The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Perth potter has sights set on a place in world’s top 16 –
SNOOKER: Scot aiming to join elite as he makes winning start at Welsh Open
Scott Donaldson believes he has what it takes to be a top-16 player after booking his place in round two at the Manbetx Welsh Open.
The Perth potter, who is currently ranked No. 23 in the world, eased past Akani Songsermsawad 4-1 at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena in a steady rather than scintillating performance, making one break of 52 but struggling for his characteristic fluency.
The 25-year-old has endured a turbulent season on the circuit, reaching the quarter-finals in front of his home crowd at the 19.com Scottish Open but succumbing to second-round defeats at the Betway UK Championship and Coral World Grand Prix.
And as he continues his pursuit of a maiden ranking event title, he says he is good enough to duel it out with some of the most formidable names in the sport. “I do have top-16 aspirations,” he said. “We all know how big the gulf is from the top 16 downwards and I’m looking to get in there.
“But then I’m also looking to stay in the last 32 – I don’t have a set goal as such, but I’m just looking forward to carrying on competing, as I do enjoy the competing.
“You don’t think about the rankings too much but everyone knows where they are in the world – I don’t care what people say.
“It’s good to know I’m in the position that I’m in, and even if I’m not playing well I can win a lot of games.
“I just wish I could put my best game out there more often, to be honest.”
Donaldson is yet to progress past the semi-finals at a ranking event, reaching the last four but having his hopes dashed at the 2019 China Open, 2018 Gibraltar Open and 2017 Welsh Open.
And he was on the receiving end of a difficult draw at the World Grand Prix in Cheltenham last week, beating world No. 9 Ding Junhui in round one before suffering defeat against world No. 17 Joe Perry.
And as he now vies for glory at the final Home Nations event of the season this week, he says he enjoys competing with the top players and is capable of going all the way in the Welsh capital.
“I think I can put a little run together this week and maybe knock on the door.
“Last week in Cheltenham I played pretty poorly against Ding and won, but then well against Joe and lost,” he added.
“The season’s been good but I just don’t want to rest on my laurels. I’ve got to keep practising and obviously I’m still trying to compete with the top guys in the game.”
Ronnie O’sullivan coasted into the second round with a 4-1 win over Zhang Jiankang.
O’sullivan, a four-time winner of the event, swiftly took command of the match with two half-century breaks.
After Zhang pulled a frame back, O’sullivan stepped things up again with runs of 69 and 81 to seal victory.
Graeme Dott, runner-up to Neil Robertson at the Coral World Grand Prix in Cheltenham, saw his hopes of making another ranking-event final ended with a 4-0 defeat by Zhao Xintong.
During yesterday’s afternoon session at the Motorpoint Arena, Kyren Wilson hit a maximum 147 from his first visit to the table in the opening frame of what proved to be a tense 4-3 win over home player Jackson Page.
Elsewhere, Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen progressed 4-1 against Andrew Higginson, James Wattana beat fellow veteran Jimmy White 4-2 and Scotland’s Alan Mcmanus was edged out in a decider by Thai player Noppon Saengkham.
●