Blackpool snooker star James Cahill calls for public draws after latest first-round defeat by "top top player"

Top Blackpool potter James Cahill is calling on World Snooker to conduct tournament draws in public after his series of difficult first-round matches.
Blackpool's James Cahill lost in the English Open to John Higgins, the latest top-ranked player he has drawn in the first round of tournamentsBlackpool's James Cahill lost in the English Open to John Higgins, the latest top-ranked player he has drawn in the first round of tournaments
Blackpool's James Cahill lost in the English Open to John Higgins, the latest top-ranked player he has drawn in the first round of tournaments

Top Blackpool potter James Cahill is calling on World Snooker to conduct tournament draws in public after blasting his series of difficult firs- round matches.

The 24-year-old professional from Marton, who stunned Ronnie O’Sullivan at the 2019 World Championship, went down 4-2 to four-time world champion John Higgins in the first round of the English Open at Milton Keynes on Tuesday night.

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The world No.78 has met a string of top-ranked players in first round matches and reckons it’s time for transparency when conducting the draw.

Cahill said: “I don’t know who’s doing these draws but it seems to be every single time I get beat by a top-eight player.

“I think it needs to be done publicly. I don’t normally moan about the draws but it’s every event I’m drawing a top, top player first round.

“I’d like to see it done on YouTube and I don’t know the reason why they can’t do that. Last season I’ve drawn Judd (Trump) twice, (David) Gilbert twice, Mark Allen, Ronnie (O’Sullivan) ... the list is endless.

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“And then you see other people getting drawn against people you’re getting three or four chances a frame against.

“It makes a massive difference and when you’re drawing these sort of players it’s hard to get up and going, especially when you’re playing a guy as good as John Higgins.

“I don’t know who does it and I’m not saying I don’t trust people - it’s just how many times can you get a bad draw?

“Now I go home and practise five or six hours a day again for the next tournament and probably draw Judd first round again. I’m a bit of a flow player and it’s hard.”

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Cahill battled admirably at the Marshall Arena but a classy century from Higgins and two more 50-plus breaks proved his undoing.

The young talent composed visits of 92 and 78 to offer some resistance but was unable to prevent Higgins keep his pursuit of a 31st ranking event title alive.

Cahill will be hoping for a more favourable draw at the Northern Ireland Open next month, the second of four Home Nations Series events on the calendar as the globetrotting season continues.

And O'Sullivan's 2019 Crucible conqueror reckons it’s just a matter of time before his next giantkilling.

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He added: “Eventually it will hopefully turn around or I’ll beat one of these players, which I’m more than capable of and I could have done today.

“But on the laws of averages, when you’re drawing these players first round you’re going out half the time.

“I felt good out there and better than I’d done winning matches. The table’s nice but John’s a class act and he’s hard to beat.”

You can watch the snooker English Open live on Eurosport, Eurosport app and Quest.

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