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Metro
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Metro
Zak Surety on wild Crucible debut: They can't ever move from there - it's mad
Zak Surety had a very eventful debut at the World Snooker Championship this year and although he both loved and hated the experience, he was convinced that the 'mad' Crucible is the perfect home for the event. The 33-year-old enjoyed his best ever season by a long stretch, reaching a first semi-final at the World Open and finishing the campaign with a Crucible debut after brilliant performances in qualifying. At the iconic Sheffield theatre he faced Chinese superstar Ding Junhui and the pair produced an amazing opening round contest. Ding went 4-0 up as Surety struggled with the occasion and things looked very sticky for the Englishman at the first interval. 'At the start I walked out and sat in my seat and that was the strangest I've ever felt,' Surety told Metro. 'I've never felt that uncomfortable. My arms didn't feel part of my body. It felt like my tip didn't belong to me. Everything felt wrong. 'I've got myself in a bit of a state and I'm 4-0 down. I'm in the dressing room thinking I really don't want to go out there. It's your dream, but I just didn't want to go back out there because I was making myself look like an absolute idiot.' Surety has spoken openly about his struggles with anxiety before, so it is to his immense credit that he overcame those feelings in some style, starting with only losing that first session 6-3. 'I made a century the last frame of the first session,' he remembers. 'When the screen came up it was probably the best buzz I've ever had because it was the whole Crucible to myself. The noise in there! I was welling up as I got to 90 and thought, is this really me? 'Obviously then the second day I flew.' He certainly did, becoming the first player in Crucible history to make four centuries on debut and although he ultimately lost 10-7, he did anything but make himself look like an absolute idiot. 'I actually watched the second session back last week and I don't feel like it's me,' he said. 'It's just some random bald bloke on the tele. I'm watching it back and thinking, did that really happen? 'I felt weird after because I left, I've set a record, I've played well, I can go home and the pressure of it is all over. They're all talking about me on the tele, great position going into next season, everything's good. 'Then you're home and you think about it and that was such a good chance. I was playing so well, I could have done something there and it quickly goes from feeling quite content about the whole experience to being quite annoyed.' Mixed feelings sums up the Crucible experience as Surety's first game there epitomised the cliché that the venue is both the best and worst place to play snooker. 'I sat down and tried to convince myself it was going to be the best place on Earth, but you get it drummed into your head how you're meant to feel in there,' he said. 'Mark Allen asked me how I was feeling and told me that he was there for the 19th time and still struggles every time he walks out there. It's like it's normal. 'I watched the opening morning before travelling up and Steve Davis said on camera: 'I can't wait to watch the top players in the world squirm under the pressure of the Crucible.' I looked at my girlfriend and said: 'Bloody hell, that's me this year!'' 'Although I hated those first four frames, that's how I'm meant to feel. You sit there, look left and that's where Steve Davis picked up all them trophies. I was looking up at the lights on the roof and tearing up. How the hell am I here? You find yourself losing yourself in the history of the place. 'At the start it felt like the walls sucked in on me and you just notice every set of eyes in the whole arena. I thought they were on me, which they were, but you notice it. The next day I was flying and it was like no one else was in there.' Surety was a huge fan of the place before playing there, but is now convinced that the unique nature of the Crucible is why it should remain the home of the World Championship, beyond the current contract which ends in 2027. 'They can't ever move from there,' he said. 'It's just…it's mad. 'It's so small in there, I think you're only allowed two back stage passes, but it works because you walk into the Champions Lounge upstairs and there's Stephen Hendry. As I walked in he said: 'Great run in the World Open, well done for qualifying, I'm glad to see you doing well.' I'd never spoken to Stephen Hendry before! Things like that make it mad.' The challenge for Surety now is to build on the very encouraging end to last season and make it back to the Crucible next year, something he is working hard on. 'I lost to Ding on the Tuesday and I was back here in the club on the Wednesday,' he said. 'I quite like that time of year because you're not practising for anything, just playing and having a laugh.' More Trending The popular Essex star also had a summer of cue questions which has seen him chop, change and return to old faithful which arrived from eBay a decade ago. 'My cue's not the greatest. I love it, but it's an old Chinese cue that my dad picked up off eBay about 10 years ago for 130 quid,' he explained. 'There are a lot better cues, but it's obviously my own. 'John Parris has made me a new one and I used it for three or four days. I like using other cues as a bit of a challenge. I think I've made a century with near enough every bit of wood in the club. But when it's handed to you and this could be something you're going into the season with, I couldn't do it. 'I had to call John and say you can have your you're very expensive, beautiful cue back. I want me little piece of poo off eBay back and I I'm cracking on.' MORE: Wuhan Open and British Open draws made as Ronnie O'Sullivan enters both MORE: Stephen Hendry and Ken Doherty disagree on most underrated snooker player ever MORE: Anthony Hamilton reflects on epic career as Sheriff of Pottingham hands in his badge
