Historic Crucible bid is at an end

REANNE Evans’ bid to become the first female competitor in the World Snooker Championship is over for this year.

Evans, the No 1 woman player in the world, was two wins away from a place at The Crucible after defeating Robin Hull 10-8.

However, a 10-6 loss to Lee Walker at Sheffield’s Ponds Forge means she will not be making history in 2017.

The 31-year-old, who has won the women’s World Championship a record 11 times, trailed 6-2 overnight and was unable to produce a stirring comeback.

The match finally concluded at the end of the evening session, having been taken off the table early at 9-4 in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, 1997 champion Ken Doherty lost 10-4 to Ben Woollaston, ending his qualification hopes and meaning, more significantly, that he follows another fans’ favourite in Jimmy White in losing his tour card for next season.

Dechawat Poomjaeng’s 10-4 defeat to 2006 world champion Graeme Dott also saw the Thai player relegated from the tour.

Meanwhile, Ronnie O’Sullivan has been told to “grow up” by World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn as he prepares to head to the Crucible.

The five-time world champion has staged a two-month protest against what he feels is unfair treatment by the sport’s authorities.

It has seen him deliberately and repeatedly give one-word answers to questions he has faced after matches, while in an ITV interview at the World Grand Prix in February, he gave a series of responses in a robotic voice.

Hearn said: “I’m going to be having a word.

“I’m a fan of the relationship between the players and the press.

“It’s time for Ronnie to grow up a little bit now.”