Gosport potter Mark Lloyd set for biggest day in his snooker career
The greatest day in Mark Lloyd’s nascent snooker career has finally arrived as the Gosport potter gets set to play in a professional tournament for the first time.
The 19-year-old will head to Crawley tomorrow for the 19.com English Open, sharing the tables with the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump and Mark Selby in a tournament broadcast live by Eurosport.
Lloyd was given a wildcard thanks to winning this year’s English Under-21 Championship – with his shock news coming just two days after pocketing a modest £300 for winning the West of England Open.
Just one victory in Sussex will pocket the talented teen £3,000, but getting over the line won’t be easy, with world No.16 Joe Perry his first round opponent tomorrow afternoon.
Perry has been a professional for more years than Lloyd has been born – with the Gosport cueman just thrilled to get the chance to share space with some of the greatest names in snooker.
‘I was delighted when I saw the invite for the English Open,’ he said.
‘I wasn’t expecting an invite. So when I got it, I felt a bit of a buzz to know that I’ll be in a professional tournament for the first time.
‘I can’t wait to go there and play. What an experience it will be.’
Watch the English Open live on Eurosport and Eurosport Player with studio analysis from Ronnie O’Sullivan and Jimmy White