'Anything over 147 is really rare' – Marco Fu hits 149 break ahead of 2022 World Snooker Championship return
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Updated 31/03/2022 at 08:27 GMT
Marco Fu will make his return to the professional circuit after a two-year absence when he faces Ian Burns in the first round of the World Championship qualifiers at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield next week. The former Scottish Open champion looks to be in fine fettle after recording a rare 149 break against World No. 39 Noppon Saengkham of Thailand.
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Marco Fu feels a unique 149 break is "proof" that he is ready to return to the professional circuit at next week's World Championship qualifiers in Sheffield.
The former Grand Prix, Australian Open and Scottish Open holder last played a competitive match before the pandemic – losing 4-2 to Ding Junhui at the Welsh Open in February 2020 – but returns on a wild card to face Ian Burns on Tuesday afternoon in his first match of a possible four to reach the Crucible at the nearby English Institute of Sport.
The Hong Kong icon has twice reached the last four of the sport's biggest event in 2006 and 2016 and feels his game his sharpening up nicely after rolling in a 149 during a practice match with world No. 39 Noppon Saengkham.
“Anything over 147 is really rare, I am really happy with this special 149, it is not only because I broke my previous personal best of 148, but also a proof that I am improving day after day,” said Fu, whose match with world No. 111 Burns is LIVE at 2:30pm on Eurosport.
“I haven’t picked up my cue for about two months due to Covid-19 in Hong Kong, so I need to travel to the UK 10 days earlier to get in shape," added the former world No. 5, who required eye surgery in 2017 to rectify retinal degeneration as he feared for his career.
“For the first few days, I practised by myself, hoping to pick up some form before practising with some professional players here, there is still room for me to improve, to see if I can catch up with the top professionals before the qualifiers next Tuesday.”
According to the South China Morning Post, Fu also compiled a 148 break at the Hong Kong Sports Institute in November 2020 during a practice match with Chau Hon-man.
The 44-year-old is one of the heaviest scorers in snooker history. With 501 centuries made since turning professional in 1998, he is 12th on the sport's all-time list.
Latest Tour Championship results
Quarter-finals
Monday, March 28
- Zhao Xintong [1] 9-10 John Higgins [8]
Tuesday, March 29
- Neil Robertson [2] 10-6 Mark Allen [7]
Wednesday, March 30
- Ronnie O'Sullivan [3] 10-9 Mark Williams [6]
Thursday, March 31
- Judd Trump [4] v Luca Brecel [5]
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