Youngster Li Yan aims to stay on pro tour as he makes his debut in 2011-12 snooker season
The upcoming snooker season will see many new faces on the pro tour circuit including young Chinese cueist, Li Yan. Yan grabbed his maiden main tour spot after his victory in the second event of World Snooker Qualifying School (Q School) 2011 and now aims
to stay on the tour.
The first event of Q School (May 11-16) was not a good start for the youngster, as he crashed out of the event in the very first round. The Chinese faced compatriot, 28-year-old Mei Xiwen, in the first round and lost to him by 2-4. Xiwen did display some
outstanding snooker in his loss, potting superb clearances of 74, 67, 39 and 42.
However, the Q School Event two was a different story as the 18-year-old Yan made a stunning impact on his opponents and finally took the main tour ticket. The young Chinese was awarded a walkover against Gareth Coates in the first round because Coates did
not participate in the tournament.
Victories against Tony Knowles 4-0, Vinnie Calabrese 4-0 and Kyren Wilson 4-3 in the next three rounds, respectively, brought the young cueist into the quarter-final stage against the former Scottish Open champion, David Gray.
Yan trashed Gray in his quarter-final clash and earned an easy victory by the score line of 4-1 in the end. The Chinese potted in stunning knocks of 79 and 54 to put his rival on the back foot.
While speaking to the media after grabbing his debut ticket to the main tour of the 2011-12 snooker season, Yan said, “I'm very happy now, of course. I didn't play my best in this event, but I was confident. David Gray is a good player but I felt that I
could beat him.”
He added, “I will try my best and my aim will be to stay on the tour.”
The Chinese cueist will be looking forward to make the best out of the pro tour, which starts from June 20 with the commencement of the Players Tour Championships (PTC) Event one at the World Snooker Academy, in Sheffield.
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