‘It’s a hell of rather a lot higher than final season, something’s higher than final season.’
That’s Oliver Brown’s assessment of his begin to the brand new snooker marketing campaign, which has seen him win extra prize cash earlier than the top of August than he did over the entire of final season.
It was a extremely powerful rookie marketing campaign for Brown which noticed him win simply three matches, however after a strong Championship League efficiency and wins on the European Masters and British Open qualifiers, he has matched that tally already this time spherical.
After beating Himanshu Jain 4-3 this week to achieve the primary phases of the British Open, Brown stated he has discovered a method of taking the stress off within the second 12 months of his two-year tour card, which is paying dividends.
‘I feel I’ve simply not put as a lot stress on it. I really feel much less underneath stress this 12 months, regardless that I’m preventing to remain on tour, than I did final 12 months, which is a bit nuts actually,’ Brown instructed Metro.co.uk.
‘Final 12 months I wished to get off to an excellent begin to take the stress off the second 12 months and I used to be most likely making an attempt too exhausting to win.
‘I had a number of powerful attracts that didn’t assist, however I really feel nice this season. I simply wish to knuckle down and maintain successful these first spherical matches.’
The 28-year-old has been on the fringes of the tour for a decade and eventually claimed his skilled place by successful the EBSA European Championship in October 2021.
That noticed him put a cease to working for his household’s scrap and recycling enterprise, however the timing was in some methods ultimate and a few methods difficult as he welcomed his first daughter into the world simply after turning professional, which surprisingly noticed him decide up his greatest scalp to this point simply hours later.
‘I wished to get on the tour for perhaps 10 years, to get on was an enormous achievement however the exhausting work begins then,’ he stated. ‘We had a bit child lady in July final 12 months. I performed Stephen Maguire three days later, I’d had perhaps seven hours sleep in three days, so my thoughts was on the child, I simply relaxed and performed rather well [winning 5-4 at the 2022 European Masters].
‘However after that I struggled, most likely making an attempt too exhausting to win, however this season I’ve knuckled down and it’s began properly.’
The Dronfield-based cueman says the arrival of his daughter has helped maintain snooker in perspective and he or she was very helpful to have round as he struggled for outcomes final season.
‘It’s not straightforward happening a dropping streak, you lose confidence, each recreation’s a pint of blood and it’s difficult to get into the successful mentality once more,’ he stated. ‘It’s all on you, it was powerful final 12 months however I’ve scrapped that from my thoughts and focussing on this 12 months now and it’s going alright.
‘There’s worse issues in life than a recreation of snooker. I wish to get to the highest of the sport however it’s a simply recreation of snooker, in the event you put much less stress on your self you’re going to get pleasure from it extra and that’s what I’m doing now.
‘It’s not like after a recreation of snooker I come residence and sit alone, win or lose she’ll be there, I stroll by way of the door and he or she’ll be smiling, It does make the dropping simpler.’
A extra fluent, aggressive and pure type of play is one thing Brown desires to deliver to the desk this season after discovering himself slowed down during the last marketing campaign as he struggled for confidence.
‘I felt like I used to be being too hesitant, making an attempt to cease gamers beating me somewhat than me beating them,’ he defined.
‘Within the World Championship qualifiers in April I used to be turning pictures down simply so I didn’t get beat. That’s not me in any respect. I’m not a sluggish participant, I am going for my pictures, that’s how I play.
‘For me to vary my recreation, it didn’t work in any respect. I’m glad now that I seen I modified my recreation within the Worlds as a result of I’ve bought straight out of it. I’m enjoying my very own recreation now, in each event I’m in.
‘All the pieces I’d go for in observe towards somebody, so long as it’s the suitable shot, that’s what I’ll do in matches.’
It has been an excellent begin to the brand new season however there’s a lengthy strategy to go for the world quantity 89, needing to crack the world’s high 64 or survive by way of the one-year listing to maintain maintain of his tour card, which stays the goal.
‘These first spherical wins, if I maintain them up, will stand me in good stead to remain on tour,’ he stated. ‘The goal is to get within the high 64, but it surely might be the one-year listing. Simply maintain successful now, that’s all I can do.’
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