Wales Online
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
World Snooker Championship star opens up about ‘horrendous' experience before Crucible
World Snooker Championship star opens up about 'horrendous' experience before Crucible Former World Snooker Champions Neil Robertson and Stephen Hendry have both had to go through the Judgement Day qualifying round in their careers Neil Robertson detailed his "horrific" experience on Judgement Day (Image: Tai Chengzhe/VCG via Getty Images ) Neil Robertson revealed his "horrendous" experience at attempting to qualify for the World Snooker Championship with fellow snooker icon Stephen Hendry. The Australian provided a behind-the-scenes look into the gruelling final qualifying round, known as Judgement Day, where 32 players compete for a coveted spot in the main draw against one of the 16 seeded players. To reach this stage, snooker stars must endure three initial rounds, culminating in the high-stakes Judgement Day, just days before the main tournament commences. After slipping out of the top 16 in the world rankings in 2024 following a semi-final loss at the World Open, Robertson faced the daunting task of navigating the qualifying rounds for the first time since 2006. His Judgement Day encounter ended in heartbreak, as he suffered a 10-9 defeat to Jamie Jones, marking his first absence from the major tournament draw in 20 years. During an appearance on Hendry's Cue Tips YouTube channel, Robertson reflected on the growing popularity of Judgement Day, which Hendry noted had "become quite a big thing". Article continues below The 43-year-old said: "It was horrendous to be a part of last year, as much as I was trying to talk it down and just be like, 'Oh yeah it's [fine].' Robertson discussed the concept of Judgement Day with Stephen Hendry (Image: @stephenhendryscuetips/YOUTUBE ) "It's just absolutely horrific because the players there, you can just sense their desperation, of everyone around you, and when I was there last year, all the players were just looking at me like, 'Oh my god, what are you even doing here.'" Hendry shared his own experience of Judgement Day from when he first retired in 2012, noting that the final qualifying round "wasn't built up like it is now". The Scotsman triumphed over Yu Delu 10-6 in the fourth round that year, but declared his first retirement from snooker after a loss to Stephen Maguire in the quarter-finals. Robertson did commend the organisation of Judgement Day for its professionalism, suggesting that it provides a good warm-up for the main event. Neil Robertson opened up about his experience on Judgement Day (Image:) He added: "In fairness, they've actually done a great job, they've set it up like basically almost like a venue. I don't know if you've seen it? "It's set up open, like a main venue now so tables one and two at the qualifiers for the World Championships, you actually feel as though you are playing at a venue – obviously just without the live TV cameras." Article continues below By the time of the 2025 World Championship, Robertson had climbed back into the top 16 of the overall rankings, allowing him to bypass Judgement Day. However, the former world No. 1 was knocked out early by Chris Wakelin, who beat him 10-8 in the first round. Zhao Xintong triumphed over Mark Williams in the final, making him the first World Champion from China, while Robertson didn't make it past the second round of the major tournament for the fourth consecutive year.
Scottish Sun
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Scots snooker legend eyes another world championship – despite suffering heart-breaking loss as he approaches 50
The world number three still has his eyes on the prize NIFTY AT 50 Scots snooker legend eyes another world championship – despite suffering heart-breaking loss as he approaches 50 JOHN HIGGINS will head for Dallas to mark his 50th birthday — and revel in the fact he retains his place at snooker's top table. Scotland's four-time world champion reached the half-century this week. 1 John Higgins in action Credit: Alamy The snooker circuit is hectic but there is time off now after the Crucible, where Higgins lost to Mark Williams in the quarter-finals — on the last ball of the last frame of a 13-12 defeat. This time last year there were concerns Higgins might call it quits and hang up his professional cue. But having won two tournaments this year — the World Open and the Tour Championship — after the agony of five straight defeats in ranking finals, there is renewed optimism for next term. Higgins said: 'There's no getting away from it, to be up the top still is a great achievement. 'When I think about the players who went before, they never really did that. We are in a stronger era as well, with tougher competition. I have to give myself a pat on the back for that. 'There were more ups-and-downs than any other season in a long time. When I take stock of it all, it is probably the best season I've had in more than six or seven years. 'I have to be thankful for that. I had a good run at the World Championship but fell to a good game with Mark Williams. I can't complain. 'I think it would be good to try and win another title in my 50s. I've won in my teens, my 20s, my 30s, my 40s and it would be good to go one further. That would be a great achievement.' Wife Denise will whisk Higgo off to Texas for his birthday and he added: 'I love the history. There's the Grassy Knoll, the book depository and all the things. I can't wait to see it all.' Celtic-daft snooker ace John Higgins aims brutal dig at Rangers after Hoops' title triumph Higgins also recently took part in the Helsinki International Snooker Cup. The Scot lost in the quarter-final to world number 17, Ali Carter. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Daily Record
