 Anthony Hamilton has made a strong start to his 33rd season as a professional snooker player, but he is eyeing up retirement and looking forward to it. The Sheriff of Pottingham turned 52 this year but is still ranked number 36 in the world, kicking off his latest campaign by winning his opening Championship League group and both his qualifiers at the European Masters and British Open. Hamilton can still mix it with the very best, but he is planning for the end of his career, which he reckons will come within the next three years. While he still enjoys his matches, and some of his practice, injuries have blighted him for years already and he is looking forward to putting the grind of preparation for tournaments behind him. Asked if he had treated himself to a break from snooker over the summer, Hamilton told Metro.co.uk: 'Oh God yeah, Jesus! I have as long a break as I can. 'After I retire I won't play another shot, that will be it, because if you have a week off now, you go back and it's like torture because you've lost all your feel. Extend that to a year and it's the last thing I'd want to do. 'When I'm about 70 and haven't played for years, I'd go to the local and have two Guinness with my mate and a best of five. That'd be great, not play one safety shot, make a s***ty 30 or 40 and just be happy with two Guinness at lunchtime. That sounds alright, that sounds like a good time. Anything other than that sounds like torture for no reason. Hamilton takes on Louis Heathcote at the European Masters this week (Picture: Getty Images) 'I enjoy playing matches still, they're a real buzz. I enjoy the build-up, practice-wise, but there has to be a carrot for practice. Playing without a carrot would be a day wasted. I'd do anything but that, I want to be outside, I want to do lots of travelling. You spend your whole life indoors because you have to. It's a nice thought of what you'd do after){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Anthony Hamilton has made a strong start to his 33rd season as a professional snooker player, but he is eyeing up retirement and looking forward to it.
The Sheriff of Pottingham turned 52 this year but is still ranked number 36 in the world, kicking off his latest campaign by winning his opening Championship League group and both his qualifiers at the European Masters and British Open.
Hamilton can still mix it with the very best, but he is planning for the end of his career, which he reckons will come within the next three years.
While he still enjoys his matches, and some of his practice, injuries have blighted him for years already and he is looking forward to putting the grind of preparation for tournaments behind him.