Interview | Matthew Haslam
Matthew Haslam is one of the brightest young stars on the World Disability Billiards & Snooker (WDBS) tour and is a five-time event winner.
The Group 6B cueist made his tour debut at the 2019 Welsh Open, when he was just 14-years-old, and won his first ranking event title four years later at the 2023 British Open in Woking.
The 19-year-old recently concluded the most successful season of his career so far by whitewashing world number one Leroy Williams to win the prestigious Champion of Champions crown for the first time.
We recently caught up with Matthew to learn more about him and his snooker career:
How did you first become interested in snooker and when did you begin playing?
I first got into snooker when I was 6-years-old. My Dad had the 2011 World Championship final between John Higgins and Judd Trump on the TV, the year John won, and I was hooked straight away! I started trying to copy what the players were doing on a little coffee table, using the edge of the table as pockets and toy cars as snooker balls – so my parents bought be a small table to avoid damaging the coffee table any further!
A couple of years later, my parents bought me a 6ft pool table which I played snooker on before eventually playing on a full-size table from the age of nine at the Riley’s Snooker Club in Chester. However, this was only around once a month with my Dad and I didn’t take it seriously – even stopping playing for a year or two before my Mum’s friend told her about the local Halton Snooker Academy based at the Mill Brown Snooker Club in Widnes which was run by John Twist, a former professional referee.
I had a go at one of their Saturday morning sessions when I was 13-years-old and it was run exceptionally. That’s the point that I started playing properly!
How did you first discover the WDBS tour?
I discovered the WDBS tour through the academy coaches, particularly Stephen Llewellyn, as well as through fellow Group 6B player Oliver Hanson who was a member of the academy at the time. My Mum applied for me, I had a go and I haven’t looked back since!
You made your WDBS debut at the 2019 Welsh Open – what are your memories of this event?
It was really special! I used to (and still do) get massively anxious over doing thing for the first time so I remember going to the Open Day at the Redz Snooker Club, seeing the tournament director as I walked in and just being a bag of nerves! I was still only 14-years-old at the time too.
However, everyone was so welcoming. Chris Goldsworthy and his Dad approached me and introduced themselves, giving me a few frames each and I was instantly settled. The tournament was great and, despite being knocked out in the group stage, I played in the Challenge Cup on the Sunday which the WDBS ran as a doubles format. I was partnered up with Kit Kennedy and really enjoyed competing alongside him.
I have become great friends with both Chris and Kit on the tour ever since, as well as plenty of other players that I have got to know.
Your first title came at the 2023 British Open, how did that success feel?
It was an unbelievable feeling! I’d had the belief that I was good enough to win a title since the end of the previous season but to get the job done was a very happy moment to say the least – especially after coming through a four-hour semi-final. That final was played in a great spirit which made if very enjoyable and the win was just the cherry on the top!
You have won back-to-back Hull Open titles in 2023 and 2024 – is this a tournament that you particularly enjoy competing in?
Tradewell Snooker Club is an excellent venue which is run by an amazing owner and exceptional staff, so it is always a pleasure to play there. However, I enjoy all the venues as, no matter where you are, the WDBS and all the participants across the different classifications make it a great weekend on and off the table and I just love competing. It just so happens that so far I have been most successful in Hull!
Recently, you defeated Leroy Williams 6-0 to win the Champion of Champions crown for the first time, having lost in the final the previous year, how did that feel?
Losing in the final the previous year was gutting because I knew I didn’t play anywhere near my best snooker, so I was determined to make sure that didn’t happen again.
I felt like I prepared better this time around both mentally as well as by putting in the hours on the practice table. It felt amazing to finally produce some good snooker and reap the rewards at an incredible venue, especially playing against someone with the ability of Leroy Williams as he is a top player and is up there in the rankings for a reason.
Away from the WDBS, you also compete in EPSB events and have been part of the EPSB Junior Elite Performance Programme – tell us a bit about the programme and how you feel it has benefited you?
It’s been an amazing experience participating in workshops and classes based on plenty of different topics in the game. I have definitely benefited from the programme, especially with the mental side of the game by learning a lot about sports psychology. I’ve taken a lot of the mental tricks given to me by the top level coaches hosting the programme and used them in my own game.
Getting a back stage tour of the Crucible Theatre during the World Championship was an unbelievable experience that I will never forget as well!
What do you enjoy doing away from the green baize?
Away from snooker, I’ve always enjoyed running – I have competed in athletics since I was 11-years-old and still adore the sport to this day. I competed in a few national cross-country competitions representing my country back when I was 14/15-years-old but I have had a few years of injuries which hampered my progress.
I really enjoy running and competing for fun now and like challenging myself, whether that’s on the track racing the 800m or 1500, in 5k or 10k road races, or in cross country. I get a satisfaction from racing and chasing personal bests. Running really helps me stay fit and also gives me a lot of mental stamina for my snooker!
I also go to Leeds Beckett University where I study Sports Coaching. I am really enjoying the course and enjoying developing my knowledge in coaching. The experience university gives you is highly valuable too – living away from home with flat mates from all over the country, making new friends along the way and learning how to live independently. I must say the nightlife is pretty good too!
What do you think of the continued global growth of the WDBS tour with more events outside of the UK?
I completely approve of it – it is called World Disability Billiards & Snooker for a reason! Having tournaments across the globe is brilliant and it is great to see the organisation continue to grow.
WDBS want to get snooker back into the Paralympic Games and so making steps like this is fantastic. If the organisation continues to grow, then we will get more sponsors for each event and can have more tournaments abroad. More sponsors allows more players across the globe to be able to afford to participate financially which gives us more players – so it really is great to see!
What are your aims for the coming season?
My main priority is to just keep improving my own game and enjoying all the tournaments I play in. I don’t really like to fixate on setting specific aims and targets and I know that if I can keep improving and preparing properly both mentally and physically for tournaments, then I will reap the rewards. I would love to become the world number one this season but I am not putting any pressure on myself to do it and it certainly isn’t my priority. I just want to do the best I can do, I can’t ask for anything more.
What is your ultimate goal in snooker?
It is a difficult one to be honest as I don’t really have an ultimate goal. I would love to be able to get to the highest possible playing standard that I can realistically get to and stay at whatever that level is for as long as I can.
To be able to play on TV would be something that I’d love to do. Maybe not through the World Snooker Tour as that is probably unrealistic, but whether that’s through WDBS as they continue to grow, or through other amateur events. Whatever it may be, that would be a memory that I would cherish for the rest of my life!
It would just be great if I could compete to a high level but, more importantly, enjoy the sport for 30, 40, 50 years to come as it has been a big part of my life ever since I was young. Finally, meeting as many new friends through snooker as possible would be fantastic too.
