Snooker-Day aims for Welsh Open success and Fixture

16:49 GMT, Sunday, 15 February 2009

Venue: The Newport Centre Date 16-22 February Coverage: BBC Two Wales & BBC Sport website Day suffered a first-round exit in last month's Masters at Welmbley Three-times Welsh Open finalist Ryan Day is confident he can go one better and win the tournament to claim his first ranking title on home soil. Day, 28, the highest-ranked Welshman, starts his quest for victory in Newport against Michael Judge on Tuesday. "I'll just wait for my next opportunity. If I keep knocking on the door, eventually it will open for me," said the world number eight. "I don't think being the highest-ranked Welsh player adds to the pressure." Day has suffered two first-round exits recently, at the Maplin UK Championship in Telford and the Masters at Wembley. Those defeats, however, have not dented the Welshman's confidence, and he has set himself the target of winning what would be a special double for him - the Welsh Open and the World Championship. "My goals for the season are to get into the top four in the rankings and to win the World Championship," said Day. "I'm fifth in the provisional rankings at the moment so the first one is well within reach. The World Championship is open. Whoever gets their head together and plays well for two weeks can win it and I don't see why that can't be me." The other Welshmen competing in the seven-day tournament, which starts on February 16, are Matthew Stevens, Mark Williams and Dominic Dale. Carmarthen's Stevens will play Andy Hicks in a first-round qualifier on Monday, while Williams and Dale face David Gilbert and Liang Wenbo respectively on Monday. Mark Selby will begin the defence of his title on Tuesday when he lines up against Paul Davies, while world number one Ronnie O'Sullivan will play six-time world champion Steve Davis on Wednesday. On Monday, world number two Stephen Maguire will face Ian Preece and Mark Allen will play Joe Swail. FIRST ROUND (best of nine frames) Mark Selby (Eng) v Paul Davies (Wal) Joe Perry (Eng) v Mark Williams (Wal)/David Gilbert (Eng) Peter Ebdon (Eng) v Anthony Hamilton (Eng) Ryan Day (Wal) v Michael Judge (Ire) Ali Carter (Eng) v Jimmy White (Eng) Graeme Dott (Sco) v Mike Dunn (Eng) Mark King (Eng) v Dave Harold (Eng) Shaun Murphy (Eng) v Barry Pinches (Eng) Stephen Maguire (Sco) v Ian Preece (Wal) Ding Junhui (Chn) v Matthew Stevens (Wal)/Andy Hicks (Eng) Mark Allen (NI) v Joe Swail (NI) Stephen Hendry (Sco) v Martin Gould (Eng) John Higgins (Sco) v Dominic Dale (Wal)/Liang Wenbo (Chn) Neil Robertson (Aus) v Jamie Burnett (Sco) Marco Fu (HK) v Fergal O'Brien (Ire) Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng) v Steve Davis (Eng)