Liu joy after reaching Crucible

Eurosport - Tue, 11 Mar 11:02:00 2008
Snooker's elder statesmen toiled in the final qualifying round of the World Championship - but 17-year-old Chinese unknown Liu Chuang celebrated booking an unexpected place at the Crucible.

 

On a day when Jimmy White and John Parrott both exited the sport's most lucrative event, rookie professional Liu held his nerve under huge pressure to edge past Welshman Dominic Dale 10-9.
It means Liu, who first picked up a cue only seven years ago in his home town of Huludao in the north east of the People's Republic, will be included in Tuesday's draw for the first round proper.
"I feel fantastic," said Liu, who will become only the fourth 17-year-old to compete at the Crucible after Stephen Hendry (1986), Ronnie O'Sullivan (1993) and Judd Trump last year.
"To know that you're playing at the Crucible is wonderful. It's a dream for every player around the world, especially those from my country."
Chuang's success means that for the first time, China will have three Crucible representatives given that his compatriot and housemate Liang Wenbo will also make his debut and Ding Junhui has been seeded into the last 32.
Bridging a huge gulf in experience, Chuang led 6-3 and 9-5 before Dale, winner of the season opening Shanghai Masters in August, compiled breaks of 110, 45, 54 and 53 in reeling off the next four frames to force a decider.
Liu explained: "At 9-5 I started to feel edgy and by the time it was 9-9 I've never felt so nervous. I don't know how I potted the balls."
The youngster retained sufficient composure to launch an initial run of 49 with a raking long red before finishing Dale off on his next scoring visit with 37.
He added: "I don't have any goals going to the Crucible. I just want to play well and enjoy myself."
Stoke's Jamie Cope - aka 'The Shotgun' - expressed similar sentiments after securing his eagerly-awaited first appearance at the Crucible by beating Dubliner Fergal O'Brien 10-5.
But following White's 10-3 defeat by Mark King, there was only doom and gloom for fellow veteran Parrott, the 1991 world champion.
Leading Joe Perry 8-4, Parrott looked set to figure at the Crucible for the 24th time but the 43-year-old Liverpudlian then struck the wall as Perry strung together six consecutive frames to win 10-8.
"Considering the circumstances I think that's got to be the best comeback of my career," said Perry, whose hopes of reclaiming top 16 status in the world rankings next season would have nose-dived with defeat.
The draw for the first round proper will be conducted at 1300 GMT on Tuesday, while the championship itself gets under way on April 19.
Sporting Life / Eurosport

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