I’m back in the frame! Hong Kong snooker star Marco Fu announces he’ll compete at the World Championship
Resurgent world No 9 decides to have another go at the Crucible just weeks after saying he’s still recovering from eye surgery
Hong Kong snooker star Marco Fu Ka-chun has given hope to his legion of fans by announcing he will compete in this month’s World Championship in Sheffield despite recovering from laser eye surgery.
The twice world championship semi-finalist astonished observers by posting on Facebook on Monday that his eyes were not “getting any better or worse” and that he had decided to give the Worlds another go, ending speculation when he might return from his sabbatical.
“Eyes are not any better or worse, anyway I’ve decided to play in this year’s World Championship. The support I got from everyone in the last few months was amazing, thank you all so much,” Fu posted on his Facebook page.
“Even though I had surgery and my retina problem has been rectified, I still have myodesopsia [floaters in the eyes] but it hasn’t gone worse. In bright lights, I still see floaters. This is the end of the quarter. The World Championship is the last event of the season,” he said.
“After the Worlds we have a few months’ rest. The most important thing is that I can go back to the table and play. This past week, I’ve already started practising. I want to do well at the Worlds.”
In early February, Fu painted a bleak picture of his future, saying he might have played his last match of his career due to eye problems but he did stress that he wasn’t going to hang up his cue so soon.
The world No 9 said that he had suffered retinal degeneration and myodesopsia in his left eye, prompting him to undergo laser surgery in Hong Kong in late December.
“I am taking a break at the moment and won’t take part in any tournament until I am fully recovered from my eye problems,” said Fu in February in a press conference that attracted a large group of media at a small coffee shop in Prince Edward.
“I don’t know how long it [the recovery process] will take, even the doctor cannot tell. Until I can resume training, I can only find out if I can regain my best level.”
“If I cannot stay competitive with the world’s top players I would call it a day, but at the moment it’s too early to talk about that.”
Fu’s decision to compete at the top level again will be a massive relief for fans who had feared that his career would be on hold for much longer. With his decision to play at the World Championship – from April 21 to May 7 – it means he will be able to complete his 20th year as a professional.
“2018 is an important year for me personally as this is my 20th anniversary as a pro snooker player,” said Fu back in late January.
Fu has reached the semi-finals of the World Championship twice – in 2006 and in 2016.
