The first ever Tier II final in the Challenge Cup saw two players both relatively new to GB9, Chris Fraser and Dave Evans, do battle for the title. This tier was designed especially for players looking to develop their games whilst playing tournament standard pool, and these two players have shown their worth in taking their games to the next level.
Scotsman Fraser opened his account in the Challenge Cup with a 9-7 victory over London’s Paul Taylor, a result that saw him face Simon Gardner in the last 16. he stepped his game up a gear in dispatching of Gardner by 9 racks to 4. This put him into a quarter final match against Devon’s Jamie Graham. The two players couldn’t be much further apart in terms of residence, but the scoreline couldn’t have been much closer on the day, Fraser winning through once again by 9 racks to 7 and pitting him against Luke Rollison in the final four. It was another 9-4 scoreline that saw Fraser past the finishing post and into his first ever major final on the GB 9 Ball Tour.
Evans opened up his campaign against namesake Dave Simmonds in the first round, himself another long time servant of the tour. Evans came out on top by 9 racks to 5 to have him face Joni Holden in the round of 16. Both players served up an excellent match, but Evans came home winner 9-7 to book a place in the quarter final. Here he faced GB9 Chairperson Andy Warden, himself in his best ever finish at a GB9 event, but the Chair was dethroned in a match that Evans won by 9 racks to 6. In the semi-finals he faced Aslam Abubaker, who must be given credit for becoming the first wheelchair player ever to make the semi-finals in any GB9 competition.
His dream run was brought to an end by Evans, however, and Evans took the match 9-5 to secure his place in what was also his maiden final.
With both players fired up for the first ever GB9 final, a close scoreline was expected. However, Fraser stepped his game up another gear to win his first title on the GB 9 Ball Tour, winning the final by 9 racks to 2.
