UK Championship 2014: Sam Baird targets snooker's top 64
- From the section Snooker
Sam Baird says he is targeting a place in the world's top 64 snooker players despite being knocked out of the UK Championship in the first round.
The 26-year-old from Devon is ranked 72 in the world and lost to 57th-ranked Robbie Williams 6-4 in York.
"I've not won loads of games, but won them in quite big tournaments, so I'm looking good," Baird told BBC Sport.
"Hopefully if I can keep winning the odd game steadily I could get into the top 64 at the end of next season."
Only players ranked in the top 64 are guaranteed a place on the World Snooker Tour.
Baird is guaranteed a place on the World Snooker Tour until the end of the 2015-16 season after and ending last season ranked 67 in the world.
But he says he is unhappy to have lost to Williams having been level with him at 4-4 before losing the final two frames.
"I'm playing well in patches and practice is fine, but this tournament I haven't played my best," he said.
"I had a few breaks but still missed enough to kind of have that doubt in my mind."