MATTHEW STEVENS (Wales)

World ranking: 6
Last five seasons: 6-9-26-53-67
Date of birth: 11-09-77
Lives: Carmarthen, Dyfed
Turned professional: 1994
Ranking tournament victories: 0
Last season’s prize money: £162,367
Career prize money: £891,657
Highest tournament break: 145 - Grand Prix 1996

Matthew Stevens overcame personal tragedy to put on yet another impressive display in the 2001 World Championships.

The Welsh youngster lost his father and tournament companion Morrell last year and unsurprisingly struggled for form as he came to terms with the bereavement.

After reaching the final of the 2000 event it was his reputation and obvious ability rather then recent results that saw go into the Crucible last year as one of the favourites for the title.

And he justified that faith in style with an excellent performance to power into the semi-finals with victories over Tony Drago, Anthony Hamilton and Stephen Hendry.

However John Higgins got the better of a titanic late-night struggle to clinch a place in the final with a 17-15 victory.

Despite his excellent Embassy record, Stevens is still waiting to win his first world ranking tournament. The fluent break-builder from Carmarthen has also twice been beaten in the Liverpool Victoria UK Championship final, losing 10-6 to John Higgins in 1998 and 10-8 to Williams the following year.

But he has already proved he is a winner by completing a notable Masters double in 1999, defeating Higgins 9-7 in the final of the Regal Masters and then striking gold in the Benson and Hedges Masters at Wembley, beating Alan McManus, White and John Parrott before overcoming Ken Doherty 10-8 in a thrilling final to pocket a £165,000 first prize.

“This is the best moment of my snooker life; beyond my wildest dreams,” said Stevens after staving off Doherty’s fightback from 9-5 to 9-8 by compiling a break of 63 under the utmost pressure.

Stevens had always looked like a future World Champion and 2002 could well be his year.