Ali Carter relishing world title bid as hot streak continues at Players Championship snooker – 'I'm at home there'
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ByEurosport
Updated 23/02/2023 at 08:20 GMT
Ali Carter admits he has one eye on mounting a serious challenge for the World Championship crown as his hot streak continues. The two-time Crucible runner-up won the German Masters earlier this month and booked his spot in the semi-finals of the Players Championship with a 6-1 rout of Welsh Open champion Robert Milkins. "I played great stuff. I can count on one hand the mistakes I made," he said.
'Right up there with Masters and World Championship' - Carter on German Masters win
Ali Carter has lost twice in World Championship finals to snooker GOAT Ronnie O'Sullivan, but feels his form is good enough to go one better in Sheffield this year.
Carter followed up his 6-5 victory over Judd Trump in the first round of the Players Championship with a 6-1 quarter-final drubbing of Welsh Open champion Robert Milkins on Wednesday night to reach the semi-finals in Wolverhampton.
After lifting a second German Masters title at the outset of the month with a 10-3 win against Tom Ford, Carter – a world finalist in 2008 and 2012 – admits he is finding top form at exactly the right time ahead of the sport's biggest event in April.
He made breaks of 66, 98, 65 and 75 against Milkins – the man who denied him a £150,000 European Order of Merit bonus by winning the Welsh Open on Sunday – to secure a semi-final meeting with Joe O'Connor or Luca Brecel on Friday night.
Carter is up to 15th in the world and is provisionally seeded 13th for the World Championship which means he will avoid a trip to the qualifiers after losing 10-8 to Matthew Stevens in the last 48 last year.
"I think my game is suited to the World Championship, I like the longer formats," said Carter, who has also reached the semi-finals and three quarter-finals after first qualifying for the Crucible 20 years ago.
"Obviously, I'm at home there, I've played there for many, many years and had a lot of success there.
"The only thing I haven't done is won it. My game is in the best shape. Who knows what can happen in the next few weeks?
"I'm just really positive. I'm a great believer in the bonus never came my way so something bigger and better is on its way to me."
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'This is what the whole week has been about' - Carter seals emphatic win over Ford to claim German
Carter admits his weekend could have been better after seeing Milkins deny him £150,000 with a 9-7 victory over Shaun Murphy in Llandudno, but refuses to accept he had any right to the bonus cash.
“It wasn’t the easiest of weekends," said Carter after emulating his 6-5 win over Milkins in the German Masters last four.
"I obviously wanted to win the money, of course I did, anyone would have in my position. However, I like Rob and I didn't want him to lose. He won so good on him.
"He didn't pinch it off me. He won the tournament so thoroughly deserved the bonus.
"That is in the past now. There is no point worrying about the past. Lets concentrate on the now.
“The confidence is really high. It is one match at a time, four matches to win the tournament and I’ve got two under my belt."
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