SUZIE Opacic came close to pulling off a major shock in the LITEtask UK Women’s Snooker Championship in Leeds, writes Tim Dunkley.

The 30-year-old from Ashurst lost 3-2 to world number one Ng On Yee in the last-16 of the first World Ladies Billiards and Snooker event of the season.

Opacic took the first frame quite comfortably and had a chance to clear in the next but rattled the pink.

The Hong Kong-based world champion made it 2-1 but Opacic fired in a long blue to force a scrappy decider which she lost on the yellow.

“I played well and was pleased to have got so close to beating the world No 1,” she said.

“Hopefully, next time, I can get over the line but there were some good positives to take from the weekend.”

Opacic, who is sponsored by Portland-based Billiards Boutique, had finished runner-up in her round-robin group at the Northern Snooker Centre.

She lost 3-0 to Nutcharut Wongharuthai (Thailand) but overcame Elizabeth Black (Leeds) and Heidi De Gruchy (Grimsby), both by 3-0 scorelines.

Following her defeat by Ng, the eventual tournament winner, the world number seven was beaten 3-2 by Shannon Metcalf (Leeds) in the final of the Challenge Cup, a competition for those knocked out prior to the last-eight.

Next up is the European Women’s Masters which runs from October 5-7 in Belgium, where Opacic is “hoping to avoid” Ng and former world champion Reanne Evans.

NEWS IN BRIEF

CHURCHILLS A star Adam Nash was the only one of the region’s players to qualify for the knockout in the first leg of the Cuestars Championship Tour.

Nash won all four of his round-robin matches at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, but went out 2-0 to beaten finalist James Height (Shepton Mallet) in the last-16.

Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford) and Mike Trigg (East Wellow) made group-stage exits.

Chandlers Ford Snooker Club hosts the second leg of eight on Sunday, October 14.

Debutant Oliver Sykes lost 4-0 to Yorkshire lad Callum Beresford in the first round of The Regency Pro Tips Premier Junior Tour.

The 12-year-old from Chandler’s Ford was then beaten 2-0 by Paul Deaville, the current English Under-14 Champion from Liverpool, in the first round of the Plate at the North East Derbyshire Snooker Centre, Clay Cross, near Chesterfield.

Six-year-old William Thomson took the high-break prize with a 16 in the Eastleigh & District Under-13 League.

Riccardo Drayton, 12, moved up to third place in the Open Series rankings after beating David Stewart 2-0 in the week-three final at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club.

Jamie Risk has a £71 lead over Ken Everett in the year-long £3,000 Roll-Up with just four tournaments to play.