Last season saw Tom Ford burst into the top 16 of the world rankings, as well as go on a tremendous run to the International Championship final. The Leicester cueman will take part in the invitational version of the Shanghai Masters for the first time later this month and he is targeting a maiden Johnstone's Paint Masters appearance at the turn of the year...
Tom, how excited are you to head out to Shanghai to compete in just over a week's time?
“I’m looking forward to it. Shanghai has always been one of the places I’ve most enjoyed travelling to. Being there as a part of the top 16 is nice. I’m trying hard not to put myself under too much pressure having achieved that. It is hard to get into the top 16 but it is even harder to stay there. I’m going to enjoy the tournaments I’m being invited to. This should be a brilliant event and one I’m excited for.
“It is an achievement to get into the 16. I am happy about that. The hard work begins now though. There are a lot of pressures on you and expectations which come alongside being a top 16 player. Like I say, I am proud to be there and I will take it from here and try to climb a bit further."
What is your main target for the season ahead?
“I want to qualify for the Masters. I missed out on it last season and that was disappointing. I lost to Ding at the UK Championship and if I beat him I would have been in. I haven’t even been to watch before. I’ve never been to Alexandra Palace. I am putting all of my attention into that because the Masters is the only tournament that I’ve never played in before. It’s an event which everyone wants to be in."
What has allowed you to take that next step and reach the world's top 16?
“Working on the mental side of things. People that know me quite well will realise I have suffered in that area in the past. My game is there, but things can go wrong on the mental side. Working on it has been a huge thing for me. I had a little lapse at the Championship League. I wasn’t mentally ready to compete and that is why I had to pull out after just one match, missing the last two games. It would have done a lot more damage to me playing those extra two games. I’ve spoken to my mental coach Sabrina, worked on a few things and I am ready to go now for the new season.
“Normally I would have told myself to man up and play the two games. I think I have matured as a player. People may have thought it was silly to pull out but they don’t understand what I was going through or what others go through at certain times. I just thought that I would be right to pull out for myself personally."
You have had time to reflect on that International Championship final last year, where you lost out to Zhang Anda. Has it given you the confidence that you can go that next step and lift ranking silverware this season?
“I was disappointed with how I played in the final. I put too much pressure on myself. This season I am hoping that will be different. I’m trying not to put much pressure on and I’m going to take each event as it comes. I have that target of the Masters and I’m not going to think about anything else.
“You always need that confidence and I’ve never had that previously. There are players lower than me in the rankings going into events saying they are going there to win. I say to myself they must be deluded. Whereas I haven’t done that. I believe if I get my game right this year then I have a good chance of maybe trying to win something.
“There is a lot of mental work in this game. I think it is the hardest sport for that. You can do everything right and still get beat. It can properly mess with your head. The people that are so confident have it naturally. That is why the work I’m doing on my mentality is so important. It is easy to say that people have to be more confident but the key is how.”