DAY: WIN WORTH THE DERBY PAIN
RYAN Day’s greatest red-letter occasion in snooker came on the same day his beloved Manchester United capitulated in the derby.
The 42-year-old from Wales eventually stopped asking the score during toilet breaks from the first session of his British Open final against fellow United fan Mark Allen.
But after pocketing €115,000 and getting to lift the newly-named Clive Everton trophy for his fourth and biggest title after a 10-7 win,
Day could shrug off that setback.
Earlier
Afterwards Day, back in the top 16 up from world No.27, also reflected on how his career might have gone differently had he won big earlier.
And the strength in the depth of the tour is clear after he became the fifth player outside the elite 16 to win a ranking title this year.
Day said: “I missed the Manchester derby on Sunday, but came out for a couple of toilet breaks in the afternoon session and the scoreline was getting worse and worse for United.
“In the end I just stopped asking what the score was. But to be honest if it had meant winning this, then I don’t mind if they finish in the bottom three!
“I love my football, my brother Rhys was a professional and started at City, and I played up until a few years ago. That was my first love really.
Potential
“It is huge for me winning a really big title in front of my family and friends. I went in thinking ‘I really need to play well here’ because there was the potential I could get trounced.
“My two girls Francesca and Lauren got a bit embarrassed going out at the end into the arena for the pictures, they said they weren’t expecting that!
“But to win in the UK is huge, and to have my wife Lynsey, my dad, my brother and daughters and everyone there was just massive. A dream come true.”