Latest news with #PaulHunterScholarship
Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Snooker star breaks down in tears as he opens up on quitting drinking after turning to booze as a 'coping mechanism' - and reveals why playing is like 'brain damage'
Snooker star Daniel Wells broke down in tears as he revealed he has gone teetotal after turning to alcohol as a 'coping mechanism'. Wells, 36, has compared playing his sport to 'brain damage' and said he suffered from 'bad experiences' as he turned to the bottle to cope with the pressure. The Neath-born star is at his first World Championship in Sheffield after qualifying at the 16th attempt. It has been a meandering journey for Wells, who turned to beer as a 'coping mechanism,' though he has now gone seven months dry. His sponsors South Manchester Resurfacing suggested he should seek help during his dark days and that encouraged him to go teetotal. 'I have quit. Seven months now without a drink. It was just my lifestyle. Probably drinking too much, dealing with the pressure of,' he said. I turned to it. For the day-to-day pressures of practice. Like a coping mechanism. 'But it's not the best way to cope with it. I'm really proud of myself. I feel better. 'There were a couple of bad experiences. I was drinking when I shouldn't have been. 'Turning up to some tournaments, having a few drinks the night before to try and deal with the pressure. But it became a bad habit. 'Drinking when I didn't want to be drinking really. A sponsor came on board and put me in touch with a therapist. 'That has been massive as well, dealing with my own personality and stuff, dealing with the pressures of the game. 'I can only take it day-by-day. I think a lot of snooker players have addictive personalities. 'You have got to be addictive to keep coming back, to the brain damage that is the game really. 'Any habit can form and I got myself into a bad habit. Luckily I have broken the habit. It's day-by-day.' Wells will need to overturn a 7-2 deficit against former World Champion Shaun Murphy at the Crucible. Murphy, 42, won four frames in a row to establish a commanding lead and their clash will resume on Wednesday morning. In 2007, Wells was awarded the inaugural Paul Hunter Scholarship, and he had the chance to test himself at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield, but his career has not reached the elite level since then. Of his drinbking habits, he also said: 'It starts out with a couple of cans, watching the football. 'A good day's practice, have a couple of cans. A bad day's practice, have a couple of cans. 'But you know, you have got a bit of an issue. It's a tough game to deal with mentally. 'I know there are a number of players who go through similar things with different addictions and it is a tough gig. We can only try our best.'
Metro
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Metro
Daniel Wells proud of major lifestyle change ahead of Crucible debut
Daniel Wells is finally making his debut at the Crucible at the 16th time of asking and feels quitting alcohol has helped him achieve the dream of stepping out at the famous theatre. The 36-year-old first turned professional in 2008 but has been on and off the tour since then as he strives to fulfil the great potential he showed as a junior. The Welshman has been to three ranking semi-finals, most recently this season at the Xi'an Grand Prix and the steady progress has now brought him to the hallowed ground of the Crucible thanks to a 10-9 win over Gary Wilson in his final qualifier. Hard work and dedication on the practice table has been behind some good results this season so far, but as has discipline away from the baize, turning away from alcohol. Wells felt he was relying on drink too much in an attempt to deal with the pressures of the professional tour and decided enough was enough. 'I have quit alcohol. Seven months now without a drink,' Wells said after coming through qualifying. 'Just my lifestyle, probably drinking too much, dealing with the pressure of snooker. 'I turned to it – the day-to-day pressures of practice. Like a coping mechanism. But it is not the best way to cope with it. I am really proud of myself. I feel better. 'There were a couple of bad experiences. I was drinking when I shouldn't have been. Turning up to some tournaments, having a few drinks the night before to try and deal with the pressure. But it got to a bad habit. Drinking when I didn't want to be drinking really. 'My sponsor came on board and put me in touch with a therapist. That has been massive as well, dealing with my own personality and stuff, dealing with the pressures of the game.' Wells reckons the life of a snooker player can bring with it addictive tendencies, not least because the game is so tough that you have to be addicted to it to keep on playing. 'I think a lot of snooker players have addictive personalities,' he said. 'You have got to be addictive to keep coming back, to the brain damage that is the game really. Any habit can form and I got myself into a bad habit. Luckily I have broken the habit. 'It's a couple of cans, watching the football. A good day's practice, have a couple of cans. A bad day's practice, have a couple of cans. But you know, you have got a bit of an issue. 'It's a tough game to deal with mentally. I know there are a number of players who go through similar things with different addictions and it is a tough gig. We can only try our best.' Wells has had a long and winding journey back to the Crucible having played an exhibition there when he was 18 thanks to winning the inaugural Paul Hunter Scholarship, which secured him the chance to practice alongside professionals in Sheffield. 'I played an exhibition there and it felt like I was going to be there soon. I lost 10-9 in my first season to try and qualify and the wheels completely fell off,' he said. 'I thought everything was going in the direction but fell off tour during Covid and I was cleaning for my mother. Cleaning toilets for my mother. It has been a bit of a rough ride.' It is a tough task on debut for Wells as he takes on Masters champion Shaun Murphy in the first round, but he is confident and knows his best can do damage. 'I believe in myself. I believe in my game,' he said. 'I am not going there just to say that I played at the Crucible. I am going there to win. 'There will be nerves but I have to trust my technique. I have a steady all-round game and can be a game for anyone. I will give it 100 per cent. I don't see myself in any match that I can't win.' More Trending Murphy knows Wells presents a challenge, but is hoping to make the most of the fact that the nerves will be jangling on debut. 'Daniel had a great junior career. I think he's played here before many moons ago, despite now making his debut,' said Murphy. 'A really good player, very strong player. Somebody I know quite well away from snooker, got a lot of respect for him, he's a really nice lad. 'It's 20-odd years since I made my debut, but I can still remember who nervous I was. He'll be uncomfortable and it's my job to make him as uncomfortable as I possibly can.' MORE: Jak Jones makes huge Zhao Xintong claim after Crucible defeat to returning star MORE: Ronnie O'Sullivan reacts to Neil Robertson's shock World Snooker Championship exit MORE: Dave Gilbert 'nearly didn't bother' but now fancies World Championship challenge
