Ford: I’m happy to get knocked out!
LEICESTER POTTER NOT ENJOYING HIS SNOOKER
TOM FORD was “happy to lose” at the Scottish Open and admits he hasn’t been enjoying snooker for years, writes Will Jennings of Sportsbeat.
The Leicester player fell to a narrow 4-3 defeat against in-form Ricky Walden on Wednesday evening as his stuttering start to the season continued in Milton Keynes.
All tournaments this term have been held at the behind-closed -doors Marshall Arena as snooker continues to adapt to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ford, the world No.28, blasted life in the bio-secure bubble and says he’s struggling for motivation to pick up a cue.
The 37-year-old fumed: “I had chances but for the first time ever, I’m happy I’ve lost.
“It gets me out of there, gets me home and let’s me settle for Christmas, because I’ve just had enough.
“I wasn’t upset or wasn’t bothered that I got beat.
“I’m fed up with it at the minute. Everything’s the same at M i lton Keynes and you don’t know if you’re playing in a local club tournament or the World Championship.
“It’s been difficult to enjoy the game for a number of years now. I still like the competing side of it, but then to compete you’ve got to practice and it’s hard to practice with everything going on. “At the minute, it’s difficult to go in the club and practice. “I’ve got no motivation whatsoever, and it’s just difficult to get it back knowing that you’re going to get your cue out and go back to Milton Keynes again. “I used to look forward to going up to Glasgow and York. “But when you’re practising to go
Tom Ford, above, after his defeat down to Milton Keynes to play in the Marshall Arena – yes, it’s a nice venue, but not for every single event.
“The only players that are going to be doing well at the minute are the ones that eat, sleep and breath snooker, and that’s all they’ve got.
“They’re the ones that absolutely love the game, and as soon as they get beat put the snooker on.
“The ones that haven’t got that drive for it are losing games.”
Three half-century breaks from world No.39 Walden downed Ford in Buckinghamshire and extended his run without a third round appearance to four tournaments.
Elsewhere, fellow Leicester player Mark Selby motored into the fourth round with a 4-2 win over Mark Joyce yesterday afternoon.
The three-time world champion knocked in two fluent centuries while a pair of further fifty-plus breaks dashed the world No.57’s advances.
Another city player, Joe O’Connor, exited the tournament on Wednesday evening when he lost his second round match against Champion of Champions Mark Allen.
O’Connor, the world No.48, struggled for form under the Marshall Arena lights as breaks of 109, 85 and 66 from the world No.9 halted him emulating his last 32 heroics at the UK Championship. ■ Watch the Scottish Open live on Eurosport, Eurosport app, and stream on discovery+
It gets me home and let’s me settle for Christmas because I’ve just had enough