Aaron Busuttil made Maltese snooker history on Thursday after becoming the first player from Malta to win a World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) Q Tour event, defeating England’s Edward Jones 4-0 in the final in Sofia, Bulgaria.
The historic victory capped an outstanding week for Busuttil, who had already claimed the European Billiards and Snooker Association (EBSA) Six Reds title at the same venue last Sunday.
Busuttil entered the second Q Tour event of the season, following the opening competition in Leeds in August, in excellent form and continued his impressive performances throughout the tournament.
Having successfully negotiated the opening three rounds, the Maltese player faced Wales’ Riley Powell in Thursday’s quarter-finals, recording a convincing 4-1 victory.
He then produced another commanding performance in the semi-finals, defeating Belgium’s Sybren Sokolowski 4-0 to secure his place in the final against 17-year-old Englishman Edward Jones.
Busuttil maintained his dominance in the title decider, completing a comprehensive 4-0 victory with frame scores of 72-42, 54-20, 76-42 and 69-21.
The triumph earned Busuttil 10,000 ranking points, moving him into second place in the European Q Tour standings behind England’s Sanderson Lam, winner of the opening event in Leeds.
His victory represents a significant step towards his ambition of joining the professional World Snooker Tour.
Introduced during the 2021/22 season, the WPBSA Q Tour provides amateur players with an opportunity to earn professional status and compete on the World Snooker Tour.
The European Q Tour series comprises seven events, concluding in Sheffield next February. The leading 16 eligible players will qualify for the Q Tour Global Play-Offs, while the player finishing top of the European rankings will earn a two-year professional tour card.
Busuttil’s latest achievement puts him in a promising position in the race for professional qualification and underlines his growing reputation on the international snooker circuit.
Should he achieve his ambition, he would follow in the footsteps of Tony Drago and Alex Borg, two players who have represented Malta with distinction on the professional snooker circuit.
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