Slammin Dunks bags Coalville title

A MONSTER 133 break helped Southampton’s Alex Dunkley clinch one of the country’s most prestigious amateur snooker titles.

The 19-year-old EASB Premier Junior Tour player wrapped up the year-long Coalville Under-21 monthly series, with two events to spare, at the competition’s new home, Willie Thorne’s SC, Leicester.

Coalville Under-21 champion Alex Dunkley

Players from across the UK compete in the series that has become a breeding ground for tomorrow’s professionals. Recent winners include Main Tour stars Judd Trump, Ben Woollaston, Jamie Cope and World Championship finalist Mark Selby. Former world champions Shaun Murphy and Ronnie O'Sullivan have won individual events and at least 15 other top 64 stars have cut their teeth at Coalville.

Dunkley said: “I went to Coalville to improve my tournament play. When I beat [England international] Stephen Craigie in the first final I thought it was a one-off but after winning the second as well I felt I was capable of winning the title.”

Tournament director Malcolm Thorne, brother of ex-pro and now BBC commentator Willie, said: “From a relative unknown in national terms, Alex has emerged as a name to fear in English snooker. To win four events and top the under-21 rankings in his first attempt is a unique achievement. Wherever he now plays, all players will be aware of quick-fire Dunkley."

The break, in a first-round victory over Derby’s Alex Anastasiou, beat Dunkley’s previous best of 132 scored in January this year at the EASB under-19 championship in Leeds.

Dunkley said: “I had to play the blue with the rest, but potted it, and left myself over the knuckle of the middle pocket. I rolled the pink in off the top rail and landed perfectly on the black.”

Only travelling companion Nick Jennings, who needed to win the last three finals, stood between Dunkley and a first Coalville title. But a 3-2 quarter-final defeat by Sameer Knight (Leicester) ended the 16-year-old’s hopes. Dunkley lost 2-0 to England under-16 international Kyren Wilson (Kettering) in the final.

Thorne added: “Down the years, this is probably the most renowned junior event in the land - not so sure now that Pontin’s has come to the fore. Only the current batch of players can answer that.”

Picture: Kevin Legg