Glory in Golem saw the 43-year-old Englishman successfully defend his title and earn a return to the iconic Crucible Theatre for the 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship.

A field of 78 players embarked on the Grand Blue Fafa Resort for the individual Seniors event, organised by the European Billiards & Snooker Association (EBSA), and Steadman made a strong start to his title defence with a clean sweep of victories over Shane Gorman, Olivier Pechenart and Olsi Hysa.

The Englishman, who faced Ronnie O’Sullivan at the Crucible Theatre during his professional career, then overcame Marcin Nitschke (4-1), Kevin Hanssens (4-2) and Gary Thomson (4-2) to set up a semi-final meeting with Wales’ Philip Williams.

Steadman started strongly with visits of 63 and 65, but Williams hit back to restore parity at 2-2 with a break of 60.

Two scrappier frames followed but it was the Englishman who was able to take them and join fellow countryman Joyce in the title match.

Joyce had beaten former world number eight Darren Morgan in the semi-finals and showed excellent scoring form in the final as he made breaks of 110 and 117.

It was Steadman, however, who took home the title after taking the opener with a break of 83 and then never falling behind as he went on to secure a 5-3 victory.

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The Englishman will face former champion Aaron Canavan in the quarter-finals after he overcame Andrew Norman 4-2 in the concluding match of the opening day, while recent former professionals Joe Perry and Dominic Dale set up a mouthwatering last eight clash with respective 4-2 wins against Brazil’s Fabio Anderson Luersen and England’s Craig Steadman.

A total of 16 players from nine countries embarked on the sport’s most iconic venue for the latest edition of the World Seniors Snooker Championship and the opening day, which came less than 48 hours after Zhao Xintong lifted snooker’s biggest prize at the same venue.

The big story of the day saw an emotional Townsend end the hopes of defending champion Figueiredo at the first hurdle in dramatic fashion, taking both the first and last frames on the final black to get over the line a 4-2 victor.

Post-match, Townsend said: “I’m on cloud nine. It’s not fully sunk in but I’ve calmed down a little bit now. It doesn’t come better than this – I was playing the world champion and I’ve knocked him out! There’s no reason why I can’t be the world champion and there is nobody here I can’t beat.”

He will face 2018 World Seniors Snooker champion Canavan in the last eight after he downed fellow qualifier Norman to reach the quarter-finals.

The current World Seniors Snooker world number one lost the opener but hit back with a break of 89 and from there, he never looked back as he took the next three frames to get over line and set up a meeting with Townsend.

“I felt well today, I’ve been practicing hard for the past three or four weeks so I’m very happy with the shape of my game. I’ve been lucky enough to play here a few times so it is getting more familiar which, in turn, means you don’t put so much pressure on yourself. If you enjoy it then the chances are that you will play better.” Canavan reflected after the match.

Earlier in the day, seniors snooker debutants Perry and Dale made the perfect start to life after retirement from the professional ranks by each reaching the last eight during the event’s opening session.

In the opening match of the day, Perry and Pan-American Seniors champion Luersen put on a stunning display as ‘The Gentleman’ hit breaks of 76, 76 and 94 while his Brazilian opponent countered with a 74 of his own to put the scoreline at 3-1.

Luersen narrowed the deficit to one by taking frame five but it was too little too late as a confident Perry got over the line in the next to set up a enthralling quarter-final clash with Dale.

Perry said: “I really enjoyed it. I was a little bit nervous which I was pleased about, I didn’t want to be flat and not care. If I score like that when I get my chances then it’s going to be a good game for someone to beat me.”

Fellow recently-retired former professional Dale secured a 4-2 victory over European Seniors champion Steadman to become the second player into the last eight.

The match got off to a scrappy start but Dale was able to take the first two frames before Steadman hit back to restore parity. ‘The Spaceman’ had scored just five points in the previous two frames but was able to step up a gear with contributions of 40 and 107 to book his place in the last eight.

“I’m really pleased with my response from 2-2. To win a tournament at the Crucible would be fantastic – it’s a special place to play!” Dale said after the match.

The first round concludes tomorrow from 12:00 BST with Jimmy White, Ken Doherty, Tony Drago and Tony Knowles in action live on Channel 5 and 5Action.

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The 42-year-old Englishman came through a strong field to secure the prestigious continental crown for the first time in his career. The success means Steadman will return to snooker’s most iconic venue in May 2025, ten years on from facing Ronnie O’Sullivan there in the first round of the 2015 World Championship.

The tournament was staged as part of the European Billiards & Snooker Association (EBSA) European Championships at the Vidamar Resort in Albufeira, Portugal and saw 77 cueists from 19 countries competing for glory.

Steadman, who compiled a top break of 113 during the six day event, stormed through his initial group phase with a clean sweep of victories while dropping just a single frame against opposition from Finland, Netherlands, Malta and Poland.

