Hossein Vafaei determined to defend Shoot Out title after 'sad' 2022 edition - 'I don't give up'

ByRob Hemingway

Updated 25/01/2023 at 08:03 GMT

Hossein Vafaei won the Shoot Out last year to seal his first-ever ranking title, a stunning achievement for the Iranian player. It was, however, obtained at a sad time for Vafaei, whose grandmother died on the eve of the event. Vafaei said he was in a "different world" during the 2022 edition. Stream the 2023 Shoot Out live and on demand on discovery+.

Hossein Vafaei says he won't "give up" as he seeks to defend his Shoot Out title that he won in trying circumstances last year.

Vafaei's grandmother died on the eve of the 2022 edition, and the Iranian's grief almost saw him pull out of the tournament.

But having been persuaded to take part, he performed so well as to take away the trophy - his first ranking title.

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“It was a sad time," Vafaei reflected.

"Before the event started I was crying in my room and I said to my friend [and fellow snooker player] Fergal Quinn that I was going to pull out.

"He said ‘no, we are going'. He took me there, and then I won it.

“When my mum and sisters were calling me, every one of them was crying. They didn’t know I was playing in a tournament.

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"Three or four days afterwards they found out that I had won the tournament and they didn’t know whether to cry or be happy.

"I was the same, for five minutes I was sad, then for ten minutes I was happy.

"It was great to go back to my country with the trophy."

Looking back on the reasons behind his win, Vafaei says he felt "in a different world" throughout the event.

Hossein Vafaei

Image credit: Getty Images

“It was amazing to play like that, I was fluent," the 28-year-old said.

“When I came to the table I just felt I was going to win. I was that confident, I was just waiting for one chance and then it was finished. I was in a different world that week.

"I will try my best to defend my title. I don’t give up. It’s one of the most exciting tournaments of the calendar. The fans love it and we love it too.”

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Stream the 2023 Shoot Out live and on demand on discovery+

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