Matthew Stevens, the 48-year-old Welsh snooker veteran, has secured a dramatic return to the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, despite admitting he barely practices and has a "love-hate" relationship with the prestigious event.
Stevens, currently ranked 48th in the world, stunned former champion Stuart Bingham with a 10-7 victory in the qualifying rounds to book his place in the main draw. Remarkably, he revealed that his preparation has been far from conventional, with his home table being "of the coffee variety" and his training consisting largely of watching old YouTube videos of his past triumphs.
"I've had so many good wins there," Stevens reflected on the Crucible. "I've played in the one-table set-up six times I think, and I've got loads of scars from there, but I wouldn't change anything. I'd probably change one or two results, but that can't be helped."
The Welshman carries the weight of two heartbreaking final defeats in 2000 and 2005, yet he maintains a resilient outlook. As he prepares for the tournament running from Saturday, 18 April to Monday, 4 May, Stevens expressed a preference for avoiding both seasoned legends like Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Williams and emerging talents such as China's Zhao Xintong.
"I'd rather play the Class of '62 [than one of the Class of '92]. I don't want to play Xintong on Saturday morning. I want to be in the tournament longer than that," he said, offering a candid assessment of his prospects.
Despite his self-professed laziness and minimal practice over the past six months, Stevens believes he can still deliver competitive performances when it matters most. He pointed to a recent victory over Judd Trump in China as evidence that he remains a threat on his day.
"I can still play decent now and again," Stevens acknowledged. "I do play better in the World Championship—must be something that clicks I suppose. I'm still a danger if I play well and can win any match."
Away from the baize, Stevens spends most of his time "watching TV and chilling," but he used Bingham's status as a heavy favorite to fuel his qualifying victory. "I looked at that and thought in my own mind I don't think it's the right price and that gave me a bit of a challenge to prove people wrong," he explained.
As the snooker world turns its attention to Sheffield, Stevens' unconventional journey serves as a reminder that experience and determination can sometimes trump rigorous preparation in the high-stakes arena of the Crucible.