REBECCA Granger admits her recent victory over 11-time world champion Reanne Evans exceeded her ambitions.

The Keighley player gave her Eden World Ladies' Championship snooker hopes a massive boost by beating Evans in the Connie Gough Memorial Trophy.

Granger, who will be playing in the £15,000 global event which starts a week on Monday (March 13), triumphed 3-2 against the world No 1 to reach the final of the last ranking tournament before the players fly out to Singapore.

Yet she admitted she was not expecting to beat her in Dunstable, having lost her previous three matches.

She said: "My ambition in the Connie Gough was again to take a frame off Reanne.

"I had already made a reservation for my meal in the hotel but had to ditch that as I played better safety than her and out-potted her."

After winning the opening frame 52-37, Granger lost the next two 87-0, with Evans making a 60 break, and 59-17, only to win the final two 80-29, 60-33.

The former Keighley Ladies footballer said: "She seemed to be rattled and didn't say anything to me at the end.

"Some people said that she then slammed her cue down, but I didn't see that or hear it."

Granger added: "It definitely meant more to me to beat Reanne than getting to the final.

"I had played her three times before and never beaten her.

"The first time was in a group match in the Paul Hunter Classic in Germany – my first overseas tournament – where she won 3-0 on the way to reaching the final, and then we played twice in the revival of the English Ladies' Championship in Stourbridge in December (it hadn't been held since 2011).

"Reanne beat me 2-1 in our group and then 4-1 in the final but I won £400 from women's snooker sponsors LiteTask towards my travel expenses for Singapore."

Granger, whose ranking has climbed from 14 to 12 on the back of what she achieved in Kent, lost 4-2 to Maria Catalano in the Connie Gough final.

Granger had begun playing at 9.30am and was still in action at 8pm in the final against Catalano, who took the opening three frames 57-47, 58-3, 54-31.

The Yorkshire woman kept herself alive by pinching the fourth 71-70, and also took the fifth 56-14, but the West Midlander got herself over the line by winning the sixth frame 51-13 to claim the title for the sixth time.

"She played really well," said Granger, who had her accommodation in Kent paid for by Keighley Liberal Club, which is a massive help as she only won £140 in prize-money, which was virtually eaten up by her accommodation, travelling expenses and entry fee.

In the second round at Dunstable, she defeated Sharon Kaur 3-0 and, in the quarter-finals, Suzie Opacic 3-2.

Glen Pilkington has also been assisting Granger in the run-up to the World Championships by giving her free table time at Pilky's Snooker Club.