A determined Ali Carter could be the dark horse in Shanghai this week.
The Captain has produced some of his best form this season already in China with a run to the last four of the China Championship and the quarter-finals at the International Championship – and is gunning to go all the way this time.
He’s now through to the last 32 in the Shanghai Masters after a solid 5-3 win against Grimsby’s Stuart Carrington and will fancy the job of lifting the title to evoke fond memories of winning the title here back in 2010.
Ali has always been a much-loved player among snooker’s fanbase and would be a popular winner if he can become another different winner in a season which has so far seen the silverware shared evenly around.
His technique is so solid that he always find a way to play well even when conditions aren’t tip top. It’s well documented that Carter has been through his fair share of tough times off the table due to ill health and it’s likely this helps him to put things on the table into a refreshing perspective. He just turns up at events, gives it his all and hits spells of form where he looks like he can beat anyone. While a lot of players around him seem to bemoan the travel demands of events in China, Carter just gets on with the job in hand and looks like he’s closing in on a really decent run.
Already a four-time ranking event winner, a fifth title here would also mark the first time he’s managed to win titles in back-to-back seasons – a difficult feat in an era when competition for titles is fierce.
Next up for Carter is a match against Stephen Maguire who he beat in Daqing last month.
