Lines Crowned UK Seniors Champion in Hull
Peter Lines became only the second player to have claimed the two biggest titles on the World Seniors Snooker Tour after he won the 2022 WAYS UK Seniors Snooker Championship in Hull.
A winner of the World Seniors Snooker Championship in 2017, 52-year-old Lines defeated reigning world seniors champion David Lilley 4-1 in the final at the Bonus Arena. Still a main tour exponent, Lines continues his good form having reached the last 16 of the UK Professional Championship in York six weeks ago.
Lines’ journey to glory began last summer when he emerged from a tough qualifying event at the Crucible Sports Club in Reading. By the Humber this week, the experienced Yorkshireman dethroned defending champion Michael Judge 3-1 in the opening round before a 4-1 success against close friend and fellow qualifier Kuldesh Johal in the last eight.
On finals day he defeated 2018 winner Ken Doherty 4-2 to set up a title showdown with Lilley, who was aiming to be the first player to hold both the world and UK seniors trophies at the same time. Having not dropped a frame in his first two matches, Lilley came back from 3-1 down to deny Jimmy White in the other last four tie during the afternoon session.
Lilley had been impressive during the tournament and he began the final well by claiming the opening frame before a break of 60 looked to have secured him a 2-0 lead. However, in what would prove to be a massive turning point, a determined Lines clawed his way back in the frame, eventually completing a gutsy 27 clearance to pinch it on the final black.
This was a catalyst for the current world number 82 as he chalked up frames either side of the mid-session interval and then crafted a decisive counter-attacking break of 47 to win frame five on the final pink.
Lines now follows in the footsteps of White in claiming both the world and UK seniors titles.
