No Practise, No Problem For Stevens Before Crucible Return

Matthew Stevens heads into snooker's biggest arena saying he hardly practices these days - and his array astatine location is of nan java variety.

The 48-year-old Welshman overcame heavy favoured erstwhile champion Stuart Bingham 10-7 astatine World Snooker Championship qualifying to book his spot astatine nan Crucible.

But Stevens admits to a "love-hate" narration pinch nan arena arsenic he carries nan scars of defeats successful nan 2000 and 2005 finals, while he past reached nan world showpiece successful 2022.

"I've had truthful galore bully wins there," Stevens said. "I've played successful nan one-table set-up six times I think, and I've sewage loads of scars from there, but I wouldn't alteration anything. I'd astir apt alteration 1 aliases 2 results, but that can't beryllium helped."

As he contemplated what lies ahead, Stevens has a penchant for avoiding veterans specified arsenic Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Williams arsenic good arsenic newer stars specified arsenic China's Zhao Xintong.

"I'd alternatively play nan Class of '62 [than 1 of nan Class of '92]. I don't want to play Xintong connected Saturday morning. I want to beryllium successful nan tourney longer than that," said Stevens successful a downbeat appraisal of his prospects.

But he will besides spell into nan tourney believing he tin still nutrient competitory performances.

"I tin still play decent now and again," he said. "I do play amended successful nan World Championship - must beryllium thing that clicks I suppose. I haven't really played overmuch snooker for nan past six months."