Crucible Set for Seniors Semi-Finals
The last four line-up has now been completed at the 2019 ROKiT Phones.com World Seniors Snooker Championship as the landmark tournament reaches its climax at the Crucible Theatre on Sunday.
Leo Fernandez was the first player to book his place in the semi-finals in Sheffield after he ended the reign of defending champion Aaron Canavan with a 3-1 victory this afternoon.
It was Canavan who took a low-scoring opening frame to gain the early advantage, but from there it was all Fernandez, a run of 50 enough to see the Irishman draw level before he added the following two frames to seal victory.
Competing at the Crucible for the first time in 20 years since he played Ronnie O’Sullivan at the final world championship of the last millennium, Fernandez will next face Welshman Darren Morgan who overcame seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry to progress.
It was Hendry who made the stronger start by comfortably taking the opening frame, before 2011 winner Morgan turned the tables by taking two close frames, before he secured a 3-1 success with a break of 54.
In the bottom half of the draw the ever-popular Jimmy White emerged from a tense battle with amateur qualifier Stuart Watson as a 3-2 winner to keep his hopes of a second world seniors title alive.
A winner at the event back in 2010, the Whirlwind came back from 2-1 down to win 3-2, taking the final frame in dramatic fashion as Watson potted the final green, before seeing the cue ball come across the table and knock the black into a corner pocket, immediately drawing a concession.
Jimmy will now face Thailand’s James Wattana in the last four, after the Thai legend ended the run of Chinese amateur qualifier Chen Gang with a 3-1 victory.
The action resumes at 2pm on Sunday with the two semi-finals, prior to the championship match from 7pm.
