Tony Drago – Malta

Age -                     40 (Born 22 September ‘65)

Based -                 London, England and Valletta, Malta

Nickname -            Tornado

Hobbies -               Movies and all sports

Cue Used -             John Parris

Achievements -      Runner-up 2005 Austria Open, Winner 2003 World Pool Masters. Bronze Medallist at 2003 World Pool Championship. Runner-Up 2005 Austrian Open. Finalist 2004 European Open Snooker. Winner 1997 China Snooker Masters Invitational. Ranked No.26 in Europe.

Drago’s previously stuttering pool career went into overdrive in 2003 as he followed up his terrific run at the World Pool Championship – he won a bronze medal – with victory in the World Pool Masters that year. Wins over Pagulayan, van den Berg, Strickland and Hsia saw him claim his first major pool title in style. Since that halcyon summer, Drago has become a top draw European pool player with high finishes on the Euro Tour including a runner-up spot to Markus Juva in Austria in May of last year.

Since taking up the game in the mid-90s, Drago has become a major enthusiast for 9-ball, travelling across Europe to play in tournaments for the sheer pleasure of it and during the summer months he will practice for up to eight hours a day against top class opposition.

Drago’s quick-fire play can terrify opponents as he is capable of running out racks in less than a minute and most top players would be delighted to avoid him in the draw. That said, the affable Malteser is highly popular with his fellow competitors.