World Champion Peter Ebdon answers your emails

Reigning champion Peter Ebdon takes time out ahead of the 2003 Embassy World Championship to answer your e-mails.

Saturday sees the start of the biggest snooker tournament in the world - the Embassy World Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

Report: Champion Ebdon aims for title double

Peter Ebdon faces a tough task to retain the title he claimed by beating Stephen Hendry in a dramatic final-frame finish last year.

Ronnie O'Sullivan and former champions Mark Williams, John Higgins and Stephen Hendry will all be keen to take his crown.

But Ebdon says he is fully prepared and feels in even better shape than when he won the tournament last year.

Firstly I would just like to say that last year's final was the greatest sporting moment of recent years - and many congratulations on that.

It's clear that your work ethic is second to none, and I think your attitude and approach to the sport could be just the ticket required to beat the curse of the Crucible. All I ask is that you do it in another final-frame decider! Cheers!

Kevin Cunningham, Edinburgh

Thank you very much! It is fantastic that people appreciate what you are doing. I work very, very hard and last year was a culmination of 17 years hard work. It is tremendous that people take the time out to appreciate all the hard work and effort that you put in.

Good luck at the Crucible. I only wanted to know what is the "procedure" before you go out for a match? How do you prepare yourself before the game?

Peter, Latvia

It is basically just relaxation and getting your mind focused on what you need to achieve, and the game in hand. I think it's very important to have an outcome in your mind of what you want to achieve. It's a personal thing for me - it's about getting myself up for a match and not about who I am playing.

Peter, you clearly think there is more to snooker than just practice. How much emphasis do you place on physical and mental fitness, particularly approaching a major tournament such as the Embassy World Championships?

Steve Bradley, York

Definitely for the World Championship, physical fitness is important especially for the latter stages of the event. Mentally everything you achieve in life, I suppose, originally came from a thought or a desire or goal that you wanted to achieve. So I think that the mental aspect of the game is very, very important.

Do you think your current form this season has been good enough to reclaim the title?

Nick Fisher, Wales

To be honest I don't think that current form has got too much to do with the World Championships. We play best of 19 and then best of 25 so I don't really think it has any relation to the shorter best of 9 tournaments. I am not too concerned about my form I have worked hard and I feel that I have arrived in Sheffield this year in better condition than I did last year.

What is your one defining memory from last year's championship? Do you believe you can repeat last year's performance and who do believe will be your greatest challengers?

Mark Horton,Walsall

I would imagine that would be lifting the trophy and being there with my daughter Clarissa and my wife Deborah. If I don't think I can repeat last year's performance it won't happen! So I suppose I do have to think it.

With regards to challengers, I am not too worried, I think it's my own game that I need to concentrate on. There are plenty of other good players out there doing their own thing so I have to make sure that I do my thing. I can't look past my first game against Gerard Greene, that is going to be a tough game. Gerry is a very, very good player.

What part of your game do you have to work on most in practice?

Dave James, Thurston, Suffolk

I think the safety game is the key especially in becoming World Champion. I played some very good safety last year and I will need to do that again this year. So I would say safety is the area that players have to focus on most.

Which player do you fear most going into this year's World Championship and why?

Chris Karoo, Manchester

I couldn't name one person in particular. There are probably eight or nine players in with a good chance of becoming World Champion over the next 17 days - I just have to make sure it is me!

I play snooker about twice every month and I'm wondering if I should buy a cue. Do you think a good cue makes a difference in performance and, if I should buy one, how much shall I spend on one?

Will Geddes, Isleworth Middlesex

No, I think if you are only playing twice a month it wouldn't make too much difference to your game - other than that you would get used to that cue. If you're only playing twice a month I would not recommend that you spend a lot of money on a cue.

Snooker seems to be a very close-knit community, with the same players often meeting each other in tournaments. Does friendship between players intensify the competitiveness of a match or make it harder to focus?

Graham Tong, Kent

I think it makes it harder to focus. That's one of the reasons why I have always kept my distance - not in an aloof way - from the other players. I have tried to be my own person and do what suits me best, and that's how I need to be to be as professional as I can possibly be. That's why you won't see me out drinking and socialising with the other players.

Good luck Peter. As you probably know, no first-time Embassy World Champion has made a successful defence of the title. I always remember Steve Davis losing 10 - 1 to Tony Knowles in 1982! Are you in the mood to create some history?

Ashley Spink, Stafford

I believe I am yes. I think it's a great opportunity. I don't think in terms of the Crucible jinx or the Crucible hoodoo for first time winners. I tend to think of it as a great opportunity to achieve something that no first-time winner has ever achieved before.

How much of a top-class snooker player do you think is natural talent and how much is down to coaching and practice?

Tom Herbert, Bristol

I think natural ability is essential, but like most things if somebody is prepared to put their mind to it and wants to achieve something then there is nothing that can stop them.

I have a good game but I fall down in the mental area. What can I do to improve my concentration and also my performance? Good luck in the Embassy!

Michael Wakefield, Australia

Thank you. There are various psychology courses that you can do, tapes that you can buy and books that you can read. I would suggest going into the psychology or self-development section in any good library and looking up the various authors and speakers and research the material available.

You seem to have a lot of respect for Jimmy White, is he your favourite player and if so why?

Mark Pearson, Newcastle England

I have a lot of respect for Jimmy because he and Steve Davis were my idols when I was growing up. Watching those two on TV is probably why I took up the game in the first place. I always like watching Ronnie play he is a fantastic talent. I have enjoyed watching Stephen Hendry playing over the years - although not when he has bashed me up in finals in the past!

Alright Ebbo! I'm a fan of yours, can you give me some tips on high break building? I can get 30-40 breaks and just break down.

Rick, Liverpool

It's just a case of practice I am afraid! That's all it is, the more you practice the better cue ball control you will get and when you have that your breaks will get better.

Your enthusiasm for the gee-gees has been well documented. Have you got any fancies for the Classics this season?

Ben Jones, Manchester

I have been told that Intercontinental is well fancied for the 1000 Guineas and maybe Vintage Tipple in the Irish Guineas. And in the Derby I like the look of Alamshar.