Fab Four Graduate From Q School
David Grace became the first player to graduate through Barry Hearn’s new Q School and regain his place on the World Snooker Pro Tour after beating China’s Anda Zhang by four-frames-to-one in Sheffield.
Grace, who plays out of the impressive Northern Snooker Centre competed on the tour during the 2009/10 season but failed to adjust to the professional conditions and lost his place finishing in 93rd place.
He has pedigree though, twice winning the English Amateur title, in 2005 and 2008.
The new ranking system which was introduced last season should mean the big man from Leeds will have a better time on tour second time around.
Grace was joined by Robin Hull, Adam Wicheard and Andrew Norman who have all previously competed at the highest level.
Finland’s Hull won the opening frame against David Gilbert before losing three in a row to trail the Englishman 3-1. The former world under-21 champion, who once beat Steve Davis in the world championship before retiring through ill health in 2007 managed to claw his way back into the match with breaks of 48 and 56 before sealing the win with a 69 in frame seven.
Norman, who lost his card in 2010 and Wicheard, who dropped off the tour at the end of the recent world championship will be delighted to have another crack at the big boys.
Wicheard made breaks of 52, 54 and 79 to open a commanding 3-0 lead against Scotland’s Fraser Patrick.
The Scot did manage to close the gap by taking frame four but in the end it was pretty comfortable for the 25-year-old from Trowbridge.
Norman won a marathon two-and-a-half hour clash match with China’s Chen Zhe, trailing 1-0 and 2-1 before hitting the front in frame five.
The Chinese player fought back to win frame six and force a deciding frame.
Fortunately for the Bristolian, it all went his way in the last and 20-minutes later he was safely through.
Hearn’s plan was to give players a chance to regain their ‘professional’ status without being forced to take a year-out. That has certainly paid dividends for the two players who are part of the appropriately named, Gloucester-based, On Q management stable.
For Zhang, Zhe, Gilbert and Patrick it is back to square one, as they all start again round one of the second of three events tomorrow.
