Betfred.com World Snooker Championship: Andrew Pagett aims high on his Crucible debut
Welsh cueman, Andrew Pagett, says he is ready for his Crucible debut to compete with the top players of the game at the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship 2011. The Welshman will meet
Masters semi-finalist, Jamie Cope, in his first-round match-up at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
The 28-year-old came out of nowhere to clinch four qualifying matches. He defeated Zhang Anda, Bjorn Haneveer, Nigel Bond and Andrew Higginson to set up his clash with Cope in the first
round. The World Number 78 jumped on the main tour after grabbing the Welsh amateur title last summer.
However, Pagett is a little disappointed that he has not been drawn against the big names of the snooker world. He said he would have loved to compete against players like Mark Williams
or Stephen Hendry.
He said, “I have got belief in my game now that I can compete with the best players in the world and that’s maybe something I haven’t had over the years.”
The Welsh Wizard has been practicing with former two-time world champion, Mark Williams, in the Tredegar Snooker Club and has seen the damage Williams can do. He has a potential second-round
match with club-mate, Williams, who is drawn against compatriot Ryan Day.
Pagett, turning 29 this month, has had a tough season as he has played many tournaments but could not make an impression until he qualified for the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship
2011. He commented that he faced a bit of rut in the past but he did not wish that to happen again.
The Blackwood ace, Andrew Pagett, appreciates Mark Williams and his break building skills saying that Williams is unstoppable because he is in terrific form, but on the other hand, Ryan
Day is also quite sharp and their match will be interesting.
Pagett said,
“I've had a couple of breaks against him at the club as we get ready but the rest of the time, he has just been smashing in centuries and beating me up on the table.”
There are five entrants in the world championship from Wales which include Mark Williams, Ryan Day, Matthew Stevens, Andrew Pagett and Dominic Dale.
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