Last eight for Steve Davis at world championship
If you had offered Steve Davis the chance of playing in the quarter-finals of the snooker world championship before it began this year, what would he have done? He probably would have laughed and said “no chance.”
All joking aside, it is really happening, and on his 30th appearance at The Crucible, Davis is now the oldest player to compete at this stage for 27 years since the late Eddie Charlton, who was 53-years-old.
Going into the tournament as a 500-1 outsider, Davis’ odds have now been slashed following his magnificent triumph over defending world champion John Higgins to as near as 40-1. He completed a remarkable 13-11 win, and was playing snooker that was close to his very best.
“In the build up to the worlds all I thought about was to practice and get better and better. I thought all I've got to do is come to the Crucible and keep my head still. It's a simple thought.
“Relief does come first and then the dawning realisation that I've knocked John out. Then he came over and wished me the best, he's such a great champion and sportsman. You couldn't beat a nicer bloke,” Davis said.
The 52-year-old doesn’t play the game with the same intensity as he used to when he dominated the 1980s. “This is a hobby to me now. There was a time it was my bread and butter and I didn't look forward to it even if I knew I was going to win,” Davis said.
When he was at the peak of his game and winning almost everything, The Nugget had to deal with the boos from the crowd. Now, it is the complete opposite. Not as good as he used to be, he receives standing ovations and great applause from the fans, and he goes into the games now as a firm fans’ favourite. “I hated the process of having to prove I was going to win. Nobody thinks that now and people will be just pleased if I go through. There was a time when everybody booed.” said Davis.
A six-time champion of the world, Davis last won a ranking event 15 years ago at the Welsh Open, and it is 21 years since he won his last world championship. Despite being in the quarter-finals, he is not thinking about adding number seven to the list.
“I am not looking there. It is one round at a time, one frame at a time, one ball at a time. It's just another match, that is the only way I can look at it. In one respect it is fantastic, but on the other hand, it is only the second round and there is a long way to go in the tournament. But for the time being, I will savour it,” said Davis.
Introduced as “he used to be called Nugget, now he is simply legend”, Davis is the ultimate ambassador for snooker, and is proving that he can still play at the highest level. “I'm probably the best player of the 1980s and it's natural I've lasted the longest coming into another era. I should have outstayed my era and the fact I'm still turning up makes me delighted."
Usually at this point of a tournament Davis would be on the sofa with the BBC team, but now, the sofa will have to wait for a little bit longer, as he prepares for his last eight match with Neil Robertson. Davis in the quarter-finals.
Could it be another golden oldie moment for The Nugget?
Tags: