Marcus Campbell thinks his home crowd in Glasgow can help him achieve a place in the top 32 at the World Open in September.
Scottish cueman targets rankings rise with hometown advantage
Marcus Campbell has targeted a place in the top 32 in the world, and he thinks his home crowd in Glasgow can help him achieve that aim at the World Open in September.
Campbell has been on the circuit since 1991 but has never made it into the higher echelons of the sport, with his current world ranking of 40 being his highest ever spot.
The 37-year-old has been improving though and has risen 12 places in the last three years, and now he feels a place in the top 32 in the world is within his grasp.
Under new snooker chief Barry Hearn, the rankings will be updated throughout the season and not just before the start of each new campaign, and that could give lesser known players the chance to capitalize on a big tournament.
Campbell believes the World Open could be his chance, with his hometown of Glasgow staging the event at the SECC from September 18 to 26, and he is hoping the Scottish fans come out in support.
Certainty
"I think I'm virtually a certainty to get into the top 32, especially if I win my qualifying matches for the World Open," said Campbell.
"It would be fantastic to get through to my home tournament at the SECC; I qualified last year and brought a lot of family and friends along.
"I'm a better snooker player now than I've ever been. A couple of years ago I started practising with the likes of Stephen Maguire, John Higgins and Graeme Dott, and that's helped my ability to come out.
"I've put in a lot of hours on the table and it is paying off. My wife and I had our first child last year and the second one is on the way, so I'm treating snooker like a job and working hard at it, which is something I should have done years ago.
"There are a lot more tournaments now so it means you have always got something to work towards."
Campbell qualified for four tournament last year including the World Championship at the Crucible, but his best result is still his amazing 9-0 win over Stephen Hendry in the 1998 UK Championship.
The newly-introduced best-of-five frame matches in the World Open could lead to some more surprise results, with Campbell hoping to provide plenty of shocks.
"It definitely gives lower-ranked players the chance to beat the big boys," he said. "You have got to be very sharp as it's a pressure cooker right from the off. The standard is that high that you could see players lose 3-0 without potting a ball."
The qualifiers for the World Open will be staged at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield from August 21-24.
