King eyes last 8

[The Boss]

Essex snooker player Mark King is aiming to reach at least the quarter-finals of the World Snooker Championship, which starts on Saturday.

King has never reached the last eight of the competition and plays veteran Steve Davis in the first round.

He told BBC Essex: "I've never done that good in the World Championship, I've lost every way possible!"

"I just want to go there and give a good account of myself, I'm trying to consistently play at a decent level."

King, the world number 16, has been knocked out in the first or second round in each of his eleven previous visits to Sheffield.

"There's no other place like the Crucible, it's so compact and you can touch the audience from your seat."

"The excitement and the atmosphere in there is really good."

King begins his match against Davis on Monday night. The winner could face defending champion John Higgins in Round Two.

"He (Davis) will be a really tough player, I've got the utmost respect for Steve and if I don't play well I won't win," King said.

The Battle of Essex: The King faces the Emperor

[snooky147]

Absolutely no chance. I would not be surprised if Davis beat him.

[spike]

Absolutely no chance. I would not be surprised if Davis beat him.

I agree with you..

[ore]

Oh well, with Higgins and Robertson R1 exits, who knows... He really seems to be doing better lately.

[Mr P]

Not a chance. Davis will probably beat him.

[ian046]

got more chance of hull winning the premier league!!!

[m1sscue]

I don't think King has the attention span for the 17 days, his mind goes walk-abouts in most frames.

[matoski]

King is too good for Davis, but for his sake he should hope Higgins will lose to Hawkins (which is hard to believe). Second round defeat against Higgins is written all over it.

[Odrl]

He is favourite against Davis, but a huge underdog against Higgins. But you never know, Higgins could be out of sorts, which would give the other three players a chance. So I will vote for "yes", although I don't think he will of course.

[superaussie]

yes a good chance then robbo will stuff him in the quarters

[murdock]

King is too good for Davis, but for his sake he should hope Higgins will lose to Hawkins (which is hard to believe). Second round defeat against Higgins is written all over it.

King is too good for Davis??? Remind me, which one of them has won six world championships?

[superaussie]

King is too good for Davis??? Remind me, which one of them has won six world championships?

which one of them has been in top 16 the past few seasons

no point living in the past

[ste bed]

davis as a very good chance of beating king but i cant see either of them making it past the second round.

[murdock]

which one of them has been in top 16 the past few seasons

no point living in the past

For "past few seasons", see "this season and last season". This is only King's second season in the top 16 (other than a couple of seasons about ten years ago) and with rankings of only 15th and 16th in 2008/9 and 2009/10 respectively, I'd hardly call him a world beater. So stating that he's simply "too good" for Davis is, I believe, false (if someone said this about Higgins or O'Sullivan, then I wouldn't be "living in the past", I would agree). King may well win, but I don't believe that the gap between him and Steve (even with Steve's current form) is as large as you're implying...

[ore]

For "past few seasons", see "this season and last season". This is only King's second season in the top 16 (other than a couple of seasons about ten years ago) and with rankings of only 15th and 16th in 2008/9 and 2009/10 respectively, I'd hardly call him a world beater. So stating that he's simply "too good" for Davis is, I believe, false (if someone said this about Higgins or O'Sullivan, then I wouldn't be "living in the past", I would agree). King may well win, but I don't believe that the gap between him and Steve (even with Steve's current form) is as large as you're implying...

King got into top 16 recently, Davis fell out of it some time ago... can you follow the trend? :snooker: