GRAEME DOTT isn’t looking forward to playing in “the toilet” - as he described the sports hall site for his Coral UK Snooker Championship second round match at the York Barbican on Saturday evening.
The former world champion beat Alexander Ursenbache 6-2 in the main arena to reach the last 64 and is hardly thrilled at the prospect of playing in the smaller setting against Anthony Hamilton.
“The set up is okay (in the main arena),” he said. “I think in my next match, I am going to be in whatever it is they are playing in - the kitchen, the toilet or something.
“I don’t know if my thoughts will be better in there.”
“Is that what it is?” Dott added when told the arena was known as the sports hall. “I will be in the sports hall in the next match. I don’t think that will be as nice as the arena.”
Dott raced into a 4-0 advantage at the mid-session interval, with the help of breaks of 61 and 51, but Ursenbache had chances in all four frames and managed to sneak the first two following the resumption.
But, after dodging a chance to lose the seventh frame, Dott gathered himself and claimed the match with a stylish 95 in the final frame.
He added: “I played okay. I felt quite comfortable. The first four frames, I managed to win them all but it could have been any score - It could have been 4-0 to him.
“He had a chance in every frame. Then he started playing quite well. It could have gone to 4-3 so I was quite happy to finish the match.
“All the top players are on a hiding to nothing in these matches, because you are expected to win. I have done all I am supposed to do - I have played well and won the match.
“My form is okay, pretty good, up until the last main ranking tournament. I lost to Craig Steadman but, before that, I had been playing pretty well. I reached the quarters of a tournament and everything was going okay.”
Hamilton, meanwhile, was docked the first frame of his last 128 encounter against Steadman after turning up late but, in a marathon afternoon match that finished just before 9pm, the Sheriff of Pottingham was able to come through 6-5.
He said: “I came out of the dressing room, saw some players standing around waiting and I just joined them. My lot were on the other side (of the venue).
“It was only two or three minutes but I was late and I was docked a frame. What can you do? It was my fault, I suppose.”
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