Sykes on the rampage in Reading
IT WAS a “productive day” for newly-qualified snooker professional Oliver Sykes in the second leg of the Joe Perry Under-21 Super Series in Reading.
The 20-year-old from Chandler’s Ford went on the rampage three days after returning from the European Championship in Spain.
Sykes won all of his 18 frames at The Crucible Sports & Social Club and made four centuries – including missing the final brown off its spot on a 147 attempt in his last-eight victory over Westley Cooper. He also chalked up ten other runs of more than 50.
And he pocketed £500 in prize money after beating Welsh international Zac Cosker 3-0 in the final of the event that was sponsored by Taom Chalk. Cosker picked up £200.
Sykes had won the first leg in Newbury in February, beating Kaylan Patel 3-1 in the final. Later that month, Patel won the English Under-21 Championship in Walsall.
O’Shay Scott and Patel also hit three figures in Reading. Channel Islander Archie Greier and Southampton-based Asten Sahota both made good runs to the last-four and collected £70 each.
Someone else (apart from Sykes) will be raising a glass to Anton Kazakov after the third and final leg at The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury, on Saturday, April 25.
Kazakov won the European Under-21 Championship in Spain and received a two-year tour card for the World Snooker Tour. He then reached the final of the main event, which meant that runner-up Sykes received the two-year tour card.
And this means the Q School place donated by Cuestars ambassador Joe Perry for the top-ranked player in the Super Series is up for grabs as Sykes is out of the running for it.
Only six points separate the next four players: Patel, Cooper, Scott and William Hurley. And there are a few below that who have a mathematical chance of earning the Q School place.
Results can be found here: https://snookerscores.net/tournament-manager/joe-perry-u21-super-series-event-2
Picture, from left: Zac Cosker, referee Phil Watson, Oliver Sykes
By Tim Dunkley and Steven Hughes