World Championship 2021 - 'I am going there to win' - Rebecca Kenna on clash with Brandon Sargeant

Updated 06/04/2021 at 10:57 GMT

Rebecca Kenna is one of two women granted a place in qualifying for the World Snooker Championship. The 32-year-old faces Brandon Sargeant in the first qualifying round on Tuesday night and says she goes in to the match believing she can win, not simply with gratitude for the opportunity.

Rebecca Kenna

Image credit: Eurosport

Rebecca Kenna says she is going into her World Snooker Championship qualifier with Brandon Sargeant believing that she can win.

"I have been knocking in more consistent breaks and my game is in the best shape it's been in," she told the Telegraph. "Obviously he [Sargeant] has more experience but I believe I have a chance to win the match - I am going there to win, not just to get the opportunity."

The 32-year-old made headlines two years ago when she was unable to compete at every venue of her local Crosshills & District Snooker League as two private members’ clubs had barred women from entry.

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And like the other players on the World Women's Snooker Tour, she has not yet been able to resume regular competition, as women's snooker is classified as amateur sport rather than elite.

"People say women have the same opportunity as men but generally women just wouldn’t go into a club and pick up a cue and give it a go - mainly because there are no other women," she said.

The more women we get, the more it will even up the playing numbers and then we might see more women on tour or qualify for the World Championships. Just because one woman hasn’t done it so far doesn’t mean we can’t.

"It just means the participation levels have been nowhere near enough to compete."

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