3.4.09

PETTMAN STEPS INTO THE SPOTLIGHT

And from nowhere, just as with Andrew Higginson at the Welsh Open two years ago, Stuart Pettman reaches a ranking event semi-final.

Well done to him. He seems to have played pretty solidly all season without quite making the breakthrough – until now.

Stuart has long been one of those very capable players who looks tough to beat in qualifiers but who struggles in front of the TV cameras.

He’s never minded travelling, though, and has played in and won tournaments in Thailand as an invited British professional. Indeed, two of his three last 16 appearances prior to this week came in ranking events outside the UK.

Stuart runs a snooker club in Preston with Shokat Ali. It was a sensible move because his on table earnings in 17 years as a professional are modest – £275,720, an average of £16,000 a year, not much for a member of the circuit in one of TV’s biggest sports.

His semi-final against Peter Ebdon may be a match too far. Ebdon was superb in putting away Stephen Hendry 5-1 and has all the experience at this level. He’s beaten Pettman three times in three previous meetings and is used to the TV conditions.

But even if Stuart’s great run does end tomorrow, it serves of a reminder as Higginson’s did that, on any given week in any given tournament, a member of the game’s supporting cast can emerge to play a leading role.

6 comments:

Rich P said...

'Dott, like Hendry and Ebdon, has shown the qualities world champions possess: the ability to dig in and fight for every victory despite the vagaries of form.

He's got as good a chance of any of the quarter-finalists of winning the title.'


...until you said that!

This tournament has been a hard one to predict with a lot of the fancied names ie Walden, Trump, Selby, Ding all exiting early. I'm glad I didn't bet for once otherwise i'd be more skint than I am already!

Anonymous said...

Pettman must find the Students University Gymnasium in Beijing similar to The Guild Hall in Preston.
He'll win it now.

Anonymous said...

Pettman must find the Students University Gymnasium in Beijing similar to The Guild Hall in Preston.
He'll win it now.

Anonymous said...

Higgins to beat Ebdon in the final...just like i predicted ages ago

Anonymous said...

Really shrewd last poster.

Anonymous said...

On the wireless tonight DJ Spoony suggested that he believed Ronnie O'Sullivan would win his 4th world title in early May.
Is it true DJ Spoony once played on the challenge tour alongside Darren Day?