Ali Carter: Masters 'dream come true' after cancer all-clear

Ali Carter, from Essex, was once ranked number two in the world

Two-time World Championship finalist Ali Carter is relishing the prospect of playing at the Masters after being given the all-clear by doctors.

Carter, 35, was told last year he had a cancerous tumour on his lung, months after beating testicular cancer.

"It's a dream come true to be playing in such a big event," he said before Tuesday's match against Barry Hawkins.

"When I think of where I was nine months ago, I wasn't even sure if I was going to be about any more. "

After his diagnosis in May, the Englishman missed the first five months of the 2014-15 snooker season, before winning the General Cup, a non-ranking event held in Hong Kong in October.

He then played in the Champions of Champions event in November and the UK Championship later that month before being given the all-clear by doctors.

"The support I've had from fans has been immense and humbling and I'm looking forward to getting a really good reception at the Masters," Carter told BBC Radio 5 live.

"Snooker is on top of my priority list to do well in, but there are other things in life that are more important than knocking balls around a table."

Carter faces Hawkins from 19:00 GMT, with five-time Masters champion Ronnie O'Sullivan playing Ricky Walden at 13:00 in an all-English Tuesday schedule at London's Alexandra Palace.