Drago pleased with top-48 return

Tony Drago has expressed his satisfaction at regaining a place among the top-48 players on the world tour.

The long-time Malta professional completed his commitments in the 2010/11 WSA tour earlier this month with a 10-8 defeat to England’s Jimmy Robertson in a World Championship qualifier.

Despite missing out on the chance to play at the Crucible Arena next month, Drago was nonetheless pleased about reaching his pre-season target of finishing in the top 48 of the WSA list as he is guaranteed to end the season ranked 46th.

“Looking back on the past year, I admit that my performances failed to reach the same standards of the season before last when I won a total of 17 matches on the tour,” Drago, who began the season ranked 55th, told reporters at the Grand Hotel Excelsior yesterday.

“Still, I can take many positives from the past season. My greatest satisfaction is that I have succeeded to reclaim a place among the top 48 players on the tour. This is a no mean feat, given the high level of competition on the professional circuit these days.

“My main objective now is to keep my place in the top echelons of the world tour and possibly try to climb the rankings. To achieve this, I must win my first qualifying matches at every tournament.” Drago’s last assignment on the pro­fessional tour were the world cham­pion­ship qualifiers in Sheffield.

The ‘Tornado’ was close to producing a sensational comeback win against Robertson. After trailing 9-4, the Valletta-born cueist won four frames in a row to move just one behind his opponent but then lost the 18th frame to go down 10-8.

Drago yesterday confessed that poor preparation for the tournament was to blame for his defeat to Robertson.

“My build-up to the world championship should have been much better,” Drago said.

“Instead of training with other players in the final days before the qualifiers, I opted to go to Sheffield and watch as many qualifiers as possible. The move backfired as I went into my match against Robertson lacking energy and I was made to pay for that.

“I found it very difficult to play to my best early on and was trailing 9-4 at one stage. Then, all of a sudden, I picked the pieces and started to play better to close the gap to 9-8. I missed some crucial balls in the next frame and Robertson closed the match. However, I accept that my preparation should have been much better.”

Now that his season is over, Drago is working to make good on a promise he made to his sponsors, the Grand Hotel Excelsior.

“When I signed my sponsorship deal with the Grand Hotel Excelsior, I told managing director Norbert Grixti that I wanted to organise a snooker tournament at this hotel,” Drago said.

“In the coming months, I will increase my efforts to fulfil this promise. My plan is to host an invitational tournament featuring four veteran players along with a number of leading names on the present tour.

“Although ranking events are no longer held here, Malta is still a very popular venue among the players and I’m sure they like to come here due to the hospitality and enthusiasm of the Maltese people and the country’s climate.”

Drago’s next commitment is the Euro Teams Championship, being held at the Dolmen Hotel this week.

“I’m looking forward to playing in this tournament,” Drago said.

“I have little information about our opponents as most of the players in the tournament are still amateurs. In fact, there are only three players who will start playing in the main tour next season.

“Our goal is to win the competition and I will do my best to help the Maltese team reach that goal.”