Dott in sight of world title
Graeme Dott heads into the concluding day of the world snooker final needing just seven more frames for victory after building a healthy 11-5 lead over former champion Peter Ebdon.
Dott, 28, yet to win a major professional event after losing his four previous ranking finals, came through a marathon opening session here which did not end until 2345GMT Sunday.
It said much about the nature of the contest that the Scot was able to build his six-frame lead despite only producing a highest break of 62.
Englishman Ebdon, now based in Dubai, who is renowned for his concentration levels and ability to come through drawn out matches appeared drained by his final-frame win over Hong Kong's Marco Fu in the semi-finals.
Dott, beaten by Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final here at the Crucible Theatre in 2004, said: "The experience of being in the final two years ago is certainly helping. I keep saying this but I should be taken more seriously and to win the world title would be a dream come true.
"I was well in contention two years ago against Ronnie O'Sullivan up until the third session."
The prospect of having to witness the kind of endurance contest rarely seen in the modern era may well have explained why there were empty seats in what would would normally be a packed-out 900 capacity auditorium.
And with the first session restricted to six frames spanning nearly three hours it was easy to see why some spectators had stayed away.
But for snooker purists, the match was a throwback and a chance to appreciate some old-fashioned tactical skills.
Ebdon, who surrendered a 15-9 lead against Fu before winning through 17-16, produced the two highest breaks of the first day of the final - 63 in the opening frame and 89 in the 12th - but Dott capitalised on his opponent's errors and kept the 2002 world champion at bay.
And Dott, having upset the formbook to beat O'Sullivan 17-11 in the semi-finals, will not want to surrender his lead lightly.
AFP
