888.com world snooker championship 2007
888 DOTT com World Champion
It is almost twelve-months since the little Scot punched the air with real passion as he saw off the fight-back from Peter Ebdon. After a year of being announced as the “world champion”, Graeme talks to Cuefactor about his title defence.
Moment of truth Graeme, how do you look upon your defence now it’s almost over?
I’m looking on it as a good thing. I’ve played well all year, so it’s just the last thing that needs to be done, basically.
Do you take a lot of confidence from China because you played really well out there?
I’ve played well as I said, but even before that I could have got a lot more out of the season than I actually got. My play deserved to get more out of the year. I think if Stephen Hendry had not played four phenomenal frames at the UK I could have won that as well. I’ve played really well so it was nice to get rewarded with China.
Any extra pressure from defending the title?
I think there will be but I’ve probably had that pressure all year. People have been asking me “How are you going to feel playing your first tournament as World Champion?” I feel I have answered all those questions.
Have you enjoyed the added pressure?
I think I have. I’ve played better through it. Maybe that’s what was needed, to know that if I don’t perform I would get bad press. Before I could have lost and it probably wouldn’t have been a story.
Do you buy into the Crucible curse?
There’s a curse is there? I don’t think so, it’s such a tough tournament. If it was that easy then there would be more names on that trophy. To win it once is great but to try and think about winning it twice is obviously going to be really hard. I think the fact that I know I’m a better player now than I was then gives me a bit of a chance. I would imagine that some of the people who have won it before were expecting to win it, which I’ve not really done. I know I could win it but I’m certainly not expecting to. I know I’m good enough to win it but also I could easily lose first round, so I don’t put that much pressure on myself.
After last year you said you were annoyed that you didn’t feel you got the credit you deserved. Has that changed?
I think it has, because I have played really well. I’ve played really well all year. The only thing that annoyed me last year was that it’s not as if I said it was a really good game. It wasn’t: it was a rubbish game and I didn’t that play well but I didn’t see what I was supposed to do. I didn’t really understand why the game was written about in the way it was. I thought some of it was vile, really. I had just won the World Championship and I was getting criticised. I didn’t read anyone slaughtering Italy when they won the World Cup and that was a rubbish final.
With the difference between the players paper thin, do you think it was your determination that proved the difference last year?
It could have been. It was just the way the game was running out. Every frame seemed really scrappy. We were both really tired as well, I don’t think I had a day off after the last 16. The way I was playing then it took it out of me. If I made a break of 80 it was taking it all out of me. By the time I got to the final I was drained.
Have you watched the game since?
I’ve only watched the end. I’ve never watched the first three sessions and I couldn’t bear to watch when Peter come back so all I’ve watched is from 16-14.
How do you think the draw has been to you?
I think it’s probably middle of the road. On the one hand I could have got easier than Ian [McCulloch] but you have people like Ding in the draw as well so it could certainly have been more difficult.
Ian knocked you out 2 years ago. Any extra motivation?
Probably yes. Nobody likes to lose to the same player twice so I’ve got plenty of motivation to try and beat him.
Financially it has been a different year for you, have you bought anything extravagant?
Not really no. I know what is was like when I was struggling and you’ve got to look after the pennies. I have done the sensible thing by paying off the mortgage. I haven’t bought any Ferraris.
How has it been being WC?
Good. Before the season started I still had a little doubt. You want to play well because you don’t want to start to struggle because I knew if I did I would get really bad press. I’m glad that I’ve played consistently well throughout the year. Ian McCulloch’s been the only blip I’ve had in three years at the Worlds so it has been good to me.
Is there an extra incentive about becoming World Number one?
There’s probably four other players right now who think there’s a good chance of it happening to them. The others need results to happen for them. As long as I beat Ian I would be hard to catch. It would mean everything to me to finish number one. It would mean I had done everything I had wanted to do. There would be no big goals left for me to do. Everybody as a kid wants to win the World Championship, be number one and with China I’m a multiple winner now as well.
Do you get a buzz when your name is called as the world champion?
It’s fantastic, the 1st time I really got it was the Premier League in front of a full house. Obviously here will be fantastic, I get goose bumps just thinking about it. I’ll be nervous but everyone’s nervous, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I played John Parrott here last year and he said it was the most nervous he had ever been, and he has been here about 17 times, so it shows what it does to everybody.
Do you see an outsider having a chance?
I don’t think you can write an outsider off to be honest. You could honestly pick 8 players to win and none of them would be in the final. It’s so tough. Ryan Day is a fantastic player, Neil Robertson has won a couple of tournaments now.
It does take a special type of mentality to win here though doesn’t it?
There’s no doubt it does, I know Shaun and myself have won it the last couple of years and we hadn’t won a tournament. Normally the people who win it have won another tournament before they win the World Championships.
Are you surprised that Ronnie hasn’t won it more times?
It shows how tough the game is when somebody like Ronnie hasn’t won for something like 22 months. John Higgins has only won it once and he’s a fantastic player. He’s one of the best players in the world so it shows how tough it is to win.
As defending champion has your preparation been different for this year’s tournament?
It’s been no different at all. Just practice. Obviously I’ve had to do more media events this year but I’m sure when I’m lying in bed on Friday I’ll feel no different.
Are Elaine and the kids coming down?
Yeah they are on their way down today. I’ll be driving home after the first round whatever the result because there are a few days off.
The tournament is missing Jimmy White and Paul Hunter this year. Do you think the atmosphere will be different?
There will be lots of fans that will be missing Jimmy. The roar that comes up when he steps out at the Crucible is phenomenal, so I’m there will be lots that are missing him. I hear he is here working for the BBC so they’ll still see him. Obviously with Paul it’s very sad he’s not here. He was another player who was guaranteed to win it at some point. It’s sad but we’ve got to get on with it. I’m sure with his charity, his name will never be forgotten.
How accessible do you think snooker is and how popular is it?
I think people like to play socially as a laugh. Whether they can play at a professional level is another matter. I still think it’s popular, the viewing figures are high so somebody likes it somewhere.
