MARK KING (England)

World ranking: 16

Age: 25

World Championship best: Second round (1998)

Best ranking event performance: Runner-up - Welsh Open 1997

1998/99 ranking form: Grand Prix - R2, UK - R1, Irish - R1, Welsh - R1, Scottish - R1, Thailand - R2, China - R2, British - R3.

Mark King reached his first major final at the 1997 Regal Welsh Open, having beaten defending champion Mark Williams 6-5 in the semi-finals, he eventually lost out 9-2 to Stephen Hendry in the final.

Last season the left-hander from Romford, broke into the world top 16 after reaching the quarter-finals of the UK Championship, losing 9-2 to Stephen Lee, and the semi-finals in Newport, going down 6-5 to John Higgins.

He made his Crucible debut last year, beating Nigel Bond 10-5 before losing 13-9 to Matthew Stevens in round two.

King hasn't quite gone on from last year, with his best performance when he reached the last 16 at the British Open.

He lead Stephen Hendry 4-2 but then scored only 15 points in the final three frames and went out.

King needs a good performance to stay in the world top 16 next year as he is currently provisionally ranked at 16.

© PA Sporting Life