Maguire still driven potty
Stephen Magui re admits he’s struggling for motivation after scraping through at the UK Championship.
Last year’s finalist is “terrified” of playing in the next round after seeing off world No. 54 Stuart Carrington 6- 4.
The Scot battled back from 3-1 and 4-3 down to progress at Milton Keynes’ Marshall Arena.
The match was played in a cubicle in the secondary room, a world away from the glitz of the TV tables.
Maguire said: “It terrifies me that I have to play another match. I didn’t enjoy any bit of that from start to finish.
“We both made a hundred in the first two frames but after that I won’t be watching the rerun. I find it hard to tell myself this is the important tournament it is. It’s hard enough on table one and two in the main arena. But it’s so hard in the backroom, it’s like you’re not part of a tournament.
“It’s really difficult to gee yourself up to try your hardest.
“I can’t believe I got through that – it’s a real bonus. Stuart missed so many chances, he must be devastated.”
It was an afternoon of Scots fightbacks as Maguire’s practice partner Anthony McGill beat Lu Haotian 6- 5 from 5- 4 down. The World Championship semi-finalist hit runs of 87, 84, 134, 74 and 50.
Defending champion Ding Junhui was dumped out by surprise package, world No. 65 David Grace, 6-5.
And the three-time champion slammed the table after surprisingly crashing out.
Ding said: “The table should be the best it can be but it was club level.
“I’ll go home and enjoy my own table.”
Two-time champion Ne i l Rob e r t s on thumped Chris Wakelin 6-1 with the Aussie hitting three centuries.