Evans Back on Top of the World
Reanne Evans has regained the world number-one spot in women’s snooker. A decisive victory in the South Coast Classic Saturday, February 7 took the four-time world champion from Dudley back to the top of the World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association’s rankings.
Evans defeated Ronnie O’Sullivan’s 26-year-old cousin Maria Catalano 3-0 in the final at the Q Ball Snooker Club, Eastbourne. In fact, the 23-year-old did not drop a frame in the fourth ranking event of the season.
In the semifinals, Evans missed the green on 95 to wrap up a 3-0 victory over Katie Henrick. Portsmouth’s Emma Bonney, who took the number-one spot with victory in the British Open in Newmarket in November, fired in a 77 in the second frame of a 3-1 semifinal defeat by Catalano.
Reanne Evans has regained the world number-one spot in women’s snooker as ranked by the World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association.
Evans said, “I thought I was way in front, but I’m happy to be back to number one now. It’s good to be ladies’ number one, but I want to play on the men’s [circuit]. I do need to improve, but I’m cueing OK.”
Catalano said: “She played well. I had a few chances but didn’t take them. It’s a bonus to get to the final. I haven’t been practicing much, so I suppose I should be happy with what I’ve done.”
Evans, who won the inaugural EASB Ladies’ Tour event in Leeds February 1, heads to St Petersburg, Russia, next month with Catalano for the European Team Championships.
Derby schoolgirl Hannah Jones, 12, doubled the black off the cushion in the deciding frame of the Plate final to become the youngest in WLBSA history to clinch a senior title.
WLBSA chairman Mandy Fisher said, “Hannah is the youngest person to have won anything in the WLBSA by a mile.”
Supanni Yam-Oum, a director of SR Cues Ltd based in Ashford, Kent, donated a handmade £380 cue to Evans.
Making her WLBSA debut, Yam-Oum, originally from Thailand and now living in Canterbury, started playing snooker in November aged 56.
She said she “loved” the event and added, “If you can’t play snooker, you can’t sell the cues.”
The WLBSA South Coast Classic attracted a 21-player-strong field.
It was the fourth of six WLBSA ranking events this season. Following the Connie Gough National Championship in Luton in March, Cambridge Snooker Centre hosts the World Championships in April. Evans will be bidding for a record fifth straight world title.
| Pos | Name | Town | Pts |
| 1 | Reanne Evans | Dudley, West Mids | 480 |
| 2 | Emma Bonney | Portsmouth | 460 |
| 3 | Maria Catalano | Dudley, West Mids | 450 |
| 4 | Katie Henrick | Bickley, Kent | 445 |
| 5 | June Banks | Orpington, Kent | 340 |
| 6 | Chris Sharpe | Chelmsford | 282 |
| 7 | Suzie Opacic | Brambridge, Hants | 259 |
| 8 | Jenny Poulter | Maidstone | 231 |
| 9 | Eva Palmius | Isleham, Cambs | 213 |
| 10 | Hannah Jones | Derby | 197 |
| 11 | Vicky Ashby | Hemel Hempstead | 186 |
| 12 | Martina Lumsden | Eastbourne | 184 |
| 13 | Joanne Davies | Derby | 155 |
| 14 | Marianne Williams | Smallfield, Surrey | 149 |
| 15 | Tina Owen-Sevilton | Taunton | 127 |
| 16 | Pam Wood | Newcastle | 115 |
| 17 | Gaye Jones | Melksham, Wilts | 107 |
| 18 | Maureen Logan | Wallsend, Tyne & Wear | 101 |
| 19 | Sarah Smith | Sheffield | 100 |
| 20 | Georgina Holloway | Derby | 73 |
| 21 | Charlotte Holloway | Derby | 68 |
| 22 | Jan Hughes | St Neots, Cambs | 63 |
| 23 | Malgorzata Sikorska | Poland | 50 |
| 24 | Laura Alves | Dublin | 39 |
| 25 | Michelle Marinova | Bulgaria | 38 |
| 26 | Mary Hawkes | Eaton Bray, Beds | 29 |
| 27 | Naomi Clare | Ripley, Derbys | 27 |
| 28 | Supanni Yam-Oum | Canterbury | 7 |
