TONY DRAGO (Malta)

World Ranking: 10

Age: 33

World Championship best: Quarter-finalist (1988)

Best ranking event performance: Runner-up International Open 1997

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

Drago needs a good performance after slipping down to 20th in the provisional world rankings following a disappointing season.

That followed a good 97/98, which was the most successful season of his 12-year professional career.

He reached the final of a world ranking tournament for the first time at the International Open at Aberdeen.

One of the most exciting exponents of the game - and undoubtedly the fastest - Drago compiled a century break in just 210 seconds during the 1995 UK Championship.

He shared the highest televised break prize at the 1996 Embassy World Championship when he compiled a total clearance of 144, which equalled his previous highest tournament break.

Drago made his world championship debut in 1986 and his best peformance at The Cruicible came two years later, when he defeated Alex Higgins and Dennis Taylor on his way to the quarter-finals.

© PA Sporting Life