Welsh Open 2019: Tournament Preview
The 2019/20 360Fizz World Disability Billiards and Snooker (WDBS) season continues this weekend with the all-groups Welsh Open event from Redz Snooker Club in Cwmbran.
Previously staged in 2017 and 2018, the Welsh Open adopts a different format to regular WDBS events with players from all eight disability classification groups drawn in a single mixed tournament. Add the fact that matches will be played under the 6-Red format of the game and impressive field of 54 players, we are set for an unpredictable weekend in Cwmbran
Despite that, the last two years have seen the tournament captured by regular winners on the WDBS circuit, firstly our now nine-time champion Daniel Blunn, before wheelchair king Daniel Lee picked up the baton last year in a remarkable tournament which saw seven of the eight classification groups represented at the quarter-final stage.
Open Day
Before the competitive action gets underway at the weekend, on Friday we host our latest Open Day where people with any disabilities are encouraged to come and try snooker. With a mixture of coaching drills and fun games on offer to suit individual needs at the WDBS Coaching Zone, we look forward to welcoming both individuals and groups to the day.
Main competition
The main tournament gets underway from 10:00am on Saturday morning with 54 players competing across 11 groups, the top two from each progressing to the knockout rounds.
As ever, it is a strong field with no fewer than 15 former main event champions set to battle it out to succeed Daniel Lee as champion. Among those who will be favoured to do so will of course include Daniel Blunn, winner of the event in 2017, as well as Group 7 king Nick Neale who has exited at the quarter-finals stage of this event during each of the past two years, but is otherwise undefeated on the Tour since May 2017.
Another serial winner looking to claim his first all-groups title will be Shabir Ahmed, who recently made a break of 114 during a practice match, while last year’s runner-up Aslam Abubaker will be looking to go one better, having already made a winning start to the season by claiming victory in Hull at last month’s Humber Classic.
As well as former champions the event will also welcome several other familiar faces, who will be joined by four players who will be competing at a WDBS event for the first time.
Throughout the three-day event you can view images and keep up-to-date with all the stories via our social media channels. For live scores, results, upcoming matches and latest standings please visit the World Disability Snooker and Billiards profile page on snookerscores.net.
