The Spar South African singles snooker championships will see the cream of South Africa’s players gathering at the Hellenic Hall in Port Elizabeth from Sunday.
South Africa Cue Sports marketing director Cyril Dupouy said the prestigious championships were brought to Nelson Mandela Bay to honour the centenary of the late president’s birth.
“The Nelson Mandela Bay Snooker and Billiards Association are organising the event and we are looking forward to a week of high-quality snooker,” he said.
The singles championship, which will see 64 snooker participants vying for the national title, will end on the following Saturday.
It will be followed by the 6 Reds championship from June 24-27.
Whereas snooker is played with 15 red balls, the 6 Reds format is played with six red balls and six colour balls. It will have a field of 34 players competing over the four days.
Dupouy, who is based in Port Elizabeth, said Nelson Mandela Bay star Charl Jonck would have a chance to make a name for himself.
“Charl has been making 147 breaks and he is playing like a demon,” he said.
“Because he is playing in his first national singles championship after a long break he is not seeded. But if anyone can make an impact from PE it will be Charl.”
The top 64 players in the country were invited to compete in the championship, with substitutes filling in if any of those were unable to play, said Dupouy.
“Players like Faris Kahn, Kiashen Moodley, Ricky Tregoning, Pierre Jordan and Mutalieb Allie, who was the African Masters runner-up this year, will be competing for this prestigious title.”
– African News Agency
