David Grace gewann Sonntagabend (7. 5.) das Finale der VIENNA SNOOKER OPEN 2017 gegen Nigel Bond 5:2, und wurde somit erstmals VSO-Turniersieger. Beide Spieler nahmen sich unmittelbar nach der Partie Zeit um sich mit 15reds.at zu unterhalten.

Hier ist das Interview mit DAVID GRACE.

...VSO 2017: Turniersieger David Grace kurz nach dem Finale...
[Foto © 2017 Clemens Kunkel]

Congratulations, David. A great win but being 2:0 down and needing a snooker in the third… What were your thoughts at that moment?

"Yeah, he stole a frame of me to go 2:0, and like he needed a snooker (in the second frame) I was lucky to get a snooker (in the third). Then everything changed around. I had all the run of the ball. And I played a little bit better and managed to win."

That third frame was crucial, right?

"I think so, definitely. At 3:0, and he was cueing well at that point as well, I think he would have won it from there."

As a pro, what is your mind set coming to tournaments like the VIENNA SNOOKER OPEN?

"It’s always pre-season, so it’s like a pre-season friendly. But obviously when we get playing, it’s very serious and everybody wants to win. It’s not as important as the ranking events but you come here and build up form and try to work towards the first ranking events."

What about the playing conditions? These are the kind of tables you probably learned to play snooker on as a kid but they are different from the tables on the Main Tour.

"Yeah, but they are actually really good tables. They have all been recovered and run really nice. And no matter what table you’re on or what conditions you’re in, it’s always good to have match practice. It’s better than just practising against someone for nothing. It’s always better to get match practice."

You played Austrian talent Florian Nüßle in the quarter-finals. What do you think of him?

"He is a fantastic talent. I have seen him a couple of years ago here and he was already good then. He’s got so much better already. He’s young, he’s only 15, he’s got a very, very good chance."

Can you compare him to talents of the same age in England?

"It’s difficult to compare. All he can do is the best he can be at his level. If he does well in the European and the world junior championships he will go from strength to strength."

You are not just an artist with a snooker cue, away from the table you are a pretty good painter, portraying other snooker players.

"Yeah, I am just not getting the time to do any at the moment because I am too busy with snooker. But that is a good problem to have."

Last month you made your debut at the world championship in the Crucible. How was that for you?

"It was fantastic. A nice way to end the season and it was a real confidence booster for next season. The way the rankings work, I have a lot of money coming off my rankings next year so I am going to be struggling to stay on the tour. Every match win, every point I can get, will go towards staying on the tour in the top 64. The first qualifiers are coming up in a few weeks so it’s really nice to go in there on a winning streak."

You’ve been at the VSO many times before, I think as the defending champion you must come back again next year.

"Absolutely! I only missed it last year because I got married the week before. I tried to sell it as a ‘snooker-honeymoon’ to my wife but she wasn’t happy with it, haha."

- Eric Willemsen