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Kenna Claims National Women’s Championship
Rebecca Kenna has defeated Jamie Hunter 4-3 in the final to win the 2022 English Women’s Snooker Championship at Frames Sports Bar in Coulsdon.
It is the first time that WWS world number four Kenna has claimed this national title; she goes one step further than her runner-up finish when this event was last held two years ago.
Several of the country’s top amateur women players travelled to the popular venue in London but it was Kenna – winner of the EPSB Women’s Open and the first EPSB English Women’s Tour event of the season last year – who emerged as champion.
The 33-year-old qualified from her round robin group in emphatic fashion – finishing top with four wins from four matches and winning all her fixtures 2-0. Qualifying with her from Group B was returning youngster Jasmine Bolsover – a finalist on the English Women’s Tour a few weeks ago – who ended in second with three wins.
There was a dramatic conclusion to Group A. Jamie Hunter, Mary Talbot-Deegan and defending champion Emma Parker all finished on three wins each, but it was Parker who missed out on qualification via countback.
Players returned the next morning for the knockout phase of the main event and the first player to book their place in the final was recent world championship semi-finalist Hunter who eliminated Bolsover 3-0.
It was a compelling clash in the other last four tie as Kenna ousted a resilient Talbot-Deegan – this season’s number one ranked player on the English Women’s Tour – 3-2, having earlier led 2-0.
A similar story played out in a gripping final. It appeared as if Kenna was cruising to victory as she built a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven frames encounter before Hunter launched a comeback, levelling up at 3-3 to force a deciding frame.
However, Kenna kept her composure, and with the help of a 32 break took the frame and added a new title to her snooker CV.
In the English Women’s Snooker Championship Challenge – who those that did not make it through the groups – Parker went home on a high as she came back from losing the opening frame, registering runs of 30 and 43 as she defeated reigning world women’s seniors champion Tessa Davidson 2-1 in the final.
Over the weekend, five different players made half-century breaks.
