Steven Hallworth has put an end to a frustrating three years away from the professional circuit, but he is back and cannot wait to test himself against the best again.
The 29-year-old has already had two stints on the World Snooker Tour, most recently from 2020-22, but has been scrapping it out in the amateur ranks since losing pro status three years ago.
It didn’t necessarily look likely that his amateur run would come to an end at the recent Q Tour Global Play-offs as Hallworth rocked up in Turkey after an epic honeymoon trip to Asia.
However, he arrived fresh, hungry and motivated and three wins later he was back on tour thanks to fine victories over Luo Honghao, Ryan Davies and Mark Joyce.
‘It’s sunk in now. I’m just so pleased, I can’t tell you how pleased I am,’ Hallworth told Metro.
‘It’s never how I would prepare for an event, but it was taken out of my hands. We’d had that honeymoon booked for so long, in a way I just need to be thankful that the play-offs didn’t clash with the holiday.
‘I felt so fresh, I’d never wanted to play snooker more than when I came back. Two days’ practice on my own then a good workout with Anthony Hamilton at his place which sharpened me up. I’m buzzing, really pleased.’
Joyce had looked very strong in his previous matches, including a 147 in his semi-final win, but Hallworth was fantastic in the final in Turkey.
‘I felt unbelievable in the last game against Mark,’ he said. ‘That’s what was so pleasing, to play to that level in a match of that importance. I played great, I was so pleased.’
Obviously Hallworth is looking to add to his one ranking semi-final so far and go further than that, but he is also delighted to be back on tour with his good mates and fellow pros like Oliver Lines, Sanderson Lam and Louis Heathcote.
‘Now the dust has settled it’s just more relief,’ he said. ‘Fresh start, back on tour, get to play all the events again and mix it with all my mates.
‘It’s been difficult because most of my closest friends are on the tour, apart from Oliver Brown who’s fallen off. It’s just nice to be back, get the band back together.’
Three years away from the professional circuit is tough on your wallet and your confidence and Hallworth is very grateful to his loved ones and sponsors for helping him through it.
‘It’s difficult to keep that belief high,’ he said. ‘There’s nothing wrong with the Q Tour, it’s a great platform for players to get back through, but when you’re travelling around playing in clubs it’s very hard to get up for those events even though you know you’ve got a long-term goal.
‘I’ve got a good team around me though, even the moments when I stopped believing in myself, they kept believing in me and carried me through. Glyn and Claire, my sponsors from T R Weston & Son, they’ve been to every event they possibly can, backed me non-stop.’
Hallworth has not been idle during his time away from the pro ranks, becoming a regular voice on television as a commentator, which he hopes to continue as much as possible.
‘I think that’s helped grow my profile. People know me as a commentator and now hopefully I can back up the talking and play some decent stuff,’ he said.
‘I’d like to keep up with the media side. I need to manage it and the playing takes priority, but it’s been good.
‘Being around pro events, I’ve been watching professionals and how they operate and their mindset, I think it certainly helped, even just as a commentator.
‘The amateur circuit is not always a great place to be, just how negative some of those guys are. There’s a lot of moaning and if you’re around those types of people you start to believe it yourself.’
Hallworth is commentating at the Tour Championship this week, then heading to Landywood this weekend to defend the English Amateur Championship he won last year, before taking on World Championship qualifying next week.
More Trending
He meets Hungarian teenager Bulcsu Revesz in Sheffield qualifying, who he has watched play and likes the look of.
‘I’ve watched a bit of him. He’s got some swag hasn’t he?’ Hallworth said. ‘He bounces around the venues, he’s a good character, a nice kid and I think he’ll be good for the game, but hopefully not good for the Worlds this year!
‘Two or three weeks ago I wasn’t even in the event so it’s a good opportunity to have a stab at it, hopefully take the confidence from the play-offs and have a good run.’
MORE: Ben Woollaston reveals ‘crazy story’ behind last-minute World Grand Prix inclusion
MORE: Stephen Hendry fear for Shaun Murphy after Barry Hawkins mauling at Tour Championship
MORE: Mark Williams on flying at 50 and why he wants a Ronnie O’Sullivan return ASAP