A whitewash win over Malta’s Frans Mintoff in the last 32 then saw the eventual champion set up a meeting with fellow countryman and former World Seniors Snooker (WSS) world number one Stuart Watson.

Steadman stormed into a 3-0 lead to move one away from victory in the last 16 contest, but Watson rallied to force a decider with breaks of 62, 44 and 70.

The former ranking event semi-finalist was ultimately able to get over the line, however, before overcoming Northern Ireland’s Declan Lavery 4-1 to reach the final day.

The semi-finals featured three Englishman and Steadman faced Lee Stephens, his fellow countryman and teammate in the European Seniors Team event, in the last four – coming away a 4-1 victor to reach the title match.

Wayne Brown was his opponent in the final after he had defeated James Darcy, Sean Gray, Peter Bullen and Brendan O’Donoghue in the knockout stages.

A high quality final saw at least a half-century compiled in each of the first six frames, with Brown scoring the tournament’s high break of 124 in the second, as the two players went blow for blow at 3-3 in a race to five.

Brown moved one away from victory by taking the seventh but, fittingly, the contest would be settled by a decider after Steadman won the eighth with help from a contribution of 40.

A 49 break in the decider was then enough for Steadman to complete the victory and book his place in the flagship event of World Seniors Snooker.

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• Official Two-Year Ranking List
• Race to the Crucible Ranking List
• Super Seniors Ranking List
• Rankings FAQ

The top two players on the official WSS ranking list, as well as the top two on the ‘Race to the Crucible’ one-year list will earn their places in the World Seniors Championship, and they will be joined by the winner of a ‘Top 16 Shootout’ event – where players ranked between third and tenth on each list will compete for the final place.

One point is awarded for each frame won at an event and, should the same players sit in the top two of both rankings lists, then the official world rankings would take priority.

Watson Returns to World Number One

Stuart Watson returns to world number one on the official two-year WSS ranking list after a run to the last 16 in Reading at the weekend.

The 2024 World Seniors Championship quarter-finalist overtakes Craig Steadman, who did not compete in the first event of the new Race to the Crucible series, and opens up a 15 point gap at the top.

Steadman, in second place, remains in the automatic qualification places but is now level on points with Nigel Howe who reached the quarter-finals this weekend.

Event one finalists Wayne Townsend and Alfie Burden climb to fourth and fifth position in the two-year ranking list as a result of their runs to the final – while Gerard Greene, Peter Lines, Philip Williams, Gary Filtness and Matt Ford make up the top ten at this early stage.

Burden Takes Early Lead

Alfie Burden made the perfect start to the Race to the Crucible series with a 4-3 victory in the final of event one against Wayne Townsend.

As a result, Burden picked up the maximum available 24 ranking points and sits at the top of the Race to the Crucible ranking list after the first of nine events staged.

Losing out in a deciding frame of the final means Townsend sits just a single point behind Burden, while semi-finalists Aaron Canavan and Dharminder Lilly lead the chasing pack in third and fourth position respectively.

Filtness Leads Super Seniors

Gary Filtness remains on top of the Super Seniors ranking list as a result of picking up two titles from four events last season.

The gap has been closed to just three points by John Hunter, however, as Filtness did not compete in the Super Seniors event over the weekend which saw Hunter defeat Mukesh Parmar 2-0 in the final.

A run to the final sees Parmar climb to sixth place, behind David Brock, Keith Thomas and Tony Corrigan.

Event 2 of the Race to the Crucible series take place on 27-29 September and entry remains open via WPBSA SnookerScores.

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• View full results from the Golden Ticket Qualifier here

A new concept to the World Seniors Snooker Tour, the invitational Golden Ticket event was open to the top performing players from this season’s rankings following a plethora of qualifying competitions. 

Former professional Williams – who also qualified for Sheffield in 2021 and 2022 – is set for three appearances in a row after emerging from the 17-player field at the Crucible Sports and Social Club in Reading this past weekend.

The 55-year-old defeated Dean Sycamore 4-1 and then Gary Filtness 4-0 (73 break) in the last 16 and eight respectively to advance to Sunday’s final four. He then dispatched recent English Seniors Snooker Championship winner Lee Stephens 4-1 in the semi-finals. 

Coming through the other side of the draw was Steadman, who dropped just one frame as he eliminated Neil Craycraft (4-0), Rory McLeod (4-0) and Stuart Watson (4-1) en route. 

However, Williams caused somewhat of an upset in the title match, registering a 79 break to win the opening frame before claiming the final three consecutively for victory. 

The Welshman can now look forward to another trip to snooker’s most iconic venue, and a date with three-time world seniors champion Jimmy White in the opening round during the evening session of Friday 5th May. 

Tickets to the 2023 LLP Solicitors World Seniors Snooker Championship can be purchased via the Sheffield Theatres website. You can view the draw and schedule here. 

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