Rob Milkins is scrapping for his snooker future and is backing himself to win the fight for survival on the professional tour.
The Milkman has been a pro since 1995, winning two rankings titles and reaching a career high of number 12 in the world rankings.
After a lengthy wait for his first title he enjoyed a brilliant purple patch by winning the 2022 Gibraltar Open and the Welsh Open the following year, bursting back into the top 16 after a long spell away.
That brilliant form has tailed off badly, though, and he now finds himself in danger of ending the season outside of the world’s top 64 and therefore losing professional status.
The 49-year-old currently sits at number 57 but has a provisional end of season ranking of 66, so he needs wins to stay alive on tour.
He had a good run to the last 16 of the Xi’an Grand Prix, but frustratingly fell at the first hurdle at this week’s Northern Ireland Open, losing 4-3 to Mark Allen after taking the lead three times.
The Milkman still has plenty of chances to turn things around and does not sound concerned about his future, whether he has to face the prospect of coming through Q School to get back on tour or not.
‘If I fall off, I’ll get back straight on,’ Milkins told Metro. ‘I won’t quit, not straight away, anyway. If I fall off, I’ll go straight to Q School.
‘But that ain’t gonna happen, anyway. Definitely not. I’ll be winning something by the end of the season!’
On his slide down the rankings, he said: ‘It is what it is, isn’t it? I can’t do it no more than what I’m doing.
‘I shouldn’t be in that position, but no player’s too good to fall off. I’m just waiting for a run to come along. I don’t seem to get any runs anymore.’
Milkins has been working with coach Lee Walker on his alignment and feels his game is coming back to something like what he wants it to be.
‘I’ve been playing with a bit more freedom recently,’ he said. ‘When I was playing in these qualifiers at the start of the season, I’m all tensed up and I’m struggling. Even the ones I’m winning comfortably, I’m playing poor, really.
‘My game’s there. It’s not gone away. It’s getting better and better. I’ve been working with Lee. He always helps me out.
‘It is what it is. I’m just digging in there and see what happens. It’s going to be close. It’ll probably come down to the Worlds at the end of the season.’
Milkins has not qualified for the upcoming International Championship so will next be in action at the UK Championship next month.