Mark Davis, ever present on the World Snooker Tour since 1991, answers our questions...
Mark, what have you been up to this summer?
We went to Dubai in May because my son Jack lives there now. He’s in the building trade and he is working there. It’s a lovely place so it was great to spend some time there with him.
This will be your 34th consecutive season on tour, do you still have the same enthusiasm for snooker you have always had?
For playing in matches and tournaments – yes I still love it. The practice and travelling get tougher as you get older. But I still make sure I practise properly. I appreciate being a player now more than ever and make sure I don’t take it for granted. Just to be on tour for 34 years is an achievement in itself. I would love to have won more titles of course, and I’ve only got myself to blame for that. But I’m still here fighting!
Last season you had one ranking quarter-final and three more runs to the last 32 – how do you rate your game now?
I played some good stuff last season and I feel my results should have been better. In recent years, silly errors have crept into my game, particularly missing easy balls. That really hurts because you are often leaving the balls well placed for your opponent. The one really disappointing result at the end of last season was losing 10-9 to Ricky Walden on Judgement Day. I had a good chance to win 10-8 but didn’t take it and to miss out on the Crucible was hard because I would love to play there again.
Do you set targets for each season?
No – other than to win a tournament which has always been my biggest goal. I just go into every match trying to win. I work with Chris Henry so he’ll help me keep the right mindset. I go to see him in Bruges from time to time and those are always very productive sessions, and when he’s at my matches he always says the right things. Lee Walker coaches me on the technical side because that’s a different side of the game to what Chris teaches. I’m working on my fitness too, always trying to find ways to get better.
Finally, you are on the WPBSA Players Board, is it important to you to do what you can to help the sport succeed?
Yes, having been a pro for 34 years I can see things from a player’s side and I’d love to think that we are making the tour better for the younger players, compared to how it has been in the past. There is very good communication between our board members as well as between WPBSA and WST and it's important to have that regular dialogue.