‘It’s a hell of a lot better than last season, anything’s better than last season.’
That is Oliver Brown’s review of his start to the new campaign, which has seen him win more prize money before the end of August than he did over the whole of last season.
It was a really tough rookie campaign for Brown which saw him win just three matches, but after a solid Championship League performance and wins at the European Masters and British Open qualifiers, he has matched that tally already this time round.
After beating Himanshu Jain 4-3 this week to reach the main stages of the British Open, Brown said he has found a way of taking the pressure off in the second year of his two-year tour card, which is paying dividends.
‘I think I’ve just not put as much pressure on it. I feel less under pressure this year, even though I’m fighting to stay on tour, than I did last year, which is a bit nuts really,’ Brown told Metro.co.uk.
‘Last year I wanted to get off to a good start to take the pressure off the second year and I was probably trying too hard to win.
‘I had a few tough draws that didn’t help, but I feel great this season. I just want to knuckle down and keep winning these first round matches.’
The 28-year-old has been on the fringes of the tour for a decade and finally claimed his professional place by winning the EBSA European Championship in October 2021.
That saw him put a stop to working for his family’s scrap and recycling business, but the timing was in some ways ideal and some ways tricky as he welcomed his first daughter into the world just after turning pro, which surprisingly saw him pick up his biggest scalp to date just hours later.
‘I wanted to get on the tour for maybe 10 years, to get on was a massive achievement but the hard work starts then,’ he said. ‘We had a little baby girl in July last year. I played Stephen Maguire three days later, I’d had maybe seven hours sleep in three days, so my mind was on the baby, I just relaxed and played really well [winning 5-4 at the 2022 European Masters].
‘But after that I struggled, probably trying too hard to win, but this season I’ve knuckled down and it’s started well.’
The Dronfield-based cueman says the arrival of his daughter has helped keep snooker in perspective and she was very handy to have around as he struggled for results last season.
‘It’s not easy going on a losing streak, you lose confidence, every game’s a pint of blood and it’s tricky to get into the winning mentality again,’ he said. ‘It’s all on you, it was tough last year but I’ve scrapped that from my mind and focussing on this year now and it’s going alright.
‘There’s worse things in life than a game of snooker. I want to get to the top of the game but it is a just game of snooker, if you put less pressure on yourself you’re going to enjoy it more and that’s what I’m doing now.
‘It’s not like after a game of snooker I come home and sit on my own, win or lose she’ll be there, I walk through the door and she’ll be smiling, It does make the losing easier.’
A more fluent, aggressive and natural style of play is something Brown wants to bring to the table this season after finding himself bogged down over the last campaign as he struggled for confidence.
‘I felt like I was being too hesitant, trying to stop players beating me rather than me beating them,’ he explained.
‘In the World Championship qualifiers in April I was turning shots down just so I didn’t get beat. That’s not me at all. I’m not a slow player, I go for my shots, that’s how I play.
‘For me to change my game, it didn’t work at all. I’m glad now that I noticed I changed my game in the Worlds because I’ve got straight out of it. I’m playing my own game now, in every tournament I’m in.
‘Everything I’d go for in practice against someone, as long as it’s the right shot, that’s what I’ll do in matches.’
It has been a good start to the new season but there is a long way to go for the world number 89, needing to crack the world’s top 64 or survive through the one-year list to keep hold of his tour card, which remains the aim.
‘These first round wins, if I keep them up, will stand me in good stead to stay on tour,’ he said. ‘The aim is to get in the top 64, but it could be the one-year list. Just keep winning now, that’s all I can do.’
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