Doherty and Figueiredo to contest 2024 World Seniors Snooker Championship Final

A new name is guaranteed to be on the trophy as both players look to claim the premier prize on the World Seniors Snooker Tour for the first time. Along with the accolade and the prize money, the winner will also secure a place at the 16-player Champion of Champions in Bolton later this year.

Figueiredo qualified for this year’s main seniors draw by virtue of regaining the Pan American Seniors Championship on home soil last October. In Sheffield, so far, he has dropped just two frames in three matches; his run began with a 3-1 first round victory over Tessa Davidson before dethroning reigning four-time World Seniors Champion Jimmy White 3-0 in the quarter-finals.

In the final four, the 46-year-old took the opening frame of his tie with Tony Drago, although the Maltese star - aided by a break of 69 - levelled up by winning frame two. However, Figueiredo put together the most powerful spell of scoring in this year's tournament so far as he crafted efforts of 57, 110 and 119 in consecutive frames en route to a 4-1 success.

Dubliner Doherty is now one win away from creating snooker history by becoming the first player to have won world junior, amateur, professional and seniors championship titles.

The 54-year-old had to battle hard in his opening two matches, recovering from the loss of the opening frame in getting past Tyson Crinis 3-1 and then twice coming from behind to see off Dechawat Poomjaeng 3-2 in the last eight. Against Poomjaeng, Doherty made breaks of 51 and 70 in the final two frames.

On Saturday, Doherty had a less stressful affair as he ended the hopes of qualifier Barry Pinches 4-1. He potted a difficult final black to nip the opening frame and went on to double and treble his advantage. A determined Pinches avoided the whitewash in frame four, but his opponent crossed the line in the next.

It will be six-time professional ranking event winner Doherty's second World Seniors Championship final after losing 5-4 to White in the 2020 showpiece having led 4-0 at the mid-session interval.

In career head-to-heads, Doherty defeated Figueiredo 4-2 in their one and only meeting in a professional event back in 2010, but the two also have previous on the seniors scene with a 4-1 victory for Doherty in the 2018 UK Seniors Championship final in Hull.

The 2024 World Seniors Snooker Championship final will be over the best of nine frames and action starts from around 12:00BST/13:00CEST.

Live televised coverage is on Channel 5 for those in the United Kingdom; for those in Asia, coverage can be watched on Huya.com.