Advertisement
Canada markets open in 3 hours 6 minutes

  • S&P/TSX

    21,885.38
    +11.66 (+0.05%)
     

  • S&P 500

    5,048.42
    -23.21 (-0.46%)
     

  • DOW

    38,085.80
    -375.12 (-0.98%)
     

  • CAD/USD

    0.7324
    +0.0000 (+0.01%)
     

  • CRUDE OIL

    83.88
    +0.31 (+0.37%)
     

  • Bitcoin CAD

    87,973.78
    +1,121.80 (+1.29%)
     

  • CMC Crypto 200

    1,392.89
    -3.64 (-0.26%)
     

  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,360.20
    +17.70 (+0.76%)
     

  • RUSSELL 2000

    1,981.12
    -14.31 (-0.72%)
     

  • 10-Yr Bond

    4.7060
    +0.0540 (+1.16%)
     

  • NASDAQ futures

    17,737.75
    +170.25 (+0.97%)
     

  • VOLATILITY

    15.64
    +0.27 (+1.76%)
     

  • FTSE

    8,112.44
    +33.58 (+0.42%)
     

  • NIKKEI 225

    37,934.76
    +306.28 (+0.81%)
     

  • CAD/EUR

    0.6820
    -0.0001 (-0.01%)
     

Things look a lot brighter for Crucible-bound Jamie Jones

Mark Staniforth, PA
·2 min read

Jamie Jones capped an impressive return from a one-year suspension by booking his place at the Crucible with a 10-5 win over China’s Li Hang at the final round of the World Championship qualifiers in Sheffield.

The 33-year-old Jones admitted he was facing up to the end of his career when he fell off the tour at the end of the 2019 season following a ban for failing to report a corrupt approach, although he was cleared of match-fixing.

Jones, who reached the quarter-finals on his Crucible debut in 2012 and made two subsequent appearances prior to his ban, battled to regain his tour card via Q School last year and believes his game has benefited from the experience.

Jones said: “I had resigned myself to never playing again, but when Q School was getting closer I thought, I’m no good at anything else, so I might as well give it a go.

ADVERTISEMENT

“I thought I would take a year or two, but I got to the semi-finals of the Scottish Open, and did OK at the UK Championship, and now I’ve got to the Crucible. At the start of the year I would have taken earning a few quid and getting back on my feet.

“Starting at the bottom again, the road back just seemed so long, but I just took one step at a time. My attitude is a lot more laid-back, and I’m playing with freedom, which is something I’ve been trying to do for 15 years. I feel like I can still be a match for anyone out there.”

Last year’s surprise quarter-finalist Kurt Maflin also booked an immediate return to the Crucible as he swept to a 10-4 victory over Robert Milkins, and Matthew Selt sealed a third career appearance with a 10-3 win over Scott Donaldson.

Veteran Mark Davis recovered from a 7-2 deficit to beat Jamie Clarke 10-8 and reach the Crucible for the 12th time in his career.

The qualifying competition’s top seed, Zhou Yuelong, crashed 10-7 to Liam Highfield, but three Chinese players – Lyu Haotian, Liang Wenbo and Tian Pengfei – all made it through.