Ali Carter will be gunning for his second ranking title when he competes at this week’s China Open.

The Colchester-born star jetted out to the Far East on Friday ahead of his first-round date with Nigel Bond.

And he will be hoping to carry on where he left off, having just lifted his first ranking crown by winning the Welsh Open in Newport.

Carter, who grew up in Tiptree, beat Joe Swail 9-5 thanks to a blistering evening session which saw him recover from 5-2 down.

Now he is ready to switch his attention to the China Open – the last major competition before next month’s showpiece event, the 888.com World Championships.

The world number seven will lock horns with Bond in the first round and will be confident of making progress against the Derbyshire potter.

Like Carter, the 43-year-old, who turned professional in 1989, has one ranking title to his name – the British Open, which he won in 1996.

Another thing the pair have in common is the fact they are both losing finalists in the World Championships.

Carter memorably reached the final last year, before slithering to defeat against Essex rival Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Bond, ranked number 23 in the world, got there in 1995 but crashed to heavyweight Stephen Hendry.