BRAZIL is understood for its high footballing icons of previous and current – with the likes of Pele and Ronaldinho.
Nonetheless, one such unlikely sporting star from Brazil, wowed the Crucible crowd over the weekend at snooker as Igor Figueiredo took to the stage on the UK’s iconic snooker venue.
The 46-year-old from Rio defeated the Irishman Ken Doherty 5 – 2 to scoop a maiden World title and to place Brazil firmly on the snooker map for that nation.
He had met Doherty earlier than within the UK Seniors Championship however misplaced out to Doherty.
The Brazilian has been knowledgeable on the principle tour on three separate events.
In commentary, the likes of John Virgo and co mentioned that Igor was taking part in higher than ever regardless of being relegated from the principle skilled tour.
1997 World Champion Ken Doherty was keen so as to add to his illustrious beginner {and professional} profession by scooping the World Seniors title – alongside together with his World Skilled title and his World Junior and World Beginner titles.
Doherty began off the match in spectacular type but it surely was Figueiredo who was the stronger of the 2 gamers within the best-of-9-frames thriller.
The World Seniors noticed some nice matches total, with Jimmy White as one of many favourites anticipated to carry the trophy over the 4 days. White managed to scrape by means of his first spherical with Andrew Norman.
There was the humour and charisma of Thailand’s Dechawat Poomjaeng, and Tessa Davidson turned the primary girl to win a body on the Seniors occasion and placed on an excellent efficiency for the World Ladies’s Snooker tour showcasing the snookering expertise on provide on the tour.
The World Seniors Tour offers quite a lot of gamers the chance to play competitively with these daring to dream of taking part in at iconic venues akin to The Crucible or at different essential venues throughout the UK and past.
Andrew Norman, an English Beginner Finalist twice who made his debut on the Crucible, wrote on Fb after his slim loss to Jimmy White within the first spherical…
“My first ever probability to expertise taking part in at The Crucible and what a day it was.”
“Strolling out of the well-known tunnel and waving to the group was an absolute pleasure and taking part in within the enviornment felt unusually very and cozy if a bit of nervy however I dealt with it effectively although I admit my coronary heart was pounding and my grip hand was clammy to say the least.”
He added: “Being my first time, I by no means knew how I might play underneath the situations and the TV highlight however I anticipated a couple of misses and rash photographs alongside the best way.
Figueredo’s win comes on the again of an excellent win for Kyren Wilson, and the 2 gamers are an excellent advert for the game as it’s a break from the norm of the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan et al frequently profitable.
Wilson has cemented his title as one of many main figures within the sport now having scooped a World title.
STAT FROM PROFESSIONAL SPORT…
Within the fourth quarter of 2023, there have been estimated to be round 11,000 skilled sports activities gamers in the UK, in contrast with 12,300 within the earlier quarter, in keeping with Statista.
Effectively performed to everybody who competed at The Crucible this yr and good luck to these competing in QSchool this yr.
