""I wasn't nervous, I enjoyed every moment. I was born for these kinds of situations. I'm looking forward to playing anyone, I'm not scared of anyone and all of them know that. There's no pressure, so why should I be worried?""
""Snooker is very popular in Iran. Success for me will make the profile of the sport become even bigger. I want to improve the game in my home country. It could be like China, if I could get the support.""
Hossein Vafaei, at 31, made history by becoming the first Iranian to reach the quarterfinals of the World Snooker Championship in 2026. He defeated world No.1 Judd Trump during the tournament. Vafaei expressed confidence, stating he enjoyed the pressure of high-stakes matches. His journey began in Iran, where he became the youngest World Amateur champion at 17. However, diplomatic issues delayed his professional career, leading to a four-year visa limbo before he could compete in the UK.
Read at www.dw.com
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