2022 World Seniors Championship

2022 World Seniors Championship
Tournament information
Dates4–8 May 2022
VenueCrucible Theatre
CitySheffield
CountryEngland
OrganisationWPBSA
FormatSeniors event
Winner's share£15,000
Highest break Jimmy White (ENG) (138)
Final
Champion Lee Walker (WAL)
Runner-up Jimmy White (ENG)
Score5–4
← 2021
2023 →

The 2022 World Seniors Championship (officially the 2022 Ways Facilities Management World Seniors Snooker Championship) was a snooker tournament that took place from 4 to 8 May 2022 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England. The event was the 13th edition of the World Seniors Championship, first held in 1991, and was organised by the World Seniors Tour,[1][2] which is open to players over 40 who are not in the top 64 of the world rankings.[3] Qualifying rounds were held from 14 to 19 December 2021 and 8 to 13 February 2022 at the Crucible Sports and Social Club in Reading. Players who had qualified for that season's cancelled Seniors Masters and Seniors Irish Masters events—Bob Chaperon, Wayne Cooper, Gary Filtness, Michael Judge, Rory McLeod, Darren Morgan, and Patrick Wallace—were invited to compete at the World Seniors Championship instead.[4] Referees for the event were Roy Gannon, Leo Scullion, Michaela Tabb, and Andy Yates.[5]

Dominic Dale was scheduled to participate, but re-entered the top 64 in the world rankings after the 2022 World Snooker Championship qualifiers, rendering him ineligible to compete. Michael Holt took Dale's place as the highest ranked eligible player.[5] Maria Catalano, who had turned 40 in February, became the first woman to reach the final stages of a seniors event.[6] She lost 0–3 to Wael Talaat in the last 24.[7] Stephen Hendry played competitively for the first time since his first-round defeat at the 2021 UK Championship, but lost 0–3 to Lee Walker in the last 16.[8] After losing 0–3 to Nigel Bond in the last 16, John Parrott announced his retirement from the seniors tour.[9] He received a standing ovation in the Crucible as he displayed the World Snooker Championship trophy, which he won in 1991.[10]

David Lilley was the defending champion, having defeated Jimmy White 5–3 in the 2021 final,[11] but he lost 3–4 to Walker in the semi-finals, despite winning the first three frames.[12] White reached a fourth consecutive final, making a 138 break in his 4–1 quarter-final win over McLeod and a 132 in his 4–0 semi-final win over Peter Lines.[13] He led 3–1 and 4–2 in the final, but Walker won the last three frames to clinch a 5–4 victory and win his first seniors title.[14][15][12] Calling the win a "career highlight", Walker said it was a "dream come true" to win a title at the Crucible.[12]

  1. ^ World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. "WPBSA SnookerScores - Ways World Seniors Championship". snookerscores.net. Snooker Scores. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  2. ^ "Watch: World Seniors Championship". bbc.co.uk/sport/live/snooker. BBC Sport. 4 May 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  3. ^ "About World Seniors". seniorssnooker.com. World Seniors Snooker. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  4. ^ "New Qualifying Dates Announced for 2022 World Seniors Championship". seniorssnooker.com. World Seniors Snooker. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  5. ^ a b "2022 Seniors World Championship Update". seniorsnooker.com. The WPBSA World Seniors Tour. 16 April 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  6. ^ Sunderland, Tom (5 May 2022). "Ronnie O'Sullivan's younger cousin to make history at World Seniors Championship". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Last 16 Confirmed At The Crucible". wst.tv. World Snooker. Archived from the original on May 6, 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Stephen Hendry dumped out of World Seniors Snooker Championship as Lee Walker secures Ken Doherty quarter-final clash". eurosport.com. Eurosport UK. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  9. ^ "John Parrott retires as Jimmy White reaches quarter-finals at World Seniors Snooker Championship". eurosport.com. Eurosport UK. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  10. ^ "Lilley Survives Williams Test". wst.tv. World Snooker. 7 May 2022. Archived from the original on May 7, 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  11. ^ "Lilley claims World Seniors title". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  12. ^ a b c "'A dream come true' – Lee Walker hits back to deny Jimmy White in World Seniors final". eurosport.com. Eurosport. 9 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  13. ^ "'Delighted with that' – Jimmy White continues impressive form to reach World Seniors Championship final". eurosport.co.uk. Eurosport UK. 8 May 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  14. ^ "Snooker results: Lee Walker beats Jimmy White in World Seniors Championship final". sportinglife.com. Sporting Life. 8 May 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  15. ^ "Walker wins World Seniors Crown". seniorssnooker.com. Seniors Snooker. 9 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.