It is almost de rigeur for sports stars these days to make sure their family and young children get to share in their greatest moments and finals, and the BetVictor Welsh Open was no exception for Ben Woollaston, who was making his debut in a major showpiece.
Half an hour before the final against John Higgins Woollaston’s two-year-old son Edward was racing around the players’ lounge and adjacent media centre. In a great show of civic support fellow Leicester player (as well as the small matter of being world champion and world No1) Mark Selby gallantly offered to drive Edward and Ben’s mum Joy to Cardiff from home, and so was there in person to support his friend. Ben’s wife Tatiana was of course already in town having been refereeing at the tournament.
What with Willie Thorne on duty for the BBC the East Midlands city certainly could not complain about being under-represented at the Motorpoint Arena on Sunday.