Tooting snooker prospect, 12, wins promotion…and he’s already won 10 trophies

Zain Jeraj has been promoted to the Cuestars Silver Tour next season after emphatically winning the Bronze League this season.

The 12-year-old, from Tooting, won seven of his U21 Bronze finals this season and was runner-up in the other.

Jeraj, who attends St Mark’s Academy in Eastfields, ended the campaign 56 points clear at the top of the standings. He is ranked in the top-16 for his age in the country.

Father Tan said: “Zain started playing on full sized snooker tables aged five and first held a cue aged three on a small table at home. It was all just recreational but it has led to more.”

Jeraj was often defeating adults when he was 11 at his local club, London Snooker He was also the only child entrant in local Sunday tournaments and won two of them.

His highest break in line up practise is 102 and 42 in a real frame.

“The club has honored him and framed him on their walls,” said Tan. “He also practices at the Royal Surrey Snooker Club in Morden, where he soon plans to enter and compete in an adult league.

“Zain, his family and friends are not getting carried away. He has been taught to always stay humble and to understand the challenge in being and staying successful. Ultimately he is having fun, learning and developing massively.”

Jeraj is due to have two exhibition games next month.

One of those is against Joe Perry, ranked world number 26, at Swindon Cuestars on June 12 and with Jamie Jones, world number 31, at a fun charity event at London Snooker.

Jeraj has won 10 trophies, all of them when he was aged 11.