Dott reveals attacking instincts

World champion Graeme Dott believes he is poised to shake off his reputation for being a dour player once and for all.

The Scot got the better of the latest-finishing world final this year, his 18-14 victory over Peter Ebdon also including the longest frame in tournament history at 74 minutes.

Dott admits he got bogged down in tactical bouts of play at the Crucible, but has now adopted a more attacking approach which is paying dividends at the Maplin UK Championship in York.

Having dropped only three frames in his opening two best-of-17 matches, Dott is full of confidence and enjoying playing the free-flowing game he has developed since his solitary title win.

“There’s no doubt I’m a much better player for being world champion,” said the 29-year-old Glaswegian, who is through to the last eight in York where he will meet Steve Davis or Alan McManus.

“And I’m certainly a completely different player now. Maybe what I really needed was to win something.

“People keep saying I’m dogged and determined and that’s perfectly right. But what they should remember is that I won the World Championship using my B game much of the time – I wasn’t happy with most of the matches I played.

“It’s not like I won the World Championship the way Shaun Murphy did, playing fantastic snooker all the way. I did it playing poorly sometimes but scrapping to win frames.

“Now I’m showing a different side, showing I can play as well, and that’s the way I want to play. I finished the final of the World Championship playing this way – the clearance to go 17-14 up was made playing this way and I’ve decided to carry on doing it.”

Dott’s highest break in the 32 frames of the world final was a mere 68, but he has already surpassed that nine times in just 21 frames in York.

“I’d be quite happy to play this way all the way through because I think I’m playing more than well enough to win the tournament,” said the world number six.

“The game feels easier playing this way. I can reel off four frames now with big breaks and take nothing out of myself.

“During the World Championship, to knock in an 80 break I was having to concentrate so hard on every shot. There are so many shots I feel I can’t miss now whereas before I was having to concentrate on them.

“I was absolutely shattered when I reached the final of the World Championship but now I don’t think I would be. Winning 9-1 or 9-2 shouldn’t take anything out of you anyway but last year it would have done.”

Dott was one of four big names to enjoy a comfortable passage into the quarter-finals as Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins and Ebdon also cruised through.

They will form half of what looks certain to be a top-quality last eight, with Ken Doherty and defending champion Ding Junhui also on course to go through and Stephen Hendry, Mark Williams and Davis still involved too.