Larkhall's Graeme Dott is eager to make up for misplaced time and attain the Crucible for the World Championships after two consecutive heartbreaks.
He misplaced 10-6 to Martin Gould within the closing spherical in 2020 and 10-7 to Tian Pengfei final season, having received the occasion again in 2006.
Now 44, he has additionally made the Crucible closing in 2004 and 2010, and is set to verify he returns to a stage he is shone on beforehand.
The Lanarkshire potter must win two matches to make it to the Sheffield occasion, and stated: “Qualifying for the Crucible is the whole lot.
“I’ve not achieved it the previous couple of years – and it has been horrible. It’s so robust as a result of the usual is so excessive however you don’t need to miss out being there.
“Not being there the previous few years has not been very good so hopefully I can get again there. As you become old you do recognize enjoying there since you by no means know when your final time will likely be.
“I’ve obtained some nice reminiscences of the Crucible, it’s wonderful to assume it was so way back after I beat Peter Ebdon within the closing. I’ve additionally had plenty of nightmares there, however each participant in all probability has. It’s the place to play, it’s simply very particular.”
Dott reckons he is coming into kind simply on the proper time forward of his subsequent qualification bid.
Ranked as world quantity 35, he has lately reached the European Masters semi-finals and quarter-finals of the Turkish Masters.
He added: “Confidence is the whole lot for gamers. I might have in all probability obtained to a closing if I’d have performed higher within the European occasion however my recreation is there.
“Generally you'll be able to practise an excessive amount of earlier than the Crucible however I've had some good break day and obtained myself prepared.”
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