JOE PERRY is hoping he has turned a corner after producing his best performance in months in Wednesday s 5-3 Welsh Open first round defeat to Graeme Dott. The Chatteris snooker player has been enduring one of the worst periods of his 18-year career. He lo

JOE PERRY is hoping he has turned a corner after producing his best performance in months in Wednesday's 5-3 Welsh Open first round defeat to Graeme Dott.

The Chatteris snooker player has been enduring one of the worst periods of his 18-year career.

He lost 6-0 to Ryan Day in the Pokerstars.com Masters at Wembley earlier this month.

Perry said: "I'm more disappointed with this defeat than when I lost 6-0. It was the best I've played in a long time. I felt very good and only missed two balls but still lost.

"I was very unlucky with a couple of kicks and was punished. Both Graeme and I complained about the table afterwards.

"Snooker has a way of kicking you in the teeth when you're down and it's very frustrating.

"But I'll be over the moon if I continue to play like that this season. I've sought help from a few people, put a lot of extra time in on the practice table and made a massive improvement in my game. I really couldn't have asked to play any better."

Dott, the world No. 28, was due to take on either John Higgins or Michael Judge in the second round last night.

World No. 12 Perry's next match will be in China in eight weeks.