Post by Taxigirl on May 2, 2004 9:33:13 GMT
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/3677321.stm
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/3676157.stm
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/3671395.stm
Graeme Dott admits he will start as a huge underdog when he takes on Ronnie O'Sullivan in Sunday's World Championship final at The Crucible.
Dott has never won a major title and is the rank outsider after starting the tournament at odds of 200-1.
The Scot edged past Matthew Stevens 17-15 in the semis, while 2001 champion O'Sullivan crushed Stephen Hendry 17-4.
"How do you stop a machine?" said Dott. "How many frames did Hendry win against him? What chance have I got?
"The semi-final was basically my final. I'll try my hardest but what's the worst thing that can happen? I lose 18-0 and get £125,000 and I'm back in the top 16.
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/3677221.stm
"I can just go out and have a laugh. No-one is expecting me to win. The only thing I'll get a chance of doing is trying to frustrate him."
Dott's appearance in the final is all the more remarkable as he came close to quitting the sport in January.
He even broke his cue in frustration when he stopped off at a motorway service station on the way back from the Welsh Open.
"My next match in a ranking tournament after that with the new one was against Drew Henry," he said.
"I couldn't have beaten Lenny Henry the way I was playing. I could not pot a ball. It is a phenomenal turnaround."
O'Sullivan courted controversy in the early rounds but he looked more focused than ever in beating Hendry.
The Englishman was in breathtaking form on Friday when he took seven of eight frames in the second session against Hendry, and he is not about to underestimate his final opponent.
"Graeme's a tenacious player," said O' Sullivan.
"It doesn't matter who I play in the final because when you've got this far you must have done something right.
"(The semi-final) was one of the best performances I have ever given and especially against Stephen.
"I made a 147 last year and lost and it would be nice to get another one, but you come here to win the tournament."
EMBASSY WORLD CH'SHIP, Sheffield
FINAL (best of 35 frames)
Sunday
3.00pm
R O'Sullivan Eng v G Dott Sco
8.00pm
R O'Sullivan Eng v G Dott Sco
Monday
3.00pm
R O'Sullivan Eng v G Dott Sco
8.00pm
R O'Sullivan Eng v G Dott Sco
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/3676157.stm
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/3671395.stm
Graeme Dott admits he will start as a huge underdog when he takes on Ronnie O'Sullivan in Sunday's World Championship final at The Crucible.
Dott has never won a major title and is the rank outsider after starting the tournament at odds of 200-1.
The Scot edged past Matthew Stevens 17-15 in the semis, while 2001 champion O'Sullivan crushed Stephen Hendry 17-4.
"How do you stop a machine?" said Dott. "How many frames did Hendry win against him? What chance have I got?
"The semi-final was basically my final. I'll try my hardest but what's the worst thing that can happen? I lose 18-0 and get £125,000 and I'm back in the top 16.
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/3677221.stm
"I can just go out and have a laugh. No-one is expecting me to win. The only thing I'll get a chance of doing is trying to frustrate him."
Dott's appearance in the final is all the more remarkable as he came close to quitting the sport in January.
He even broke his cue in frustration when he stopped off at a motorway service station on the way back from the Welsh Open.
"My next match in a ranking tournament after that with the new one was against Drew Henry," he said.
"I couldn't have beaten Lenny Henry the way I was playing. I could not pot a ball. It is a phenomenal turnaround."
O'Sullivan courted controversy in the early rounds but he looked more focused than ever in beating Hendry.
The Englishman was in breathtaking form on Friday when he took seven of eight frames in the second session against Hendry, and he is not about to underestimate his final opponent.
"Graeme's a tenacious player," said O' Sullivan.
"It doesn't matter who I play in the final because when you've got this far you must have done something right.
"(The semi-final) was one of the best performances I have ever given and especially against Stephen.
"I made a 147 last year and lost and it would be nice to get another one, but you come here to win the tournament."
EMBASSY WORLD CH'SHIP, Sheffield
FINAL (best of 35 frames)
Sunday
3.00pm
R O'Sullivan Eng v G Dott Sco
8.00pm
R O'Sullivan Eng v G Dott Sco
Monday
3.00pm
R O'Sullivan Eng v G Dott Sco
8.00pm
R O'Sullivan Eng v G Dott Sco