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Originally Posted by BBC
Essex snooker star Ali Carter believes his first ranking event title had been on the cards for some time.
The 29-year-old from Chelmsford won the Welsh Open when he came from behind to beat Joe Swail 9-5 last month.
"Obviously I'd been to a world final and a few semi-finals, so I was getting to the business end of tournaments on a regular basis," Carter told BBC Essex.
"But I knew if I kept doing that one would come my way eventually and it has now, so I'm really pleased."
The 2008 World Championship runner-up is currently ranked number seven in the world and is one of the game's in-form players.
I was absolutely shattered when I played Ronnie, so this year it would be nice to play him again in the final and have another crack at him
Ali Carter on last year's World Championship final
He believes the recovery from being 5-2 down against Swail in Newport to lifting the trophy has put an end to any suggestions he could not handle big-game pressure.
"Generally people who say that I've choked it before don't know what they're talking about," he responds.
"People who say that have never been there themselves and don't know how hard it is to win a world ranking event, but now I can shut-up a lot of the doubters, I've got my first tournament under my belt."
Carter will head into this year's World Championship full of confidence and is keen to renew is Crucible rivalry with reigning champion Ronnie O'Sullivan.
"Obviously Ronnie beat me in the final last year and it was a real learning curve for me playing him," he recalls.
"I was absolutely shattered when I played him, so this year it would be nice to play him again in the final and have another crack at him."
The 29-year-old from Chelmsford won the Welsh Open when he came from behind to beat Joe Swail 9-5 last month.
"Obviously I'd been to a world final and a few semi-finals, so I was getting to the business end of tournaments on a regular basis," Carter told BBC Essex.
"But I knew if I kept doing that one would come my way eventually and it has now, so I'm really pleased."
The 2008 World Championship runner-up is currently ranked number seven in the world and is one of the game's in-form players.
I was absolutely shattered when I played Ronnie, so this year it would be nice to play him again in the final and have another crack at him
Ali Carter on last year's World Championship final
He believes the recovery from being 5-2 down against Swail in Newport to lifting the trophy has put an end to any suggestions he could not handle big-game pressure.
"Generally people who say that I've choked it before don't know what they're talking about," he responds.
"People who say that have never been there themselves and don't know how hard it is to win a world ranking event, but now I can shut-up a lot of the doubters, I've got my first tournament under my belt."
Carter will head into this year's World Championship full of confidence and is keen to renew is Crucible rivalry with reigning champion Ronnie O'Sullivan.
"Obviously Ronnie beat me in the final last year and it was a real learning curve for me playing him," he recalls.
"I was absolutely shattered when I played him, so this year it would be nice to play him again in the final and have another crack at him."