Snooker Champion Relocates for 'Ideal' World Championship Prep – and It Works Wonders!

HOSSEIN VAFAEI has revealed the secret weapon behind his shocking run at the World Snooker Championship.

The world No32 was the only unseeded player to make it through a brutal first round at after defeating Si Jiahui.

Hossein Vafaei revealed he moved to Sheffield to gain an advantage at the Crucible Credit: PA The fine margins helped him stun World No1 Judd Trump on Sunday Credit: PA

And he followed up that feat by stunning world No1 after in the final session of their second-round clash on Monday.

was understandably brimming with confidence heading into his quarter-final match with Chinese youngster Wu Yize, thanks in part to a major life decision that Vafaei feels gives him an edge over the rest of the pack.

He explained when looking ahead to his match with Wu: “I am looking forward to playing anyone, I am not scared of anyone, and I think all of them know that as well.

“So everything that has happened, happened. There’s no pressure on me. I don’t have any pressure. So why should I be worried who I’m playing, who I’m not playing?

“I live in Sheffield. I wake up from my own bed, I come to the match. Perfect.

“That’s why I came to live in Sheffield and be beside the Crucible, and to imagine one day lifting the trophy, and then it should happen.”

Vafaei has been the surprise package of the tournament so far, and looked absolutely fearless as he came from behind to put together breaks of 106 and 91 and deny Trump a chance to secure his top world ranking by reaching the quarters.

And despite Trump suggesting after their match that Vafaei’s lack of self-confidence is holding him back, the Iranian revealed that he felt nothing but excited out on the Crucible stage.

When asked about any creeping nerves in the final frames of Monday’s late session, Vafaei said: “Well, we are all human. We feel it, but some of us are different.

“When you see the line, you get hungry or you get tired, it’s up to you. So this is a difference between me and maybe other people.

“No, I wasn’t nervous. I was enjoying every moment of it.

“I was born for this kind of situation, if I don’t take this kind of situation, I will never become a world champion.

“Every day, the Crucible trophy is living in my head, rent free.”

The comments contrasted Trump’s message to Vafaei during a warm embrace after their match.

claimed that he felt the 31-year-old was even better than he gave himself credit for, and claimed that he was good enough to go all the way in Sheffield.

When asked what words of wisdom Trump had for his opponent after the match, he said: “Just to believe in himself a little more.

“I think he’s more than good enough to win all kinds of events, I think he just lacks a little bit of self belief at times, maybe at the start of the game.

“But when he got going and when he saw I wasn’t playing well he pounced on it, he just needs to do it from the start.”

That advice proved to be on the money as Vafaei flew out of the blocks to win the opening frame against Wu on Tuesday afternoon.

Though the 22-year-old quickly showed his class to regain control of the contest towards the end of the session, Vafaei fought back to end the session with the scores level at four frames apiece.