The Blackpool Newton Hall ace is now a double world champion following his Pairs success with Jamie Chestney earlier in the week, as well as being £55,000 richer after collecting the biggest prize of his career. He also takes home the coveted Langham Glass trophy and admitted he was “over the moon” with his success.
“It’s the high point point of my career by an absolute mile,” said the 35-year-old. “For me as an indoor player only, this is the pinnacle, as good as you can get indoors. I have won the National singles and British Isles, but ultimately this is a world title and they don’t get any bigger than that.
“I thought winning the Pairs less than a week ago was my greatest achievement and I have managed to pass it within the space of a week. Two world titles from a man who was here for three days last year. I genuinely cannot believe it.”
After a razzmatazz build-up, which featured a sparkling song and dance show from the Potters’ ensemble, along with a Les Miserables ditty from former EastEnders star Shaun Williamson, both players started well and there was nothing to separate the two by the midway stage of the first set.
Dawes always looked in control, but he could never quite shake Paxton off, with his Taunton-based opponent actually moving ahead on end eight, but the Lancastrian responded with a double on the last end to clinch the first set.
The next set went to and fro, but with two ends to play Dawes held a one-shot lead and Paxton pulled out some big drives in order to turn the deficit into a two-shot win to trigger the three-end lottery.
Paxton, who was being troubled by a knee problem, limped off for a rest break and the couple of minutes of respite seemed to re-focus Dawes on the job in hand and he delivered some pressure bowls to take the first end and he lay shot on the second end.
Again, Paxton fired, took the red bowl out, but Dawes responded in kind and his opponent, who seemed to be put off midway through his final bowl by a coughing member of the audience, was then off target to hand victory to the 12th seed.
“I definitely felt on top without ever being in control, more in the first set than the second, but Robert would just get one bowl in there, which was a little frustrating,” added Dawes. “But fortunately I won the first set and it gave me the confidence in the second set, although I didn’t feel I played as well in the second.
“But in the tie-break, if I were to play two tie-break ends those were the ones I would have played. I put him under the pressure all the time and even when he hit me off on the final end, I put another one close to put the pressure back on.”
In the immediate aftermath when interviewed by BBC anchorman Rishi Persad, Paxton criticised some sections of the crowd for making too much noise and reaffirmed that view in the press room afterwards.
“Unfortunately there was a section of the crowd out there who were non-stop coughing, chatting and moving throughout the game,” complained Paxton. “It didn’t just happen to me, it happened to Mark as well in the first set. On the final end, halfway through my delivery there was a complete fake cough, but take nothing away from Mark he deserved to win the game and the whole thing without a shadow of a doubt.
“The best bit is, as I was about to come up the stairs afterwards, a man who coughed, as well as putting me off earlier in the match, apologised and asked me for a signed shirt!
“But it’s been a great tournament. I have scraped through some games and played well against Wayne Willgress, but unfortunately I didn’t find my first two bowls against Mark and he was excellent. He didn’t just out bowl me, he pulled my trousers down and ran round the green with them. He’s a worthy champion.”
Mark Dawes is the 2018 World Indoor Singles champion after beating Robert Paxton in an intriguing final at Potters, winning 8-7 6-8 2-0.
The Blackpool Newton Hall ace is now a double world champion following his Pairs success with Jamie Chestney earlier in the week, as well as being £55,000 richer after collecting the biggest prize of his career. He also takes home the coveted Langham Glass trophy and admitted he was “over the moon” with his success.
“It’s the high point point of my career by an absolute mile,” said the 35-year-old. “For me as an indoor player only, this is the pinnacle, as good as you can get indoors. I have won the National singles and British Isles, but ultimately this is a world title and they don’t get any bigger than that.
“I thought winning the Pairs less than a week ago was my greatest achievement and I have managed to pass it within the space of a week. Two world titles from a man who was here for three days last year. I genuinely cannot believe it.”
After a razzmatazz build-up, which featured a sparkling song and dance show from the Potters’ ensemble, along with a Les Miserables ditty from former EastEnders star Shaun Williamson, both players started well and there was nothing to separate the two by the midway stage of the first set.
Dawes always looked in control, but he could never quite shake Paxton off, with his Taunton-based opponent actually moving ahead on end eight, but the Lancastrian responded with a double on the last end to clinch the first set.
The next set went to and fro, but with two ends to play Dawes held a one-shot lead and Paxton pulled out some big drives in order to turn the deficit into a two-shot win to trigger the three-end lottery.
Paxton, who was being troubled by a knee problem, limped off for a rest break and the couple of minutes of respite seemed to re-focus Dawes on the job in hand and he delivered some pressure bowls to take the first end and he lay shot on the second end.
