No rest for Lee as he hits the gym in Masters bid

Published on Saturday 19 January 2008 10:10

SNOOKER star Stephen Lee has revealed his battle to beat the bulge could yield him his first SAGA Insurance Masters crown.

The Wiltshire cueman dispensed with former world and UK champion Peter Ebdon in the quarter-finals of this year’s 460,000 showcase invitational event at Wembley Arena.

After an impressive 6-1 win, the world No.11 hopes his new fitness regime will help him lift the trophy tomorrow night. “I’m trying to lose weight,” said Lee. “I stopped drinking at New Year and I’ve been in the gym. You’ve got to give it chance.

“I don’t think this game is about fitness though, it’s about being calm. But I’m working hard at the moment.

“I need to lose weight because I’ve slipped down the provisional rankings, so I’m bang up for it.

“You don’t have to be fit to walk around a snooker table, but at the longer tournaments it does count more like the UK and World Championships.”

Lee reached the semi-finals of the Masters in 2000 and 2006, as well as the quarter-finals on two occasions – in 2003 and 2007.

But the Trowbridge-based professional has never won the famous crown in 10 attempts.

Dubliner Ken Doherty, twice a Masters finalist, was set to lock horns with debutant Mark Selby in the first of today’s semi-finals.

Both players fought back from 5-3 behind to win their quarter-final clashes 6-5 – and both are understandably hungry to secure a place in tomorrow’s best-of-19-frame final.

The second semi-final on the penultimate day of action will see Lee take on Hong Kong’s Marco Fu, a 6-3 winner over Chinese prodigy Ding Junhui last night.