{"id":6790,"date":"2026-04-15T03:46:08","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T03:46:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=6790"},"modified":"2026-04-15T03:46:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T03:46:08","slug":"veteran-world-snooker-championship-qualifier-says-he-has-no-chance-at-crucible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=6790","title":{"rendered":"Veteran World Snooker Championship qualifier says he has ‘no chance’ at Crucible"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n\t\t\"WST\t<\/div>
Two-time finalist Matthew Stevens does not fancy his Crucible chances (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Matthew Stevens is back at the Crucible for the first time in four years, but the 48-year-old is not getting carried away about his chances of World Snooker Championship glory.<\/p>\n

The popular Welsh player was a fixture at the business end of the World Championship during the late 90s and early 00s, reaching two finals and three more semi-finals.<\/p>\n

He never got his hands on the trophy, but came extremely close, losing 18-16 to Mark Williams in 2000 and by the same scoreline to Shaun Murphy in the 2005 final.<\/p>\n

A former UK Championship and Masters champion, Stevens has had a fantastic career, but over the last decade he has managed few deep runs and has settled firmly into the middle rankings.<\/p>\n

Still capable of brilliant stuff on his day, as he showed in an impressive 10-7 win over Stuart Bingham to return to the Crucible, Stevens accepts a lack of consistency means a World Championship title is out of his reach.<\/p>\n

\u2018Well, I couldn\u2019t win it when I was in my prime, so I can\u2019t see me winning it, obviously,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n

\n

\n\t\t\t\tAre you mad about snooker?\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
\n

You’re in the right place. I’m Phil Haigh, and I cover the game we all love for Metro<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

My new newsletter, The Table, is launching today and I’ll be going deep on all things snooker for you.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"A\t<\/div>
Phil has been reporting on snooker for over a decade, since working in World Snooker’s press office in 2012<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

I’ll be analysing the biggest talking points, breaking down frames and crowning the week’s winners and losers every Monday.<\/p>\n

Sign up here.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\u2018Look at the players you\u2019ve got to beat, the likes of [world champion Zhao] Xintong and all them players over three sessions. At the end of the day, I\u2019ve probably got no chance of winning it. <\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"International\t<\/div>
Stevens beat Peter Lines and Stuart Bingham to reach the Crucible (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018I\u2019ll just go there, and if I can cause an upset or two, then you never know what could happen.\u2019<\/p>\n

It is more realism than despondency from the former world number four, who downed world number one Judd Trump at the Xi\u2019an Grand Prix this season.<\/p>\n

\u2018Well, I keep saying it every year, but I haven\u2019t done it,\u2019 he said on his chances of adding any silverware to his collection. \u2018It\u2019s just keeping it up, I suppose. <\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019ve beaten Judd this year in China, and if you can beat someone like that, then it\u2019s just being more consistent. I\u2019m still a danger if I play well in any match.\u2019<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Matthew\t<\/div>
Stevens made his Crucible debut in 1998 (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Motivation can be an issue for Stevens, but he found some in his final qualifier against Bingham thanks to seeing how the bookmakers priced up the match.<\/p>\n

\u2018I didn\u2019t have many expectations coming here, really,\u2019 he said. \u2018I suppose when I won my first match against Peter [Lines], I obviously had the ranking points, and it\u2019s that different mindset when you go into a match against Stuart. <\/p>\n

\u2018He was a 1\/4, 1\/5 favourite and I looked at that and I thought, in my own mind, I don\u2019t think that\u2019s the right price. That gave me a little bit of a challenge, really, to prove people wrong. Motivation, definitely.\u2019<\/p>\n

\n

\n