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Stephen Hendry makes stance clear on snooker vs darts debate after Luke Humphries claim
The debate over what is harder - a nine-darter or a 147 break - has been a hot topic of conversation in recent times, and snooker legend Stephen Hendry has now had his say Stephen Hendry has partially sided with Luke Humphries in the ongoing debate between the worlds of darts and snooker. The argument hinges on which is more challenging - nailing a nine-darter or completing a 147 break. Snooker's Shaun Murphy has consistently fanned the flames, boasting that he has achieved both a nine-darter and a golfing hole-in-one, plus numerous maximum breaks throughout his career. The 2005 world champion ruffled feathers, particularly those of Humphries, during a charity event last year that featured players from both sports. Humphries opined that a 147 was trickier for an amateur, but less so for a pro. He said: "You don't play snooker, you don't play golf, you don't play darts - you give them a snooker cue, some darts and a golf club... I think they'd do the hole-in-one first, the nine-darter second and then the 147 last. I think that would be harder. But to a professional, I think a nine-darter is harder than a 147." In reply, Murphy joked: "I didn't know you were a comedian too." Humphries held his ground, retorting: "What's funny about that? "When you're a professional, you make it look easy to hit a 147. Stats show it too. In frames and legs of darts, there are more 147s than nine-darters." The world's top darts player, who has already guaranteed a spot in the Premier League play-offs with two nights to go, has surprisingly received support from snooker icon Hendry. The seven-time world champion, while faithful to his own sport, acknowledged that the amateur versus professional discussion adds an intriguing twist. "It was Luke Humphries that said it, if you took each sport as a professional... anyone can luck into a hole-in-one but if you're a professional trying to get one, that's very, very difficult," Hendry said on the Snooker Club podcast. "A darts player, under pressure, trying to get a nine-darter... Obviously, I still think the 147 [is harder], I'm always going to go that way because it's 36 shots of perfection. "But it does bring another argument into it if you say what is the hardest to do as a professional in competition?" Following his latest 147 break at the World Open in China against Zhou Jinhao in March, Murphy was told during an interview that he was providing darts players with "some ammunition" in the ongoing debate. He cheekily replied: "Maybe we're just better at what we do, I don't know. That has been said by some." He added: "In all seriousness, I never really wanted to compare the things. It started with me and [darts commentator and ex-player] Wayne Mardle having a drink, discussing which was more difficult. "I'm sure there are more things out there more difficult than each other. Listen, I've made snooker look very difficult at times. When it goes well, I'm really pleased."
Daily Mirror
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Stephen Hendry accepts part of Luke Humphries' point in darts vs snooker debate
The never-ending debate over what is harder - a nine-darter or a 147 break - has been given a new twist after Luke Humphries was backed by snooker legend Stephen Hendry Stephen Hendry has partially backed Luke Humphries amid a long-running snooker versus darts debate. The dispute over what is tougher - a nine-darter or a maximum break - is rumbling on. Shaun Murphy has regularly stirred the pot after claiming to have completed the unique treble of a nine-darter and a hole-in-one, as well as several maximum breaks in his top-level snooker career. Murphy and world darts No.1 Humphries clashed over the issue at a charity event involving players from both sports last year. Humphries said a 147 was tougher for an amateur player, but not so for a pro. He argued: "You don't play snooker, you don't play golf, you don't play darts - you give them a snooker cue, some darts and a golf club... "I think they'd do the hole-in-one first, the nine-darter second and then the 147 last. I think that would be harder. But to a professional, I think a nine-darter is harder than a 147." Overhearing, Murphy jokingly replied: "I didn't know you were a comedian too." Humphries then shot back: "What's funny about that? When you're a professional, you make it look easy to hit a 147. Stats show it too. In frames and legs of darts, there are more 147s than nine-darters." While remaining loyal to snooker, Hendry can see Humphries' point of view. Speaking on the Snooker Club podcast earlier this year, the seven-time Crucible champion said: "It was Luke Humphries that said it, if you took each sport as a professional... anyone can luck into a hole-in-one but if you're a professional trying to get one, that's very, very difficult. "A darts player, under pressure, trying to get a nine-darter... Obviously, I still think the 147 [is harder], I'm always going to go that way because it's 36 shots of perfection. But it does bring another argument into it if you say what is the hardest to do as a professional in competition? In March, Murphy couldn't resist another subtle dig at darts after hitting a maximum break at the World Open in China, saying: "Maybe we're just better at what we do, I don't know. That has been said by some." But he added: "In all seriousness, I never really wanted to compare the things. It started with me and [darts commentator and ex-player] Wayne Mardle having a drink, discussing which was more difficult. "I'm sure there are more things out there more difficult than each other. Listen, I've made snooker look very difficult at times. When it goes well, I'm really pleased."
