Snooker star Graeme Dott reveals reason for shocking season as he bares all ahead of Crucible bid

Scottish snooker star Graeme Dott has revealed personal problems have led to his sorry season.

The 2006 world champion, 46, has plummeted to 54th in the official world rankings after a calamitous campaign as troubles behind the scenes have, understandably, taken priority. Earlier this season, Larkhall's Pocket Dynamo was turning up to tournaments without practicing. And Dott, who needs to win three gruelling qualifiers starting with Egypt’s Mostafa Dorgham, said: “It’s been a terrible season for me. The results haven’t been good enough, I know that.

“I’ve had some things going on off the table, which I’d rather not divulge. But it’s been tough, it has been hard if I’m honest. There was a time where I just wasn’t able to practice because all of my focus was on that. My only practice was the 20 minutes you get at the venue and you can’t expect to get results like that.

“I’m managing it better now. I’m able to cope with it better and that has really helped me. I’ve been able to practice ahead of the qualifiers and I qualified for China so that’s given me a bit of confidence as well. I’m going to be taking each match as it comes and we’ll see where it takes me.”

Dott has always saved his best for the World Championship and has been coined a Sheffield specialist. He reached three Crucible finals during his pomp, with the crowning glory of his career beating Peter Ebdon to lift the iconic trophy back in 2006.

But he has suffered heartache in the past four seasons by losing on Judgement Day, the final round of qualifying, with the Crucible within touching distance. And the former world No.2 added: “It’s been hard missing out on the Crucible in recent years. You don’t want to end your season in the qualifiers, let’s be honest.

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