Snooker: Stevens advances in difficult circumstances

Welsh snooker star Matthew Stevens played the toughest match of his career at the Malta Rothmans Grand Prix.

Stevens opted to take his place in the starting line-up despite the recent death of his father, Morrell, whose funeral was only last Thursday.

"My mind wasn't really on the job," admitted the 23-year-old World number six after an eventful opening 5-3 success over local professional Joe Grech.

"It's the first time I've picked up a cue for three weeks and I had thought about pulling out," he added. "But my dad would have wanted me to play so I did it for him.

"But after what's happened recently a snooker match doesn't really matter. It's a cruel world and I have just got to try and get on with it."

Tragedy almost followed Stevens to the George Cross island. He was in the middle of a match-winning break having trailed 3-0 when several cables attached to the television lighting rig snapped above his head.

"I thought the whole lot was going to come crashing down on me," said a startled Stevens. "I should be doing the 100 metres the speed I ran to get out of the way."

Play was suspended for several minutes before the cables were reattached to their couplings, and when the lights finally came back on Stevens went on to complete a decisive break of 80.

He now plays Stephen Hendry and victory over the seven times world champion will take him into the semi-finals.