Quite a lot has gone on since my last news update in July. August and September have been manic with hardly any time at home to practice or see friends and family. Firstly, I went to Riga on 6th August for the first European Tour event where I lost in the first round. I was disappointed as I was hoping for a good start to get some ranking points for the order of merit. The week after I got back from Riga it was onto Leeds for the Home Internationals to play for Wales. We won the Prince of Wales shield last year and we successfully defended it this year with some good team performances. Our team this year which included myself with Duane Jones, Jamie Clarke and Rhydian Richards was beaten only once throughout the tournament with a good win over Scotland to take the title on the final day. After Leeds it was onto Germany a day later for the Paul Hunter Classic European Tour event. I won all my 3 qualifying matches to set up a match with World Number 5, Barry Hawkins. The match was shown live on Eurosport straight after Ronnie O'Sullivan's match so the venue was busy and it had a great atmosphere. I lost 4-1 to Barry after winning the first frame. I should have won the 3rd frame to go 2-1 up but didn't take my chances. This changed the match and Barry played very well after he nicked that frame on the black. I loved the experience playing on TV again and I felt good throughout the match. Can't wait for the next time I play on there! Following my performance in the IBSF World 6 Reds in Egypt in June I qualified for the Sangsom World Professional 6 Reds in Bangkok, Thailand from 1st-6th September. The first stage of the tournament is groups. I had 3 professionals and a former World Amateur Champion in my group which included top 16 players Stuart Bingham and Graeme Dott. I had to beat Dott in my last match to qualify but ended up losing 5-2 after being 2-0 up. I was disappointed to lose but I had played well all week against tough opposition in which I held my own against them. It's more great experience playing against the top players in such a big event. I hope I can qualify to play in the event again and also get to see more of Thailand. After Thailand I travelled to Singapore to see my sponsor Chris Chuah from www.edenresources.sg and to practice with some top players in SIngapore. I travelled there with Jamie Clarke and we met with Jessica Woods from Austrailia and CK Chan from SIngapore who are also sponsored by Chris. While I was in Singapore I celebrated my 26th birthday. It was the best birthday ever as I celebrated it at the Marina Bay Sands complex which is just out of this world. Singapore is my favourite place in the whole world, it's the best place on Earth! If anyone hasn't been then I suggest going to just see it once in your life. I have to thank Chris for his hospitality and generosity while I was over there as he made the trip taking us all for different types of food and sight seeing. I have put a gallery on my Facebook page if you would like to see some photographs. Next year around the same time there will be an invitation event taking place in Singapore and I have been invited to play in it. I'm already excited to be going back there! The week after that the Formula 1 Grand Prix takes place so I will stay on to watch that as well as I am into my cars and motor racing. I hope a British driver can win while I am there just like Lewis Hamilton did this weekend. I want to say a huge thanks to CK and Silver Tan for taking us about everywhere and showing us around Up next is another European Tour event in Bulgaria. Hopefully I can keep my good form up and pick up some valuable ranking points.
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