World Seniors Snooker Championship: Ken Doherty and James Wattana make winning start

ByEurosport

Updated 09/05/2024 at 07:31 GMT

Ken Doherty and James Wattana showed off some of their class from yesteryear with victories in the first round of the World Seniors Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. 1997 Crucible winner Doherty finished with a run of 69 in a 3-1 win over Australian Tyson Crinis with Thai icon Wattana fending off Rodney Goggins to make a winning start to his title bid.

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The 1997 world champion Ken Doherty booked his place in the last eight of the World Seniors Championship with a 3-1 win over Australia's Tyson Crinis at the Crucible.

The Dubliner lost the first frame but won the next three at the Sheffield venue – edging the third frame on the black ball – before finishing with a 68 break to secure a meeting with Darren Morgan or Dechawat Poomjaeng on Friday afternoon.

He was joined in the quarter-finals by three-time ranking event winner James Wattana, who completed a 3-2 victory over Rodney Goggins after the Irishman levelled at 2-2 boosted by a 68 knock in the third frame.

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Wattana won the decider with a 55 to set up a last-eight encounter with 1986 world champion Joe Johnson or Norwich cueman Barry Pinches in the last of the quarter-finals on Friday evening.

But there was no victory for former world No. 2 Tony Knowles, who lost 3-0 to seniors world No. 1 Stuart Watson in the first round on Wednesday evening.

Four-time champion Jimmy 'Whirlwind' White begins his title defence against Andrew Norman on Thursday afternoon.

White claimed the title last year with a 5-3 victory over Alfie Burden.

World Seniors Championship results

First round

Stuart Watson 3-0 Tony Knowles
Ken Doherty 3-1 Tyson Crinis
James Wattana 3-2 Rodney Goggins
Igor Figueiredo 3-1 Tessa Davidson

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