Again, Paxton fired, took the red bowl out, but Dawes responded in kind and his opponent, who seemed to be put off midway through his final bowl by a coughing member of the audience, was then off target to hand victory to the 12th seed.
“I definitely felt on top without ever being in control, more in the first set than the second, but Robert would just get one bowl in there, which was a little frustrating,” added Dawes. “But fortunately I won the first set and it gave me the confidence in the second set, although I didn’t feel I played as well in the second.
“But in the tie-break, if I were to play two tie-break ends those were the ones I would have played. I put him under the pressure all the time and even when he hit me off on the final end, I put another one close to put the pressure back on.”
In the immediate aftermath when interviewed by BBC anchorman Rishi Persad, Paxton criticised some sections of the crowd for making too much noise and reaffirmed that view in the press room afterwards.
“Unfortunately there was a section of the crowd out there who were non-stop coughing, chatting and moving throughout the game,” complained Paxton. “It didn’t just happen to me, it happened to Mark as well in the first set. On the final end, halfway through my delivery there was a complete fake cough, but take nothing away from Mark he deserved to win the game and the whole thing without a shadow of a doubt.
“The best bit is, as I was about to come up the stairs afterwards, a man who coughed, as well as putting me off earlier in the match, apologised and asked me for a signed shirt!
“But it’s been a great tournament. I have scraped through some games and played well against Wayne Willgress, but unfortunately I didn’t find my first two bowls against Mark and he was excellent. He didn’t just out bowl me, he pulled my trousers down and ran round the green with them. He’s a worthy champion.”
The Blackpool Newton Hall ace is now a double world champion following his Pairs success with Jamie Chestney earlier in the week, as well as being £55,000 richer after collecting the biggest prize of his career. He also takes home the coveted Langham Glass trophy and admitted he was “over the moon” with his success.
“It’s the high point point of my career by an absolute mile,” said the 35-year-old. “For me as an indoor player only, this is the pinnacle, as good as you can get indoors. I have won the National singles and British Isles, but ultimately this is a world title and they don’t get any bigger than that.
“I thought winning the Pairs less than a week ago was my greatest achievement and I have managed to pass it within the space of a week. Two world titles from a man who was here for three days last year. I genuinely cannot believe it.”
After a razzmatazz build-up, which featured a sparkling song and dance show from the Potters’ ensemble, along with a Les Miserables ditty from former EastEnders star Shaun Williamson, both players started well and there was nothing to separate the two by the midway stage of the first set.
Dawes always looked in control, but he could never quite shake Paxton off, with his Taunton-based opponent actually moving ahead on end eight, but the Lancastrian responded with a double on the last end to clinch the first set.
The next set went to and fro, but with two ends to play Dawes held a one-shot lead and Paxton pulled out some big drives in order to turn the deficit into a two-shot win to trigger the three-end lottery.
Paxton, who was being troubled by a knee problem, limped off for a rest break and the couple of minutes of respite seemed to re-focus Dawes on the job in hand and he delivered some pressure bowls to take the first end and he lay shot on the second end.
Again, Paxton fired, took the red bowl out, but Dawes responded in kind and his opponent, who seemed to be put off midway through his final bowl by a coughing member of the audience, was then off target to hand victory to the 12th seed.
“I definitely felt on top without ever being in control, more in the first set than the second, but Robert would just get one bowl in there, which was a little frustrating,” added Dawes. “But fortunately I won the first set and it gave me the confidence in the second set, although I didn’t feel I played as well in the second.
“But in the tie-break, if I were to play two tie-break ends those were the ones I would have played. I put him under the pressure all the time and even when he hit me off on the final end, I put another one close to put the pressure back on.”
In the immediate aftermath when interviewed by BBC anchorman Rishi Persad, Paxton criticised some sections of the crowd for making too much noise and reaffirmed that view in the press room afterwards.
“Unfortunately there was a section of the crowd out there who were non-stop coughing, chatting and moving throughout the game,” complained Paxton. “It didn’t just happen to me, it happened to Mark as well in the first set. On the final end, halfway through my delivery there was a complete fake cough, but take nothing away from Mark he deserved to win the game and the whole thing without a shadow of a doubt.
“The best bit is, as I was about to come up the stairs afterwards, a man who coughed, as well as putting me off earlier in the match, apologised and asked me for a signed shirt!
“But it’s been a great tournament. I have scraped through some games and played well against Wayne Willgress, but unfortunately I didn’t find my first two bowls against Mark and he was excellent. He didn’t just out bowl me, he pulled my trousers down and ran round the green with them. He’s a worthy champion.”