Pinches Awaits Brecel in Hamm
Number one seed, Barry Pinches awaits the winner of the opening match at the fifth Euro Players Tour Championship event in Hamm, between world six reds champion, Mark Davis and Belgian teenager, Luca Brecel.
Pinches has slipped into second place on the latest PTC Order of Merit but was still on top when the draw was done.
Brecel has failed so far to deliver on the high expectations placed upon him by both the media and fellow players. He is currently ranked number 72 with his best performance being two last 32 place finishes.
Davis will be keen to see of the challenge of the youngster and improve on his current 19th position with just one more event counting towards the 24 players gaining automatic places at the Toru Finals in March.
Elsewhere in the draw, 2006 world champ faces the women’s world number one, Reanne Evans, in search of her first PTC victory.
Welshman Matthew Stevens takes on former world number three, Tony Knowles for who the PTC has allowed a return to the beloved green baize.
Stevens is currently holding 23rd spot in the standings so could do with a solid performance to ensure his place at the Tour Finals.
World champion, Neil Robertson is running out of time to book his slot, currently lying in49th place. He faces Jurgen Kesseler in the opening round and will be hoping for an extended run at the Sparkassen Arena in Hamm.
