Star Quality

Matthew Stevens has had a better career than people realise

Watching Matthew Stevens in the Championship League this week evoked memories of a golden time for snooker, the turn of the millennium, where a talented crop of young players helped maintain the sport’s popularity in a period when it was not being well run.

It was a time where twenty-somethings thrived, Stevens among them. Far too often he is talked of as being an underachiever, but most players would be more than satisfied to end their careers as a Masters and UK champion.

Of course, Stevens lost in two World Championship finals having held healthy leads. He still has only one ranking title to his name, which does seem a poor return for such a talent.

But this does not take into account significant off-table trauma, notably the death of his father when Matthew was in his early 20s and then the tragic passing of his best friend, Paul Hunter, in 2006.

His record also ignores the era in which he was at his best. This was still a time when Stephen Hendry was winning titles. The Class of ’92 was thriving. There was Peter Ebdon, Ken Doherty, Stephen Lee, Hunter himself and various others acting as blockers to success, and then came Shaun Murphy, Neil Robertson, Mark Selby, Ding Junhui and Judd Trump.

Stevens reached eight ranking finals. He lost twice to Williams, to Higgins, O’Sullivan, Murphy, Robertson and Mark Allen. Hardly a matter for reproachment.

People also forget some of the other titles he won. Ranking events are prioritised but, in fact, you can get favourable draws in these tournaments if some big hitters go out early. In invitation events, this is less likely.

In 1999, Stevens, aged 22, won the Scottish Masters, an established and prestigious event for the world’s top eight players plus four wild cards. In the last three rounds he successively beat O’Sullivan, Williams and Higgins. How many other players can claim to have done this in a single tournament?

There’s no denying, though, that in snooker the World Championship casts a long shadow, standing as it does head and shoulders above all the others. Stevens has appeared in two Crucible finals and four semi-finals, a better record than most, including some players who have won the title.

Like Jimmy White and Ding, the fact that Stevens did not convert this good record into a title win has followed him around. It looked as if he would become champion 25 years ago when he led Williams 13-7 in the 2000 championship final, but his compatriot recovered to deny him 18-16.

Stevens led Murphy 10-6 overnight in the 2005 final but was beaten 18-16, Murphy demonstrating a poise and determination belying his 22 years.

Stevens remained a top 16 for a couple more years before a gradual decline set in. He is currently stationed 52^nd in the world rankings.

He admits he does not put in the hours of practice of his youth, although this isn’t unusual for a player in their late 40s.

Maybe he enjoyed himself away from the table too much as well, possibly an escape from some of the difficulties he has experienced.

Stevens has begun the new season well, winning his qualifying matches in the Wuhan and British Opens and his group at the Championship League. He said afterwards his aim was to have a deep run in a big event, to get that excitement back of being out of the qualifying environment and involved again at the business end of a tournament at a major venue.

I think many snooker fans would love to see this. Matthew has always been popular. At his best he plays an attractive game, has humility and wins and loses with grace.

The Class of ’92 are all older and still ranked in the top five, so it would be nice to think Stevens can yet enjoy a late career resurgence. He has too much star quality to be hidden away in the qualifiers.