Ken Dahdi found the feeling in the recent Snooker Champions League. He was pleased with his performance and inspired himself to want to regain his peak – the one who won the 1997 World Championships and six ranking titles.
Since the 2006 Malta Cup, the 51-year-old Irishman has not reached the final of the Professional Snooker Ranking Tournament for 14 years. In last week's Champions League, Dahdi went through several stages of competition to reach the final ticket battle.
Dahdi's experience in this event is wonderful: in the second stage, he and Takaya Una points, the net win score is consistent, the win-loss relationship is equal, but he beat the Thais with 139 points to beat the Thais with 135 points in the E group.
In the final round of the group stage, he was expected to beat Joe Perry 3-0 to seal a place in the final and meet Judd Trump in the final, but unfortunately he was forced to draw 2-2 by his opponents, ranking third in the group.
At the end of last season, Dahdi lost his professional qualification due to unsatisfactory world rankings, but soon regained his two-year invitation card. This time in the Champions League, with Kenil Robertson and John Higgins, Dahdi is confident in the coming months.
Dahdi said: "I have beaten a few very good players and eliminated a few along the way, and I hope that this confidence will allow me to return to my former peak state, and I will be very happy if I can achieve it." I'm acting like going back in time, being able to play comfortably in the professional arena. ”
"That's the feeling I've been missing at the top and I suddenly realise how much I miss that feeling. I've got some good memories back, which is a good thing. Especially against John Higgins, we have contributed a lot of fierce confrontation over the years, I also beat him in the process of winning the world championship, and his first world championship was also won in the final. ”
While full of positive energy, Dahdi will also be disappointed by missing the opportunity to participate in the ranking final for the first time in 14 years. With a new two-year professional qualification, he decided to start with this Champions League and make the most of his professional identity.
"I'm only one game away from the final, I'm happy with my form, and I'm very sad after the game," Dahdi recalls of the unsuccessful impact on the final, "it would be great to meet Judd Trump in the final of the ranking match." It's been too long since I made it to the final, and it feels close and far away. ”
"Although I have a two-year invitation card, I also hope to deserve it, instead of making up two years, I want to train harder. When I was in England, I played more at Ding Junhui's academy and practiced with Jimmy White. Due to the racing calendar and the COVID-19 pandemic, I will stay in the UK for some time to come. It was nice to be with Jimmy, it was fun and he was a great friend. ”
"I don't know if I can win another ranking title, but I'm not going to lack desire. I love snooker, and if I can play good football for a few more years, I'd be willing to put in a 100% effort to see where I can get there. ”
Dahdi is still active on the top stage in Snooker, and his 12-year-old son Christian also started attending boarding school in the UK this year in a bid to become a tennis player. Christian attended the Reeds School in Surrey, where he had taught players like Tim Henman.
The Irish want these to be a valuable experience for their sons. He said: "Christian's coming to England to go to boarding school is a big deal, and a lot of things have happened to me recently, which has changed a lot in my life. It's also hard for him over there, but it's also a good opportunity for him to understand how difficult it is to go out and hope that he can improve his tennis level and practice more. ”
"I told him about my experience playing snooker at the age of 17 or 18, telling him to make a lot of sacrifices and choices, he made big decisions for himself, and I believe he will succeed. At the moment he is very attentive to training and coaching, everything is great. ”