Gray pockets the UK Open

Top local pool player Mark Gray has just won the biggest event on the English calendar.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Sep 2018, 09:35 BST
Updated 13th Sep 2018, 09:38 BST
Mark Gray in Mosconi Cup action.Mark Gray in Mosconi Cup action.
Mark Gray in Mosconi Cup action.

The 45 year-old Bourne Snooker Club professional stormed to victory in the UK Open at the Radisson Park Hotel in Telford to collect a winner’s cheque for £2,000.

It was also a GB9 Ball Tour event for which Mosconi Cup points were up for grabs but it’s highly unlikely Gray will make the Europe team to face the USA this year.

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He explained: “The Mosconi Cup points don’t really make too much odds to me as I have not chased the Mosconi dream this year. I have missed a lot of events - the main reason being my dad passed away last year and I lost motivation for playing. So this win is dedicated to him as he always loved following my results.”

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Gray had to play seven matches to win the title. He beat Poland’s Wojtek Szewczyk, a Mosconi Cup prospect, 11-9 in the final and nobody got anywhere near him in earlier rounds.

His results were:

Round 1: won 9-3 v Shane Ohara (Bristol and a former winner on Gb Tour)

Round 2: won 9-6 v Benji Buckley (Sheffield)

Round 3: won 9-5 v Michael Beeston (Crewe)

Last 16: won 9-2 Benji Buckley.

Last 8: won 9-2 v Stewart Colclough (Manchester)

Semis: won 9-3 Lee Creighton (Scotland)

Final: won 11-9 Wojtek Szewczyk (Poland).

Gray has moved back upto number one in the GB9 rankings but a lack of events on the Euro Tour has seen him drop to number 28 in Europe.

Related topics:EuropePoland