THE fairytale continues for Mitchell Travis.
The young amateur produced one of the biggest shocks in UK Championship history when dumping Marco Fu out in the first round – and he kept his York dream alive by disposing of Kurt Maflin in similar fashion.
Sheffield-based Travis will now play Dave Morris in the last 32, a match the 21-year-old will be desperately keen to win.
Morris ended Travis’ hopes of turning professional at Q-School earlier in the year, beating him to grab a two-year tour card, but the talk of the tournament is hopeful of turning the tables following his 6-4 victory.
“I am hitting form at the right time,” Travis said. “I had a little bit of the run of the ball but when I got my chances I seemed to take them.
“I went to work on Saturday night (after the win over Fu) in the snooker club and they were taking the mickey out of me because all I’d kept saying was that I was over the moon.
“I am over the moon again. I am on a free roll now. I was confident that I could play well against Marco but I didn’t really expect to beat him.
“I was in the hotel with my dad on Sunday night, we were having a drink and he just said he wanted me to prove myself and show I want to be doing it full time.”
Travis’ highest break in the match was 56 but he continually chipped away at Maflin and, crucially, took the first two frames after the interval after the Norwegian had recovered from 2-0 down to level when the pair went for their break.
Travis, who has banked £9,000 from his Barbican exploits so far, added: “I love the big arena. I seem to rise to the big occasion and it is nice to see. I have got David Morris and he beat me in the final of the Q-School so I need to try to get one back over him.
“I am loving every second, to be honest. I am playing in the second biggest tournament in the snooker calendar and I am into the last 32. Who would have thought that an amateur would get to the last 32 – beating two top-class players?”
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