Hossein Vafaei: ''I Feel This Is Just The Beginning For Me''

Late replacement Vafaei stunned Mark Selby in his first ever match at Alexandra Palace on Sunday night
07:00, 10 Jan 2023

Hossein Vafaei played like a Masters veteran in his emphatic and fully deserved victory over three-time winner Mark Selby on Sunday night. But it was the Iranian’s first match at Alexandra Palace, as one of two players to benefit from suspensions over the biggest match-fixing investigation in snooker’s history. 

And the 28-year-old almost missed the call from WST chief executive Simon Brownell just four days before informing him that Zhao Xintong, one of 10 Chinese players temporarily banned, had decided not to appeal and would not be taking his place in the line-up of the prestigious tournament usually exclusively reserved for the top 16 players in the world. 

Former Shootout winner Vafaei, the first Iranian ever to grace this stage, loved every minute of the best atmosphere on tour created by a sell-out and raucous London crowd of 2,000. And you suspect the very best days for this late developer whose formative career was almost destroyed by diplomatic problems and visa issues, all lie ahead of him.

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Vafaei, who sports a black armband “in support of my people” at a time of huge protests and a brutal government crackdown in his home country, said: “It was a great call to get for me. I was a bit shocked to get the late invitation when they told me, because I had been dreaming about playing at Alexandra Palace for years. 

“When I was practising before it I wondered if there was something, a slight chance I might be playing because of the suspensions. We had No17 David Gilbert from outside the top 16 come in first. I actually got it wrong and thought I had been No17 but found out I was No18, but I just felt it was worth staying sharp and being ready in case. 

Hossein Vafaei is 18/1 to win the Masters with Betfred*

“Then Zhao Xintong got suspended. But when the call came to me I very nearly didn’t answer, I just thought it was another person trying to sell me something. But then it was Simon Brownell from WST saying ‘Hi, is that Hossein…you are in the Masters for the first time’. 

“Ali Carter replaced Ronnie O’Sullivan a couple of years ago and got to the final – so let’s see. I love to compete in the big events in front of big crowds when it really matters. 

“This is the Masters, with so much history behind this event. It is one of the most famous tournaments and to be seen as a good player you have to control yourself in front of 2,000 London fans. 

“And you need to get them on your side, and I felt that during the game. I got a lot of positive energy from them, and hopefully I gave something back. I like it here, I like being here and I don’t want to go home – I want to stay in the event for as long as I possibly can. 

“What happened to the other players suspended is bad, and sad news for them and the sport. Some people are worried about what might happen in snooker markets like China, but I think the love for the game is still there and we are all working to show how great snooker is. 

“A lot of people are not happy at home in Iran at the moment because of the situation and everything is happening. I try my best to make my people proud, this is what I can do – and I just want to be with my people. 

“It is a beautiful game. I have followed my passion and one day you can get what you really want. The past, where I was and where I am now…just sitting in the chair playing Mark I was dreaming a bit about how I got here, and that I had to play and show my best and prove I deserve to be here. 

“I loved every second of my first Masters match. Every player wants to play Alexandra Palace in a packed venue and it was amazing. 

“Nothing has been easy for me. Some people have had it easy because they were born somewhere where everything is easy for them. But for others…I don’t want to get involved in politics, but you can be born in some part of the world where it is hard to play snooker, and they have to learn everything for themselves. 

“And then trying to become a top player is not easy to do. You think you are a good player when you turn professional, and then on tour you find that level is a totally different game. And you change to how they are playing and practising – that takes many years of you going mental. 

“I feel this is the beginning for me, I haven’t done anything in the game yet. I never compare myself to anyone, but I am happy with what I have done until now. And especially because I have been through a lot and everything to this point has been so hard.”

John Higgins extended his own record with a 29th consecutive Masters appearance last night – but then made some far more unwanted history. 

World No6 Higgins has won the prestigious invitation tournament twice but the last of those occasions was 17 years ago way back in 2006. 

Higgins, 47, has not enjoyed much success at the current Alexandra Palace venue despite the arena providing the best atmosphere on tour with its sell-out 2,000 crowds. 

And there was more misery yesterday as Higgins slumped to 6-3 defeat to Jack Lisowski - tying Dennis Taylor with 14 opening-round defeats at the event. 

For world No12 Lisowski, though, there was a first ever Masters win at the fourth attempt, and some revenge for losing a classic Crucible quarter-final 13-12 last year. That win means he will now face Vafaei in the quarter-final. 

Higgins said: “I actually enjoy playing in this arena in the bearpit compared to say the Wembley Arena – but there were lapses in concentration and just misses that were unforgiveable. 

“I have a bit of a gap now between events and so I have time to  

Lisowski, who now faces Iran’s Hossein Vafaei, said: “It feels so good. In three previous times the most frames I had ever won was two. But I have grown as a player and now broken my duck.” 

*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject To Change

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