Matthew Stevens
Born	September 11, 1977 (1977-09-11) (age 30), Carmarthen
Nationality	Welsh
Nickname(s)	The Welsh Dragon
Professional	1994–
Highest ranking	#4 (2005/06)
2008/09 ranking	#17
Highest break	145 (1996, 2001)
Tournament wins
Ranking	1
Non-ranking	5

Matthew Stevens (born 11 September 1977, Carmarthen, Wales) is a Welsh professional snooker player. Turning professional in 1994, Stevens reached number six in the world rankings in 2000 and spent the next seven seasons in the top 8, peaking at #4 for 2005/2006. After the 2007 World Championships, Stevens has dropped out of the elite top 16 for the first time in 8 years. ^[1] His best results have been in the big tournaments, such as the UK Championship and World Championship as longer matches seem to suit his playing style. Known as a good breakbuilder, he has compiled 161 competitive centuries during his career, 11th on the all time list. ^[2] is the 254th day of the year (255th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... , Carmarthen (Welsh Caerfyrddin - caer fort + Myrddin Moridunum, Merlin [origin disputed]) is the county town of Carmarthenshire, Wales. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Wales_2. ... This article is about the country. ... The snooker world rankings are a system of ranking professional snooker players. ... The Snooker world rankings for the top 32 snooker players in the 2005/2006 season are listed below. ... In snooker, a break is the total score achieved by a player in a single visit to the table. ... is the 254th day of the year (255th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Carmarthen (Welsh Caerfyrddin - caer fort + Myrddin Moridunum, Merlin (origin disputed)) is the county town of Carmarthenshire, Wales. ... This article is about Welsh people who are considered to be an ethnic group and a nation. ... Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a large baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ... The snooker world rankings for the top 32 snooker players in the 2000/2001 season are listed below. ... The Snooker world rankings for the top 32 snooker players in the 2005/2006 season are listed below. ... The UK Championship is a professional snooker tournament, generally regarded as the second most prestigious tournament after the World Championship. ... For the results from the current Championship, see World Snooker Championship 2008. ...

Career

Stevens reached his first final at the 1998 Liverpool Victoria UK Championship, reaching the final before losing 10-6 to John Higgins. He has one ranking tournament victory: the UK Championship in 2003. The Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society Limited was founded in 1843. ... The UK Championship is a professional snooker tournament, generally regarded as the second most prestigious tournament after the World Championship. ... John Higgins (born May 18, 1975, Wishaw, North Lanarkshire) is a Scottish professional snooker player. ... This is a list of ranking professional snooker tournaments. ... The UK Championship is a professional snooker tournament, generally regarded as the second most prestigious tournament after the World Championship. ...

Stevens has never won the World Snooker Championship but has reached the final twice. In 2000 he reached the final but lost 16-18 to Mark Williams after having been up 10-6, 13-7 and then 14-10 with only the final session to play. Stevens became only the second player in the history of the world championship to lose in the final from holding a 4 frame overnight lead. In 2005 he was again runner-up, losing 16-18 to Shaun Murphy in the final, having been up 10-6 and then 12-11 with only the final session to play. Again Stevens relinquished a 4 frame overnight lead to lose in the final, only the third time this have ever happened. He has also been a beaten semi-finalist on three occasions in 2001, 2002 and 2004.^[3] In 2002 he looked certain to have won a place in the final leading Peter Ebdon 16-14 in their semi final tie, and just needed a relatively simple red in the 31st frame to leave his opponent needing snookers. Stevens missed the pot and Ebdon made a famous clearance to win the frame, and went on to take the next two to win the match. In 2007 he lost 12-13 to Murphy in the quarter finals having led 11-5 and 12-7, making him the first person to ever lose a best of 25 match from leading 12-7.^[1]. He qualified for the 2008 World Championship, with a 10-5 win over Rory McLeod. [1] In the 1st round he lost 10-5 to defending champion John Higgins (his first ever defeat in the first round proper), and he finished ranked outside the top 16 for the second consecutive season, for 2008/2009 he is ranked at 17. For the results from the current Championship, see World Snooker Championship 2008. ... Mark Williams (born 21 March 1975, Cwm, Wales) is a Welsh professional snooker player. ... Shaun Murphy (born August 10, 1982) is an English professional snooker player and the 2005 world snooker champion. ... Peter Ebdon (born August 27, 1970) is an English professional snooker player and current UK champion. ... Rory McLeod is the only professional snooker player of West Indian heritage. ... John Higgins (born May 18, 1975, Wishaw, North Lanarkshire) is a Scottish professional snooker player. ...

