Fresh from his English Open triumph, seven-time ranking event winner Ali Carter is targeting a long-awaited first Triple Crown title when the UK Championship returns to York Barbican from November 28 to December 6.
Ali Carter believes he is due a run at the UK Championship in York as he sets his sights on finally adding a coveted Triple Crown title to his CV.
The 47-year-old captured the seventh ranking event victory of his career last month with a superb 9-6 win over Welsh legend Mark Williams in the English Open final.
However, he is yet to win one of the sport’s big three titles, having twice finished runner-up at the World Championship and also lost two Masters finals. The Captain is setting his sights on putting that right.
Carter said: “I’ve got seven ranking events, so that puts me joint 16th on the all-time ranking title winners list. It hasn’t quite fell my way in those Triple Crown events and I’d love so much to win one.
“They don’t get given out in Cornflake packets, you need to earn them and it is tough. I am playing well and I’m really looking forward to the UK Championship this year.
“To a certain extent, all the stars need to line up for me. They lined up for me at the English Open, but they haven’t at a Triple Crown event yet.”
Carter has struggled to make an impression at the York Barbican in recent seasons and hasn’t appeared in a UK Championship semi-final since 2012.
He added: “I haven’t done any good at all in York in recent years. I don’t know why, there is obviously a certain amount of pressure which goes alongside those events. They feel that little bit more special. On the other hand, I feel like I am due a run in that tournament.”
World number 16 Carter’s English Open win was made all the more special by coming against such illustrious opposition as Williams. He’s previously lost finals against the Welshman’s fellow Class of 92 stars Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins.
“To play Mark Williams and get a win over a member of the Class of 92 was a big box ticked for me.
“It is an amazing achievement and it came out of nowhere. I didn’t really expect it. It was a massive win for me. I’m over the moon.”
The English Open triumph was particularly significant for Carter, who admits that his previous battles with serious illness have affected his memories of earlier career achievements.
He conquered cancer twice earlier in his career and has also battled Crohn's disease. Those health battles have left a lasting impact on the Essex cueman.
“That is a win I will remember. Those achievements in the past are almost like they happened to a different person.
“It is really strange and I don’t know how to explain it other than a reaction to the trauma of being ill. It must shut part of your brain down as the only way you can deal with it.
“Everything pre 2014 really is blacked out really. I had counselling and they told me that it was down to trauma.”
Book tickets now
Now Carter has the opportunity to create another special memory in York, where the world’s leading stars will battle it out for one of the sport’s most prestigious trophies.
The UK Championship takes place at the York Barbican from Saturday November 28th to Sunday December 6th.
A limited number of tickets remain for the tournament, which will see snooker's top stars battling for the first Triple Crown title of the campaign. Click here to book now.