Steve Donner followed up his 2022 win with another victory over the same opponent, Patrick Ashurst (receiving 14 points start). An excellent 4-1 victory saw Steve take home the £70 first prize, Patrick picking up £30 as runner-up.

Match report below, courtesy of Steve.

The 2024 Champion of Champions tournament will commence as soon as the champion of the Summer Team League singles tournament is crowned, with a view to having the 2024 Champion of Champions winner crowned before the year is out.

Match Report

Frame 1
Steve starts off with a 25 break before going in off a red. After a couple of exchanges Steve is back in with a 30 break, both players struggling with the pace of the table, Patrick concedes.

Frame 2
Steve takes a early lead and played safe, it’s nip and tuck with a few chances going missing. Four reds remaining and Steve is back in the balls only to miss an easy pink. Patrick plays a safety shot only to find the pocket with the white. Steve puts patrick in a good snooker, he misses his first attempt and a miss is called but he hits the second attempt. Both players in another safety battle and Steve gives the chance to Patrick but he only manages to make a 7 break. One red remaining and Patrick fouls again and Steve clears up to blue to win the frame and lead 2-0 in the match.

Frame 3
Steve pots a great red and snookers patrick behind the brown but he plays a good shot to escape. Patrick is back at the table and makes a break of 21 to take a 33 point lead. Steve makes a fantastic pot and snookers Patrick behind the black which has not been potted in the last two frames believe it or not. We are back into a safety battle and Steve gets the first chance only to make a 7 break. Patrick gets a red and finally the black gets potted but then he misses the next red Steve is back at the table and 27 behind he makes an 8 break and puts Patrick in a hard snooker. Patrick misses the first attempt but hits the second and puts Steve in a snooker. Safety play again and Steve is now 6 behind after a small break he then pots a tremendous pink to fall perfect on the black to take a 3-0 lead.

Frame 4
Patrick has got off to a flyer and is amongst the balls and takes a 48 point lead with a 34 break. It’s down to the colours and Steve is 27 behind with 27 on and he plays a lucky snooker and he pots the green, brown and blue to leave just 9 in the frame with 13 remaining. Steve pots the pink and it’s a black baller and Patrick makes a howler and the black falls over the middle bag. It’s a tight clip but steve misses it all together, losing the frame and it’s now 3-1.

Frame 5
Steve is left on and has 29 points on the board already. Patrick takes a pot on and misses and Steve is straight back in and makes a 24 but misses a sitter of a pink. Patrick’s turn to capitalise and he makes a 16 break. Steve pots the last red with the rest with the black and yellow and misses with 25 on and 32 in front. Patrick concedes and Steve takes the Champion of Champions trophy 4-1.

Frame Scores (Steve first)

70-29, 64-36, ?-?, 55-65, 69-31

Results from earlier rounds

Semi-Finals

1. Shane Miles (28) 1-3 Steve Donner (-28) (Feb 18)
2. Keith Holgate (-28) 0-3 Patrick Ashurst (-14) (Feb 16)

Quarter-Finals

1. Richard Amalou (7) 0-3 Steve Donner (-28) (Feb 4)
2. Keith Holgate (-28) 3-0 Andrew Diacopoulos (-28) (Jan 25)
3. Oliver Turner (-14) 1-3 Shane Miles (28) (Jan 31)
4. Wayne Martin (-28) 4-5 Patrick Ashurst (-14) (Jan 29)

Preliminary Round

1. Steve Donner (-28) 3-1 Joseph Reynolds (-28) (Dec 23)
2. Gary Spencer (-7) 1-3 Keith Holgate (-28) (Jan 17)
3. Andrew Diacopoulos (-28) 3-0 Nav Hussain (-28) (Jan 14)
4. Jacob Reynolds (14) 1-3 Richard Amalou (7) (Dec 28)
5. Oliver Turner (-14) 3-1 Richard Sutton (21) (Dec 22)

Steve Butler
Nottingham Snooker Tournament Director