Day ready to seize first title

Ryan Day is determined to break his duck and claim a first ranking title on home soil in the Welsh Open which starts tomorrow.

Day is Wales’ highest-ranked player in the world but top-level glory has so far eluded him after three final defeats in the last two years.

The 28-year-old from Pontycymmer, who most recently lost 9-7 to John Higgins in the Grand Prix final in Glasgow in October, starts his Welsh Open campaign against Michael Judge on Tuesday evening and feels it is only a matter of time before he claims a title.

“It was frustrating at the time when I lost each of those three finals, but I don’t dwell on them,” said Day.

“I’ll just wait for my next opportunity. If I keep knocking on the door, eventually it will open for me.

“My goals for the season are to get into the top four in the rankings and to win the World Championship. I’m fifth in the (provisional) rankings at the moment so the first one is well within reach. The World Championship is open - whoever gets their head together and plays well for two weeks can win it, and I don’t see why that can’t be me.”

Day’s self-belief took a knock after two first-round exits at the Maplin UK Championship in Telford and at the Masters event at Wembley.

“Losing in the first round of two big tournaments has dented my confidence,” admitted Day.

“I’ve been up against good opponents who have played well. In fact I’ve been knocked out of the last two ranking events by Matthew Stevens, though he is not the type to wind me up about it – Mark Williams is more that type!

“I don’t think being the highest-ranked Welsh player adds to the pressure in the Welsh Open, it’s an event I would love to do well in.

“Come next Tuesday I will be ready, and if my game clicks then I expect to have a good run. Michael Judge beat me 5-0 at Newport two years ago, but then I beat him at the Crucible last season.”

Another Welshman, Stevens, from Carmarthen, will be aiming to give the home crowd something to cheer when he takes on Andy Hicks in a first-round qualifier tomorrow afternoon.

However, Devon left-hander Hicks does not think the match will be a straightforward one for Stevens.

“I’ve played Matthew a few times and our record is quite even,” the 35-year-old told www.worldsnooker.com.

“You always get a good open game against him. I beat him in the Royal London Watches Grand Prix a couple of years ago, although the last time we played, he beat me at the Crucible.

“In the last 12 months I’ve been practising hard and enjoying snooker because the results have been coming.

“I’ve put a table in a snooker room in my house which has helped. I’m looking forward to Newport and bringing about a dozen friends to watch – it’s two hours away from where we are but that’s the closest tournament for me.”

In tomorrow’s other matches, world number two Stephen Maguire takes on Ian Preece and Mark Allen faces Joe Swail in the afternoon session.

There is a Welsh theme to the evening matches, with Williams and Dominic Dale taking on David Gilbert and Liang Wenbo respectively.

Mark Selby begins the defence of his title against Paul Davies on Tuesday, while world number one Ronnie O’Sullivan faces six-time world champion Steve Davis on Wednesday.