Vintage Knowles enjoys winning start in bid to create history at Q School

Former world No. 2 Tony Knowles made a winning start in his quest to become the oldest player in history to qualify for the main professional circuit.

The evergreen Bolton favourite, 68, avenged a 4-3 defeat to Jack Borwick in event one of Q School in Leicester last week by completing a 4-3 win over the 17-year-old Scottish player in the first round of event two on Monday.

“I should have won 4-3 last week, but unfortunately I missed an easy pink,” said Knowles, who admitted he struggled with the pace of the match table after claiming the final three frames.

“I could do with a series of wins to improve as I’m not scoring enough when I get in. That’s all to do with not knowing where the white is going to end up.

“I like playing snooker and matches, and the conditions here are the same as you have on tour.

“Mentally, it is about trying to get out of the habit of playing the shots you used to play on the older tables.”

Knowles would love to create history by returing to the main circuit 41 years after lifting his second ranking title in 1983.

“That’s the only reason I’m here,” added Knowles, who meets Martyn Taylor in the second round on Tuesday morning. “To try to do that.”

He needs to win six matches at the city’s Mattioli Arena with the best-of-seven frame encounters running until Saturday.

Knowles reached the last 32 of Q School in 2021 before losing 4-2 to Mark Lloyd.

Meanwhile, 13-year-old Hong Kong hopeful Shaun Liu secured a 4-2 win over Yu Kiu Chang.