Wilkes Wins Seniors Tour Title in Manchester

Shaun Wilkes defeated Lee Stephens 4-2 in the final of the third English Seniors Tour event of the season at Club 200 in Manchester.

• Results

The success marks Wilkes’ first title on the English Seniors Tour since January 2020 as he embarked a run that also included notable victories over former professionals Simon Bedford and Craig Steadman en route to the title.

A total of 52 cuesists competed in the two-day event at Club 200 and the opening day featured high quality scoring as Stephens compiled a break of 131, the highest of the weekend, in his last 32 stage victory over Andy Yates before Steadman hit a stunning 130 in the following round.

The recently crowned European Seniors champion Steadman would hit further back-t0-back centuries at the start of the final day as he offered a stunning display that also included visits of 70 and 72 to whitewash Andrew Greaves in the quarter-finals.

Steadman’s stunning display saw him set up a semi-final meeting with the 49-year-old Wilkes.

Wilkes had come through two deciding frames on the opening day as he defeated Gary Milne, Adam Longley and Simon Bedford to reach the last eight, where he then comfortably beat Wayne Martin 4-1.

Steadman, who finished last season as the top ranked player on the English Seniors Tour, raced into a 2-0 and 3-1 lead but Wilkes impressively held his nerve to win three consecutive frames and book his place in a first final on the tour in three years.

His opponent in the title match was Stephens, who had recently been crowned as European Seniors Team champion alongside Steadman, and had overcome Wayne Brown and John Welsh on the concluding day of action in Manchester.

Stephens hit breaks of 37 and 50 to move into a 2-1 lead but, from there, it was one-way traffic as Wilkes compiled visits of 50, 75 and 40 to get over the line and secure the second English Seniors Tour title of his career.

The fourth event of the English Seniors Tour takes place on 7-8 December at the Landywood Snooker Club in Walsall. Enter now.