World-beater Dott was close to quitting

NEW world champion Graeme Dott admitted he was on the verge of quitting snooker only two and a half years ago claiming: “I was hating the game.”

Dott was feeling down and depressed after a series of demoralising defeats which led to him snapping his cue at a motorway service station on the way home from the 2004 Welsh Open.

The 28-year-old Scot was set to give up the sport if the replacement cue did not herald an upturn in fortunes. But a 6-5 reversal by John Higgins just a week later in the Masters at Wembley was the turning point for Dott.