Hossein Vafaei scored a huge win over three-time UK Championship winner Mark Selby in York late on Tuesday night to set up a last-16 clash with the lightning-fast Jack Lisowski at the Barbican Centre.
You would struggle to find a sportsperson anywhere more proud to represent their country on the international stage than the 28-year-old from Iran – but the current turmoil and huge civil unrest back home has seen world No20 Vafaei reduced to tears hearing the latest news.
There have been weeks of anti-government protests in Iran following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who had been arrested for infringing strict hijab rules. That has resulted in a government crackdown, with hundreds killed and many jailed for up to 10 years.
And Vafaei, who wore a black armband against Selby “for my people”, said: “It should be football-crazy in Iran ahead of the World Cup and the national team will do their very best to make the people happy.
“I know at the moment people in Iran are not happy but hopefully these days will pass and peace will come back to the people, and they can follow their dreams through their football team.
“It is very hard hearing and seeing the news from Iran these past few weeks. Sometimes when I see it I am crying seeing what is happening in my country.
“Some people from home ask me why I am even playing tournaments, and that I shouldn’t be doing that at the moment because the people are sad.
“But what am I supposed to do? I am sad too. I am one of the people, and no one special. I am one of them. No Iranian anywhere in the world is happy seeing the news.
“I just want it back to normal as soon as possible. The people are sad for those who have passed away, and who have died. We all know what is going on.
“And I feel pressure not even to be smiling, if there are pictures of me smiling then someone will say ‘why are you happy?’
“I hope the World Cup can give people something to enjoy. But if I am honest I have not followed the build-up like usual because of these other things.
“I do know Sardar Azmoun, one of the forwards – he is a good friend and we talk sometimes. And the defender Hossein Kanaanizadegan, he will be playing. I know a few of them.
“At the moment even I don’t care too much about football and the national team. There just more important things. And I am just looking to get some good results at the UK and maybe even win the tournament.
“I would love to win the tournament and offer the trophy to the Iranian people, just to do something.
@HVafaei147 is into the last 16.
#CazooUKChampionship | @CazooUK
“I was so pleased that I managed to beat Mark Selby, hang in there and compete with him on the safety. He is such a tough opponent, really, really tough - and I respect him a lot.”
Vafaei has lost five of his six meetings with Lisowski, with the only win coming six years ago. But he said: “I am playing Jack next and that should be a good game.
“To be honest I don’t care about the records, it is all about how you are feeling on the day. Maybe before I didn’t have a good feeling and wasn’t in a good situation to play good snooker.
“But it doesn’t matter how many times you did or didn’t play and win against this player or that player. It is about this tournament, what happens here and looking to the future.”
Though his reputation as an extremely awkward opponent even for the very best around is growing and there should soon be more titles to add to his success in the quickfire Shootout, Vafaei has been struggling with some aspects of his technique and the solitude of tour life.
He said: “These days I am always alone at tournaments and it is hard. Even when you win there is no one there to celebrate, no one there besides you to celebrate your success. That can be tough.
“I have been also struggling a bit with my technique this season, and before the UK wasn’t happy with the way I was playing and didn’t expect anything big, say at the Champion of Champions.
“I am trying to find ways to be happy with my game but I was learning all the time and knew I just needed to alter a few things to fix it and improve.
“I don’t have a coach or anyone and everything I learn is from my own mistakes – and that is probably really bad. But that is the way I do it and it looks like I’ll continue like that.
“I would certainly consider help from the right person who can really put me back on track again, but it has to be the right person and there are dangers if it isn’t – by changing too much.”
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