Raj Hundal has become the latest qualifier for the 2004 World Pool Championship after winning the Riley's Victoria open qualifying event in London over the last weekend in May.
Hundal's year is going from strength to strength after his maiden UK Pro 9-ball Tour event win in Bristol in March and he defeated Kevin Huw 11-5 in the final to secure his seat on the plane to Taiwan.
Roaring in to a 9-2 lead, Hundal made sure of his first appearance at the World Championship in three years despite a late rally from Huw which gave the scoreline a more respectable look.
"I feel happy - I feel like I've done myself some justice, because I haven't played in the World Championships for three years, Hundal said. "I kind of feel I deserve to be there.
"I played well. I beat Anthony Ginn 10-3 and then I beat Kevin 11-5 in the end. That's a good scoreline for me. I'm just happy with my performance."
Huw had earlier beaten Hundal in the double-elimination format event, whilst Ginn knocked out favourite Steve Knight at the quarter-final stage.
But Hundal held his nerve to join fellow qualifiers Sascha Trautmann (Weert Qualifier), Pat Holtz (Scottish Qualifier) and James Kay (UK Pro 9-ball Tour Qualifer) in the main draw.
Results from Riley's Victoria Open Qualifier:
Last 16
So Shahriari 9:1 Richard Jones
D avid Walsh 9:7 Andy Bucknell
Kevin Huw 9:3 Nigel Joshi
Steve Knight 9:4 Simon Widlo
Raj Hundal 9:6 Matt Hyden
Paul Williams 9:7 David Larsson
Anthony Ginn 9:7 Kevin Uzzell
Lee Chenman 9:4 Martin Correia
Last 8
David Walsh 10:7 So Shahriari
Kevin Huw 10:6 Steve Knight
Raj Hundal 10:8 Paul Williams
Anthony Ginn 10:7 Lee Chenman
Semi-Finals
Kevin Huw 10:3 David Walsh
Raj Hundal 10:3 Anthony Ginn
Final
Raj Hundal 11 : 5 Kevin Huw
REMAINING QUALIFYING EVENTS:
June 5: Pro 9 Ball Tour Masters Qualifier: Mickey Flynn's, Cambridge, England. (1 Spot)
June 11-13: Open Qualifier: Corner Billiards, New York, USA. (1 Spot)
June 18-20: Nigerian National Qualifier - Final stages: Lagos, Nigeria. (1 Spot)
(Organised with APC Nigeria)
July 4-9: Open Qualifiers: Taipei. (10 Spots).