Like Ronnie O'Sullivan, Stevens is right-handed but sometimes plays certain shots left-handed if necessary. In 1998 he along with a couple of other players compiled three 147s in a one day event, the Buckleys Best Snooker Challenge, setting a new record. ^[4] Ronald Antonio Ronnie OSullivan (born December 5, 1975 in Wordsley, West Midlands)[1][2] nicknamed The Rocket (or more recently Mr. ...

When Stevens won the Benson & Hedges Masters in 2000, Ken Doherty missed the final black of a 147 attempt, the first time this has ever happened in professional televised tournament. The Masters, formerly the Benson & Hedges Masters is a professional snooker tournament. ... Ken Doherty (born September 17, 1969) is an Irish professional snooker player. ...

Personal Life

The unexpected death of his father, manager and friend Morrell^[4] in 2001 was tough on him. This caused Matthew to have an uneventful few seasons. Stevens and his wife Claire have a son, named Freddie Morrell who was born in 2004.^[3]

Matthew attended an all Welsh speaking school and, was not allowed to speak a word of English whilst there. From time to time Matthew and his close friend and fellow professional Mark J. Williams, will have Welsh-language conversations over the phone. For other persons of the same name, see Mark Williams. ...

Stevens was a pallbearer at close friend Paul Hunter's funeral.^[5] He is also a celebrity Texas hold 'em poker player and, in 2004 won the UK's richest poker tournament at just 27 years old, beating former World Darts champion Phil Taylor to first place. Stevens had only been playing poker for 18 months before his victory.^[6][7] A pallbearer is one of several funeral paranymphs who bears the casket of a deceased person from a religious or memorial service or viewing either directly to a cemetery or mausoleum, or to and from the hearse which does so. ... Wikinews has news related to: Snooker player Paul Hunter dies of cancer, age 27 Paul Alan Hunter (14 October 1978 – 9 October 2006) was an English professional snooker player. ... Texas hold em involves community cards available to all players (pictured here on the left). ... The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... For the British doo-wop revival band of the 1970s and 1980s, see Darts (band). ... For other persons named Phil Taylor, see Phil Taylor (disambiguation). ...

Tournament wins

Ranking events

• UK Championship (2003)

Other tournaments

• Benson & Hedges Championship – 1995
• Scottish Masters (1999)
• Benson & Hedges Masters (2000)
• Northern Ireland Trophy (2005)
• Pot Black Cup (2005)

The UK Championship is a professional snooker tournament, generally regarded as the second most prestigious tournament after the World Championship. ... The Benson & Hedges Championship was a professional snooker tournament, which ran from 1990 to 2002, sponsored by the tobacco company. ... The Scottish Masters, often known by its sponsored names, the Langs Scottish Masters or the Regal Scottish Masters, was a non-ranking professional snooker tournament held every year from 1981-2002 (except 1988). ... The Masters, formerly the Benson & Hedges Masters, is a professional snooker tournament. ... The Northern Ireland Trophy is a professional snooker tournament. ... Pot Black was a UK television snooker tournament that played a large part in the popularisation of the modern game. ...

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 60th day of the year (61st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 110th day of the year (111th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

External links

• Matthew Stevens profile at World Snooker