WELSH OPEN SNOOKER
Venue: Newport Centre Date: Monday 25 - Sunday, 31 January
Coverage: Exclusively live on BBC TWO Wales and online, plus score updates on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio 5 Live and online
 Welshman Matthew Stevens is a two-time World Championship runner-up |
Matthew Stevens has set his sights on breaking back into the world's top 16 with a good showing at the Welsh Open. The 2000 Masters winner, now 26th in the world, meets Englishman Barry Pinches in a qualifier on Monday for a place in the first round. Reigning champion Ali Carter opens his campaign against Mark Davis on Monday. Ronnie O'Sullivan begins against Stuart Bingham on Tuesday, while Masters champion Mark Selby starts his bid against Judd Trump on Wednesday. Jimmy White and Ken Doherty both failed to qualify for the Newport Centre tournament. Stevens, the two-time World Championship runner-up, faces Pinches on Monday at 1300 GMT knowing victory will boost his chances of moving back into the top 16 - ensuring he will not have to qualify for major events.  | 606: DEBATE |
"That's the big goal for me this season, to get back into the top 16," said 32-year-old Stevens, who will face 2005 world champion Shaun Murphy in the first round if he beats Pinches "I'm a fair bit behind at the moment, but all it takes is one good week. "I've won all of my qualifying matches so far this season but in the last two tournaments I've played Ding Junhui and Ronnie O'Sullivan in the first round. "That shows how tough it is when you are outside the top 16 and why it's important for me to get back there." After an excellent campaign last year, Essex cueman Carter has struggled for form this season and is clinging to his place at number five in the world rankings. Carter lost to Mark Williams in the opening round of the Masters at Wembley and was beaten 5-0 by Liang Wenbo at the Shanghai Masters and 5-1 by Robert Milkins in the first round of the Grand Prix in October. However, the 30-year-old believes the Wales Open can provide the opportunity to piece his game together again. "I am looking forward to it," Carter told 110sport.tv. "I always seem to do well in Newport and it will be a whole new experience for me going in as defending champion. "Winning the tournament last year was great and I was really pleased with how I played in the final. "It seems so long ago now and I'd love to experience it all over again." World number six Ryan Day plays qualifier Tony Drago on Tuesday while fellow Welshman Dominic Dale will meet world number two Stephen Maguire. Outsider Dale knocked-out two-time Wales Open and six-time world champion Steve Davis in the qualifying round at Prestatyn. Former world number one Williams will take on Irishman Fergal O'Brien on Wednesday. Australian Neil Robertson will be eager to make up for the disappointment of losing to O'Sullivan in their first-round clash at the Masters when he starts against Chinese qualifier Liu Song on Monday. Meanwhile in Monday's other first round ties, Peter Ebdon takes on Barry Hawkins and Marco Fu faces Andrew Higginson.
WALES OPEN DRAW MONDAY Qualifier
Matthew Stevens v Barry Pinches (1300 GMT) Round One
Neil Robertson v Liu Song (1300 GMT)
Peter Ebdon v Barry Hawkins (1300 GMT)
Alistair Carter v Mark Davies (1900 GMT)
Marco Fu v Andrew Higginson (1900 GMT) TUESDAY Ronnie O'Sullivan v Stuart Bingham (1300 GMT)
Mark Allen v Tom Ford (1300 GMT)
Mark King v Marcus Campbell (1300 GMT)
Dominic Dale v Stephen Maguire (1500 GMT)
Shaun Murphy v Matthew Stevens/Barry Pinches (1500 GMT)
Stephen Hendry v David Harold (1900 GMT)
Ryan Day v Tony Drago (1900 GMT) WEDNESDAY
Ding Junhui v Jamie Cope (1300 GMT)
Mark Williams v Fergal O'Brien (1300 GMT)
Joe Perry v Graham Dott (1300 GMT)
Mark Selby v Judd Trump (1500 GMT)
John Higgins v Michael Judge (1500 GMT)
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