Essex's Ali Carter hopes for good run at Masters

Ali Carter lost to Mark Joyce at the UK Championship at Telford last month

Essex's Ali Carter is hoping for an extended run at this year's Masters when it starts on Sunday.

Carter, who has struggled to make an impact at the tournament in the past, opens with a first round clash against Peter Ebdon at the Wembley Arena.

And he told BBC Essex: "I'm really up for it. I've never had a good run there and its a very prestigious event.

"I'll be trying my absolute hardest to get a few wins on the board, and get my name on the trophy."

Carter has dropped provisionally from second to seventh in the world rankings after losing to Mark Joyce in the first round of the UK Championship in Telford last month.

He put that early exit down to lack of practice, admitting: "I wasn't able to practise as much as I should have done. But I didn't think I'd drop five places."

Carter, who beat 2002 world champion Ebdon in the first round of the Masters two years ago, is hoping for a repeat, but admits that this year's table could take some getting used too.

"It does seem to run very quick at the Masters," he said. "I don't know if that's anything to do with the atmosphere there. I'll have to get used to it very quickly."