Snooker practice 'mundane' - Sydney Wilson

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Sydney Wilson
Image caption,

Sydney Wilson played in this year's Australian Open, reaching the last 96

Snooker player Sydney Wilson says practising to make it as a professional cueman can be "mundane and repetitive".

The 25-year-old from Southend won Q School in May to earn a first tour card and guarantee a chance to qualify for every ranking and European Tour event.

But he says that playing "between six to 10 hours a day" to improve your game can begin to get frustrating.

"You do get tired of it, it does get very mundane and repetitive, but it has to be done," he told BBC Essex.

What is Q School?

Qualifying or Q School is a way for amateur players to earn a tour card, which guarantees them a chance to qualify for all ranking tournaments and European Tour events.

Eight people earn a two-year card each year from two schools - four from each.

The aim at the end of the two years is to be in the world top 64, which will guarantee them another year on the tour without needing Q School again.

"I'm sure all of the guys who take the game seriously are putting in the serious hours," he added.

"I think the guys at the top of the game have already done all the hard graft in practice and got to a certain level where they are so good - they're playing all the time and in every tournament."

Wilson, who has played in amateur events from Gloucester to Barnsley and Doncaster, is currently at the Riga Open in Latvia and will play former world number one Judd Trump on Friday.

But he says that as he tries to make his way in the professional game, he needs to rely on his father for financial support.

"Currently my dad helps me a lot. He's essentially my sponsor," Wilson added.

"The idea of the whole thing is that someday I can pay him back."

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