene 8-10 Ryan Day
Barry Hawkins v David Morris
Alfie Burden v Peter Ebdon
Joe Perry v Jamie Burnett

ROUND FOUR – LAST 64
36 – Jamie Jones 10-9 Andy Hicks
37 – Robert Milkins 10-4 Xiao Guodong
38 – Gerard Greene 10-9 James Wattana
45 – Jimmy White 8-10 Liu Chuang
48 – Alfie Burden 10-3 Jack Lisowski

ROUND THREE – LAST 80
18 – Adam Wicheard 0-10 Anthony McGill
20 – Andy Hicks 10-3 Liam Highfield
23 – Michael White 2-10 Yu De Lu
27 – Tony Drago 7-10 Justin Astley
28 – Jimmy Robertson 9-10 David Gilbert
32 – Alfie Burden 10-5 David Grace

ROUND TWO – LAST 96
2 – Adam Wicheard 10-5 Tian Pengfei
4 – Liam Highfield 10-5 Matthew Couch
5 – Andrew Pagett 8-10 Aditya Mehta
9 – Andrew Norman 8-10 Igor Figueiredo
16 – Sam Baird 8-10 David Grace

ROUND ONE
Jamie O’Neill 5-10 Igor Figueiredo

Non-Tour Round Two
Jamie O’Neill 5-0 Stephen Ormerod

Non-Tour Round One
Jamie O’Neill 5-4 David Gray