World Ranking: 22
Provisional Ranking: 23
Date Of Birth: 28/03/04
World Championship best: Last 16 - 2001, 2002

After losing in the first round at the Crucible last year Mark King announced he would be hanging up his cue for good.

His mother had been charged with murder - she has since been convicted and jailed for life - and his form had gone to pot.

But it didn't take King long to make a U-turn and you suspect that he's glad he did.

He may have lost his place in the world's top 16 but King has found form just at the right time.

The man from Romford finished runner-up at the Irish Masters to Peter Ebdon and then also beat Matthew Stevens at the Players Championship before losing a final-frame thriller to world champion Mark Williams.

That sort of form has to bode well for Sheffield where King opens up against the out-of-sorts Graeme Dott - a player he thumped 6-2 in Dublin.

Could be an outsider to keep an eye on.