AFTER receiving a standing ovation on his arrival to the arena, Chelmsford's Ali Carter was left to lament a disappointing display that prompted his premature UK Snooker Championship exit.
Carter's arrival at the York Barbican on Thursday was a momentous one – the 35-year-old's first ranking event since recovering from lung cancer earlier this year.
The two-time UK Championship semi-finalist, who also beat testicular cancer in 2013, was pitted against China's Zhang Anda in the opening round.
After opening up a 5-3 lead, within one frame away from victory and a place in the last 64, Carter was reeled in and overturned, losing 6-5.
And the former world No.2 – nicknamed 'The Captain' – insisted he played himself out of a place in the second round with a below-par performance.
"It was terrible from start to finish," he said. "To be honest it was an absolutely abysmal performance from me – very disappointing.
"It is a long way back for me as I've been through a lot the last six months, and I've got some serious work to do.
"I haven't had a match for seven months so that's probably why it didn't go so well. I was just terrible. I mean it's just embarrassing to play that badly, to be honest with you.
"But that's the way it is so I'll just have to get back to the drawing board and back to work."
Carter was at least able to take some consolation from the rousing reception he received from the Barbican crowd as he entered the arena on Thursday evening.
But despite the avid support, it was not meant to be – and his attentions now switch to next year's Masters event.
"The crowd support didn't really put any extra pressure on me," he added.
"I want to win for myself obviously first and foremost, but it is so disappointing to go out and not be able to produce it for the crowd. Unfortunately it just wasn't meant to be today.
"I'm definitely going to go away and work hard ahead of the Masters. It'll back to the drawing board and I'm looking forward to that."
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