Reanne Evans was amongst those to get a pair of wins on the opening day of the inaugural season of the new Challenge Tour at the Meadowside Leisure Centre in Burton.The multiple Ladies World Snooker Champion overcame Heather Clare with a comfortable 3-0 success in round one before seeing off the challenge of Chae Ross in a deciding frame with a 3-2 victory in her second-round encounter.

The much-anticipated Challenge Tour attracted just 59 players from a maximum of 64 for the first event this weekend as it is being held so close to the end of the three-week long Q School events. Many players who came close to earning a full card at Q School have opted to miss the event, mentally and physically drained after coming so close but missing out on their dream, and it is not the strongest of line-ups in Staffordshire. That may well change as the season progresses and the competition gets more recognition, with a total of ten Challenge Tour events scheduled throughout the course of the season ahead.

Amongst the other second-round winners were Jackson Page, who defeated Jamie O’Neill 3-1, and David Grace, who got the better of Adam Edge by the same scoreline.Play continues on Sunday as the battle for the carrot of two Main Tour places available for the top two players on the Challenge Tour this season gets underway in Burton.