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Ken Doherty talks snooker's match-fixing investigations, the Masters and more
Ken Doherty is the latest guest on the popular Talking Snooker podcast, hosted by Nick Metcalfe and Phil Haigh.
Here are some of the highlights including his take on the state of the game, some Masters regrets, and a look at this year's draw.
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On recent controversy...
"As dark as this time has been, there's too much love by the people, the supporters. The game will always survive because it's a great sport. It's a wonderful sport. Mostly, the guys play it because they love it, and they play it with the greatest of integrity. We're one of the greatest sports for integrity; players own up for fouls, and we're very proud of that.
"By and large, they're good sportsmen, the game is a great sport. It's loved by the people. That will be shown at the Masters, and at the Crucible as well. The game will always survive. We'll have bumps along the road, but the game will always survive."
On winning the World Championship...
"You never get tired of it. From the first time I say Alex Higgins win in 82, and Dennis win in 85, that was my dream. To become part of snooker history, it was just magical. It's a very, very special moment. It's hard to describe your feelings at that moment, and also your feelings since then. Stories, people that have got so much joy from it. It was a very proud moment for (his mother) and all my family.
"The best year of my life. Came down in an open-top bus, stopped crying for three hours in Dublin. Got a phone call from Alex Ferguson to come and parade the trophy at Old Trafford. Went out in the middle of Croke Park. A lot of great experiences and I'll always carry them with me and never get tired of talking about it."
On the Masters...
"The first time I played (the Masters), just to play there, the atmosphere at the Conference Centre... the walk up those steps. It's almost a bit like Gladiator, when he comes up the steps, into the amphitheatre. It hits you, the noise. Over the years, playing Jimmy White there, Steve Davis, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Stephen Hendry; I had some wonderful memories. When you look back, I was very privileged to play in the Conference Centre.
"One of my regrets is not being able to play at the Ally Pally, because the atmosphere over the years has just got better and better. I'm sure it's going to be the same this year. Going back to those Conference days, the hairs at the back of your neck used to stand up. You had a long walk, you're called into the arena... it was quite incredible."
On missing black for a Masters 147
"I didn't like the colour of the car (the prize for a maximum)! It was yellow, who wants a yellow car? It's only worth £80,000, more than my apartment at the time. It wouldn't have been good for the environment. I'm a real Green Party follower... that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!
"If you go on YouTube, it's headlined as 'nightmare miss', just to keep me reminded of it."
On his Masters wins and big regret...
"I beat Ronnie 5-4, and I played really well. Any time you play Jimmy or Ronnie there at the Masters, it's just such a special feeling. The only one I'd have loved to play there that I didn't was Alex Higgins. Playing the greats there like Hendry, Davis, O'Sullivan, White and John Higgins was just fantastic.
"I got very close to winning it. I was 8-6 up to Higgins in the final and lost 10-8, I lost that other one against Matthew Stevens where I missed the black, 10-8 as well. I was reminded that Hendry beat me 6-5 the year he lost to Mark Williams 9-8 in that dramatic final on the black ball. It's one of those regrets that I didn't get my hands on the Masters trophy.
On his White-wash...
"It was very quiet! They were very loud at the beginning but they were very quiet at the end. It was great. Any time you play Jimmy, the atmosphere is always electric. They were so noisy, so vociferous. We love that, and it's the same at Ally Pally. I loved the noise, as long as they're not shouting when you're down on the shot."
Talking Snooker is back, with our first episode of 2023 looking ahead to the Masters in the company of the one and only Ken Doherty.
— Talking Snooker (@TalkingSnooker) January 5, 2023
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On Robertson's tricky opener...
"I know Neil is the holder and he's been playing great, but it's a tricky one, this opener. I think Shaun will definitely have the confidence to beat him. Has he got enough of those matches under his belt if it comes really close? He's knocking on the door, you can see a really good performance in him this year, and this could be it.
"It might be the right time to catch Neil Robertson, the very first match after Christmas. It's an interesting opener. This could grace any final and I think Murphy could really test Robertson."
On why he fancies Mark Allen...
"He's got momentum, he's got confidence, he's playing so well. He's shed all that weight during the summer, which has obviously helped his game. He's feeling good about himself, he's scoring really well, and he's going to be a big danger.
"He's won the tournament before as well, so he's going to be very tough to beat. Barry Hawkins might put it up to him a little bit (in round one), but Allen should be too strong scoring-wise in this match."