Prysazhnuka Wins European Women’s Championship
Anna Prysazhnuka ousted perennial winner Wendy Jans 4-3 in a thrilling final to claim the 2023 EBSA European Women’s Snooker Championship.
Organised by the European Billiards and Snooker Association (EBSA) and this year in conjunction with the Bulgarian Snooker Federation (BSF), the continental championship took place at the Perunika Hall in Albena, Bulgaria.
Latvia’s Prysazhnuka topped her group with a 100% record to qualify for the knockout rounds. In the quarter-finals she defeated compatriot Tatjana Vasiljeva 4-1 – despite Vasiljeva hitting the tournament’s highest break of 90 as she took the opening frame – and then eliminated Izabela Łącka (Poland) 4-0 in the last four.
Coming through the other side of the draw was defending champion Jans. The prolific 39-year-old Belgian was aiming to win this title for a staggering 15th time, and she reached another title match without dropping a single frame en route.
A repeat of the 2017 final which she won 5-1, Jans secured the opening frame of this latest showpiece with the help of a 53 break, although Prysazhnuka deposited the next two frames to go 2-1 up.
An effort of 52 aided Jans to level at 2-2 before frame five put her one away from retaining. However, 33-year-old Prysazhnuka forced a deciding frame which went down to the colours and was concluded when she coolly potted a pressure pink into the yellow pocket to win the title for the first time.
The images above are courtesy of the European Billiards and Snooker Association
