Reanne Evans: Exposure is key to driving female participation in snooker
Last Updated: 06/04/15 7:14pm
Reanne Evans insists her World Championship bid is ‘do or die’ for women trying to break into snooker.
The 10-time women’s world title winner faces 1997 Crucible champion Ken Doherty as her bid to qualify for the main draw gets underway at Pond’s Forge on Thursday.
And the 29-year-old from Dudley hopes the publicity surrounding her attempt to reach the tournament proper can lay the foundations for other talented female snooker players to break through.
“As much as it's brilliant, you get the added pressure. I'm do or die for the ladies. You have to accept it, that's the way it is," she said.
"I hope it all goes in the right direction. It's going to take time and I'm getting old now, all the wrinkles are showing.
"If I don't get to play (in the main draw), I hope (my attempt to qualify will inspire) the young girls because they need to see a future in the game.
"We don't need every match on TV but it's just to show ladies are playing snooker and it might invite more players in.
"When I first started playing I didn't even know there was a ladies tour. If I didn't know, and I was into it, how are other people going to find out?
"We just need it public and to make sure there are lady players out there."
As much as it's brilliant, you get the added pressure. I'm do or die for the ladies. You have to accept it, that's the way it is.
Reanne Evans
World No 32 Doherty is the first obstacle that lies in Evans' way - she will need to win two more matches to qualify for the Crucible showpiece if she successfully gets past the six-time ranking tournament winner.
"Everybody wants to dream and sometimes they come true,” Evans said. “It's going to be such a tough ask, to win one is hard but to win three is going to be mega-tough.
"There are that many good players out there even down the rankings - look at Ben Woollaston, who would have thought he'd have got to the Welsh Open final? But you never know if you don't try.
"When I'm on the table it's about me and my game then."
