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And the new snooker pro's endless hours of practice over the past five years and weekend grind of tournament after tournament at a host of minor venues across the country – not to mention fitting in work commitments – has now been massively vindicated.

Grace, who works at the Northern Snooker Centre on Kirkstall Road, is still walking on air after joining the select band of 96 professionals on the main World Snooker Tour in 2008/09 following a thrilling success at the European Amateur Championship in Lublin, Poland.

The 23-year-old proved poles apart after sinking fellow Englishman Craig Steadman in a tense decider to win 7-6 and claim the trophy and, more importantly, entry into snooker's exclusive club.

With club-mates Peter Lines and Kuldesh Johal also claiming a tour ticket, it's fair to say that the snooker scene in Leeds is in tip-top condition, with Grace, from Bramley, particularly tickled pink after agonisingly missing out on a tour place last year.
Grace said: "There are quite a few ways of getting in on the tour. There's the Pontins amateur tour, where the top eight qualify – that's how Peter Lines and Kuldesh Johal did it.

"I qualified through winning the English Amateur Championship, which took me to the Europeans I won 7-6 in the decider, so it was quite close. There was never more than a frame in it and it was nip and tuck.

"I got close to winning a tour place last year and got to the finals of the English Amateur Championship play-offs – for the top 16 in the amateur rankings – but lost 6-3 in the final to Matt Gould.

"Matt has done well this year and has got into the top 64. It's been a bit galling watching him this season! So I really fancied doing it this season and I am relieved to have finally made it. I might be 23, but I am not young in any stretch in terms of snooker.

"Being one of the 96 pros in the world will immediately enter me into the qualifying rounds of all the major tournaments, including the TV ones. It's a dream come true."

On his rise up the snooker ladder, Grace added: "I started playing when I was about 10. My dad took me to the snooker centre (in Leeds) and I've played there ever since. He was always keen on facing me when I wasn't so good, but not so much now!

"I used to watch snooker on the telly and then got my own six-foot table. it's the same old story really, I just grew into it and ended up playing on a full-size table.
"At first, dad was whopping me, but then he got sick of me whopping him!

"I won a few junior tournaments, never anything outstanding. I just sort of improved steadily.
"It got to a stage where I did my A-levels and then had to decide whether to have a go at going full time or continue on to university. I just thought I'd give the snooker thing a go.

"I started work brushing the tables at the snooker club and got permission to practice and it's all paid off now."

It's been a stellar year for Grace, who earned his invite to the prestigious European Amateur Championships by virtue of a 9-7 victory over Bristol's Ben Hancorn in the final of the English Amateur Championship at Sheffield's World Snooker Academy.

Grace also came up trumps at the Pontins Open in the annual festival of snooker at Prestatyn, ensuring gold in an event whose previous winners include a number of former world champions such as Steve Davis, Alex Higgins, Ken Doherty and Mark Williams.

En route to the final, he dispatched world number 17 Jamie Cope, world under-21 champion Michael Georgiou and former Pot Black winner Mitchell Main, ahead of taking the prized scalp of ex-world championship finalist Nigel Bond in consummate fashion with a 5-1 success to pocket the £4,000 first prize.

If that's not enough, Grace also saw off Bradford's Wayne Cooper 6-3 in the northern finals of the English Amateur Championship in what has been a breakthrough year.

But the coup de grace arrived in Poland, where there was reason for double cheer with fellow Leeds-based cueman Alan Trigg reigning supreme in the masters division – the cue to a night of celebration.
Grace said: "I've had a really good time of it this year. to win the Europeans was the most important thing as it got me on the tour.

"It was a great weekend with Alan winning as well. We had quite a few drinks. Jimmy White had come over for an exhibition match, so we had a few with him as well."

Despite being on the brink of the big time, Grace is aiming to consolidate his gains next year, although he readily admits that appearing in a televised event in front of watching millions is a tantalising prospect.

Grace added: "It would be nice to get to a venue and play on TV. But, realistically, the first aim is to stay on the pro list.

"I'd like to think that I'm a steady sort of player really and that I have a good all-round game. I've improved steadily rather than dramatically, but things have really come together recently.

"My hard work is thankfully paying off, I do five hours of practice a day at least.You've got to be so dedicated and I'm usually playing tournaments most weekends."