Hi Shaun, it would be fair to say that it’s been a mixed
season for you, with things certainly turning up for you in the last few
months. How would you sum up the whole season as we head into the World
Championships?
Definitely right with
word mixed. Been a strange really - a lesson in life maybe. I've been working
really hard for 12 months but it's taken 9-10 for the hard work to start paying
off. So the lesson must be to never give up.
Since we last spoke, you reached the semi-finals of the
Masters, with great performances against Ding Junhui and Marco Fu, but then
suffered a bad and upsetting defeat against Mark Selby. You said afterwards
that you may never win a big event again, and may have to start looking for
something else as well as snooker, did you really mean that?
What I should've said
was that it might be time to look into doing something as well as playing
snooker. Something that when it goes wrong doesn't hurt as much. To be fair I
was very upset and annoyed with the way I played that day and found it hard to
make sense of it afterwards. I’m lucky to have good people in my life who
wouldn't let me spiral.
In February you went on to win the Gdynia Open, you’re first
title of any kind since the 2011 Brazil Masters. How did that feel after all of
the work you’d put in, and how much of a confidence boost was that win?
Well they say it gets
darkest just before the dawn and I think in my case that was true. A matter of
days before Poland I was talking about moving on and doing other things so it
couldn't have been much worse to be honest. The sense of achievement to come
through that and win again was unreal. I'm still buzzing about it.
You also made your 3rd competitive 147 in the Gdynia Open
against Jamie Jones, but your first in front of a crowd. Was it nice to finally
get one in front of a crowd, and how did you feel afterwards?
Yeah it's a funny one
as the other two I'd made like you say were more private affairs. One in a
snooker club during the B & H championship, and the other at Crondon in
front of no one. I can honestly say that the nerves I felt making that break in
front of the crowd was the most nerve racking few minutes of my snooker life to
date. I was shaking clearing the colours and for about 30 minutes after!
You then went on to win the 5th group of the Championship
League quite comfortably, did the Championship League allow you to build to up
some form, confidence and valuable match practice?
That event has become
essential I believe to a players form once the New Year turns. It’s a great
chance to play yourself into form, something that I think I managed to do this
year.
You came into the Haikou World Open having not won a ranking
event for a whole 3 years, so did you have high hopes coming into it and what
were your feelings when you did win it?
Well having not won
one as you say for so long my feelings beforehand were pretty normal. I knew I
was playing well having one in Poland and then at Crondon so I had some
confidence but that means nothing really until you win something. I'd felt good
at other times in the last 3 years and come nowhere so I just got on with it.
How nice was it to see the rewards for your hard work on and
off the table pay off both in Gdynia and Haikou, as well as getting some
revenge on Mark Selby for a few recent defeats, none more than the Masters
defeat back in January?
Yeah it was very
personally rewarding to win those events and win them well playing some good
snooker throughout. After all that’s what we play for and I'd almost started to
think my winning days were gone.
Is it fair to say you had the most luck there you’ve ever
had in an event, winning 2 matches on black ball “flukes” so to speak?
Well the fluke I had
against Graeme to win 5-4 was nothing more than embarrassing. I didn’t know
where to look as it dropped or afterwards for that matter. It had been such a
good match up to that point so win it that way left me with mixed feelings. But
the "in-off" of Mark Allen to win 6-4 wasn't really anything to do
with me I guess. I just felt bad for him as he's a good mate of mine on and off
the table.
How much do you owe to your manager, coach and all of your
family around you for keeping you going in some of the darker years on the
table?
In a word -
everything. They've all been there for me in different capacities over the
years and I know there will be times I'll need their support again. That's the
ups and downs of playing sport for a living. You're not in direct control of
how it turns out and sometimes that’s quite hard to come to terms with.
What are your confidence levels like ahead of your bid to
win your second World Title then?
Yeah pretty good. It's
good to know I’m playing well again and I’ve prepared well for this year’s
tournament. Of course I’ve won it already so I’m not under the pressure of a Ding
or a Selby who many would say should've already won there so I can go and give
it my all without being bang under it I guess.
What would it mean for you to become a multiple world
champion, especially after winning your first at such a young age?
Winning it again would
be unreal to tell the truth. Winning it once changed my life completely so I've
no idea what a second one would mean. But it'd be nice to find out.
Last year’s world quarter-final between you and Judd was one
of the classic matches of 2013, was it disappointing not to reach the
semi-final having led 8-3 or was it just one of those matches you were proud to
be a part of?
It was a funny one
really because I don't really feel that I lost it so to speak. I felt he won
it. I was of course very upset to lose and miss out on the one table setup
which is our ultimate stage but that’s how it goes. He played really well when
it mattered at fair play to him for that.
Would you have preferred not to qualify for the China Open
to give you greater time to prepare for the World Championships and leave you
fresher for the big one, or do you think that’s irrelevant?
No for me it’s all in
the mind. Snooker isn't a strenuous sport and if you can handle the mental
pressures then I believe you can if you want to, play in everything. I know we
talk travelling to the Far East and how tiring it all is, but really, how hard
is it getting on a plane?
If you could go back in time to “that” Christmas. Would you
rather have the Steve Davis snooker table or the computer which you’d asked
for?
No I think I
definitely got the right present. I'd have got bored with the computer as I
have done with my Xbox and the still unwrapped games I’ve had for 3 years. With
snooker, I'm still and always will hooked by it and love it.
If you could re-live any frame, which frame would it be?
I guess the obvious
one would be the frame I played to win the world title in 2005 but I think if I’m
honest i'd like to go back and have another crack against Stephen Hendry at 4-1
ahead in The Masters in 2000 I think it was. I looked at the score board,
thought that can’t be right me 4 and him 1! I scored about 20 points after that
in the whole game and lost 6-4. It wasn't a great journey home I can tell you.
Which young snooker player from outside of the UK do you
think will be a big hit in years to come?
Very hard to say to be
honest. There are the Europeans that are coming with Luca Brecel being the
shining light so far but I think there will be some very very good talents from
China in the years to come. There are some frightening videos on YouTube of
young kids playing snooker to a high standard already.
If you could go onto any TV game show, which one would it
be?
Deal or no Deal. I
absolutely love the show. In fact my friend and I used to watch it every day
together come what may. I did apply for it years ago but I'm still to hear
haha.
I'd like to thank Shaun for taking part in this Q&A at this busy time of year for snooker players (and us bloggers too) and for his continued support of the blog this season, both through the good times and the bad times as well. Good Luck to him in his bid for a 2nd world title.
On a personal note, I hope you've enjoyed all of these interviews and look out for more features throughout the 17 days.
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