Ryan Meikle admits he’s delighted to have upset everyone and wrecked the proposed Saturday blockbuster between Luke Littler and Fallon Sherrock.
The Ipswich barber cut The Queen of the Palace out of the Paddy Power World Championship. Sherrock would have faced Littler in a showpiece showdown, but now it’s Meikle who will try to halt The Nuke. He’s thrilled at the chance and said: “A hundred percent. I’ve seen it on Facebook and certain sports platforms, everyone wanted a Littler, Fallon second round, which I can understand, I’m not stupid.
“But secretly it gives me more motivation because I know how big it would have been if she played Littler on Saturday. I wanted to upset everyone, to be fair. She’s obviously a massive name and what she’s done for the ladies game is unbelievable, but tour wise, average wise, I always felt like I was the better player and I was the one that hit a few doubles and got through in the end.”
Meikle now has to face the teenage sensation, but isn’t frightened and continued: “I don’t look at it and think he’s 17-year-old. I just think how good he is, and I’ll probably admire him up there.
“Him and Luke Humphries, I love. I know he [Humphries] probably doesn’t get the credit he deserves for being world champion and I think he knows that, but I think they’re both on par.
“I’ve got to get myself ready, there’s no pressure on me. I’ll give it a good go and see what happens.”