Brazilian Snooker Skills in World Open
Igor Figueiredo became the first Brazilian to qualify for the final stages of a World Snooker ranking event with a comfortable 3-0 win against England’s David Gilbert in the World Open in Sheffield.
Figueiredo, who reached the final of the IBSF world championship last year, opened with a superb 88 break and restricted Gilbert to just 54 points in the next two frames, wrapping up victory in under an hour.
The Brazilian, who is based at the new South West Snooker Academy in Gloucester, will now take on Wales’ two-time world champion, Mark Williams when the tournament resumes in Scotland next month.
Former world number eight, Darren Morgan, rolled back the years to beat China’s Xiao Guodong in the match of the day.
The 44-year-old Welshman opened with a 98 and took a 2-1 lead with a 65 in the third.
Guodong hit back with 58 to level but the IBSF World Masters champion sealed the win in the decider with a telling 63 break to set up an intriguing match against fellow countryman, Matthew Stevens.
James Wattana was another over 40s winner as he eased past Scotland’s Craig Macgilvary by three-frames-to-nil.
Ireland’s David Morris hit the day’s only century break with a run of 101 in his 3-1 win over Gloucester’s Robert Milkins.
