Dott out of Moscow

GRAEME DOTT has been forced to pull out of the World Series of Snooker in Moscow this weekend,  because wife Elaine is due to give birth to their second child.
Scotland's 2006 world champion, who has a four-year-old son, Lewis, was scheduled to play local hope Sergey Vasiliev on Saturday.
 Dott , who won the second leg of the World Series in Berlin  defeating another ex world champion Shaun Murphy 6-1 in the final , revealed: " I'm disappointed not to be going to Moscow with the rest of the lads but at the same time I'm just excited that I'm going to be a dad again.
 "The baby was due on Saturday so it could happen any minute now. It's the waiting for  Elaine and myself that is the hardest part.
"I was looking forward to Moscow having won in Berlin which was amazing, playing in front of the best crowd I've ever experienced. But right now my priority is my family."
 It has been a frustrating time  for Dott who broke his left wrist while playing football outside the players' hotel before last month's Shanghai Masters which saw him miss the ranking  event along with the Royal London Watches Grand Prix in Glasgow.
Dott did play in the Bahrain Championship earlier in the month but a lack of practice saw him lost 5-3 to Barry Pinches in his opening match. 
 Scot Pat Mooney, chief executive of World Series organisers  FSTC Sports Management, said:
"Graeme has kept us in touch with the situation on a day to day basis and given the circumstances it's totally understandable that he has decided to stay at home with Elaine.
"We'll all miss Graeme  in Moscow but will have our glasses charged and ready to toast the new arrival in the Dott family.
"There is nothing more important than Graeme, his wife and the good health of their baby.
"Graeme's withdrawal obviously means there is now an opening in the draw and we are  working  to bring in someone to fill that gap.
"It's not going to be a problem because players are jumping at the chance to join the World Series."
Twice former world champion John Higgins, winner of the opening World Series leg in Jersey, takes on Russian star Anton Ryabinin in his opening match, Mark Selby faces Ruslan Chinakhov,  while Ding Junhui - victor in Warsaw - confronts Sergey Isaenko.
 Dott's replacement will play Vasiliev.

by John Docherty