Flamboyant Crucible star, 52, credits first Sheffield outing in 10 YEARS to finding love again.. and her snooker mad dad

DOMINIC Dale is playing his best snooker for TEN years – and it’s all thanks to being in love.

The flamboyant potter was as surprised as anybody when he qualified for the Crucible for the first time since 2014.

The reason behind Spaceman’s resurgence, at the age of 52, is down to a settled home life back in Stroud, Gloucestershire, with Frenchwoman Anne.

Dale, who turned pro in 1992, explained: “We’ve been together coming up 11 months now. It’s going great.

“Having her in my life has given me purpose to practise more. She wants me to practise more.

“Her dad Jean watches Eurosport’s coverage all the time. He loves the snooker. He lives in France.

“We are going over there in early May to meet him and his sister Lauren. They are in a tiny village near Burgundy. It looks absolutely beautiful.

“Do you know, I haven’t been to France? Apart from going to Charles de Gaulle airport for a connecting flight. I’m learning French.

“Jean’s retired. He’s 75 or 76 now. He’ll be pleased to watch it on the television.

“He doesn’t speak much English at all. Literally just a couple of words. And my French leaves a lot to be desired!

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“If your life off the table is full of acrimony, it’s never going to help.

“The last five years I’ve been doing an hour to 90 minutes a day of practice. This last season I’ve done 2.5 to 3 hours a day.

“I’m very surprised it has made a difference. Jean will be amazed I’d imagine.”

Dale, who is a regular TV commentator at ranking tournaments, opens his account on Tuesday morning against No12 seed Kyren Wilson over the best of 19 frames.

He is the oldest qualifier since legendary Steve Davis turned back the years, aged 52, in 2010.

Dale said: “Can I win it? Well, that would be a dream – or a minor miracle. We will see. It’s a free hit absolutely.

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“The ranking points are fantastic. It stands me in very good stead for next season, which seems to start in two minutes’ time.

“I’ve looked at the schedule and it’s ridiculous to be honest. We will all be burned out in a couple of months.

“I’m proud of myself to get there and experience that fantastic walk down the steps again.

“It was probably 3-4 years ago that I was going to retire and I really would have done so.

“The governing body introduced this scheme whereby they were giving everybody £20,000.

“I thought: ‘Well, I can practise an hour a day if I want to. I can lose every match I play and I’d have still got that’.

DALE PREPARING STUNNING ATTIRES

“I might have just focused on the commentary and studio work and maybe done more of that. I’d have been very happy. But you are a long time retired.

“I’m delighted I have carried on now.

“It’s not going to be easy, it’ll be very tough. Your technique will be found out if it’s faltering. I’ll just do my best.

“I’ll enjoy it even if I get annihilated. If I’m 7-0 or 8-1 down after the first session, I’ll still be enjoying myself, because I’ll doing my best.”

Behind the scenes, as a throwback to an age when snooker stars were more adventurous and extrovert, he promises to don “certain 1960s suits”.

We may even see him wearing a hat backstage.

Dale, who has banked £20,000 in prize money, added: “It’s a strange one. I like to be the centre of attention but if you put me in the middle of a crowd, I hate it.

“If I go to my local pub, I like it when it’s quiet not when it’s really busy. But I love being in a space and being the centre of attention.

“Which you’ve got to do if you’re going play at the Crucible and perform there.”