Blackwell Wins Maiden Q Tour Title
England’s Simon Blackwell has defeated Mark Joyce 4-3 to win a thrilling final at the third event of this season’s WPBSA Q Tour Europe at the Grand Fafa Resort in Golem, Albania.
The title for Blackwell represents the biggest title of his career to date and will see him climb to third position in the latest Q Tour Europe rankings, as well as earn a place at this season’s professional UK Championship in November.
The 33-year-old joins Hammad Miah and Peter Lines as a Q Tour champion this season and will guarantee him a place at this season’s Q Tour Global Playoff.
A total of 104 players from 24 countries contested the event which was run alongside the 2025 European Billiards and Snooker Association (EBSA) Championships in Golem.
Blackwell made a strong start with back-to-back whitewash wins against Markus Ernicke and Anna Prisjažņuka, who had followed up on her recent EBSA European Women’s Championship success with an opening round win over Nikita Bazilevics.
A top break of 60 saw Blackwell past Billy Castle before he successfully won through a deciding frame against Luke Pinches to book his place in the final day.
Former professional Ryan Thomerson was his quarter-final opponent and he won three successive frame to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead.
The Englishman took two tight frames, however, to get over the line before downing 19-year-old Oliver Sykes 4-0 to reach the title match
Awaiting him there was compatriot and former ranking event finalist Mark Joyce, who could count the likes of Alfie Burden, Ashley Carty and Hammad Miah among the players he defeated to reach the Q Tour Europe final.
A pressure clearance of 60 saw Blackwell take the opening frame from some distance behind but it was Joyce that pulled ahead to 3-1 with help from a visit of 104.
Blackwell reduced his deficit with a break of 95 and took the next on the colours to force a decider despite Joyce getting the two snookers he required to almost steal the victory.
It seemed fitting that this back-and-forth battle would go all the way and this proved to be the case as Blackwell ultimately held himself together to secure the Q Tour Europe crown on the colours.
The WPBSA would like to thank the European Billiards and Snooker Association, which has hosted the event this week in Albania as part of its annual European Championships event.
WPBSA Q Tour Europe continues later this month with Event 4 at the Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds, England. Entry for the event is open now via WPBSA SnookerScores and will close on Wednesday 15 October at 12pm BST.