He hails from Abadan, Iran but Hossein Vafaei feels living in Sheffield, South Yorkshire gives him added hope of conquering the Crucible.
The Price of Persia is into his first World Snooker Championship quarter-final after a dramatic 13-12 win over Judd Trump in the second round on Monday night.
Vafaei was the only qualifier to come through the first round, beating Si Jiahui 10-3 and he continued that impressive form by downing the world number one.
The 31-year-old is taking on another first-timer in the quarter-finals, Wu Yize, with the pair locked at 4-4 after Tuesday afternoon’s opening session.
Both Wu and Vafaei are based in Sheffield, practicing and Ding Junhui’s and Victoria’s academies respectively, so the Iranian can’t claim to hold his local advantage over his opponent.
However, he does see living locally as a bonus compared to most players in the field, staying at home during the tournament and spending the year focussed on his Crucible dream as he is only based round the corner.
Are you snooker loopy?
You’re in the right place. I’m Phil Haigh, and I cover the game we all love for Metro.
In my new newsletter, The Table, I’ll be analysing the biggest talking points, breaking down frames and crowning the week’s winners and losers every Monday.
The World Championship is here, so there’s no better time to sign up.
‘I am looking forward to playing anyone, I don’t be scared of anyone, and I think all of them know that as well,’ he said. ‘So everything happened, happened. No pressure on me. I don’t have any pressure.
‘I live in Sheffield. I wake up from my own bed, I come to the match. Perfect.’
Asked if he sees that as an advantage, he said: ‘Yeah, exactly. That’s why I came to live in Sheffield and be beside the Crucible, and imagine one day you lift the trophy, and then it should happen.’
On taking on the world number one in his last match, he said: ‘I wasn’t nervous. I enjoyed every minute. I was born for this kind of situation.
‘If I don’t face this kind of situation I will never become world champion. Every day the Crucible trophy is living in my head rent free.
‘When you see the line, you get hungry or you get tired, it’s up to you. So this is a difference between me and maybe other people.’
On his move to the Steel City, Vafaei said at last year’s World Championship: ‘Sheffield is a snooker city. They love snooker. Lots of snooker academies here, lots of good international restaurants.
‘Whenever you want to play someone, there’s always someone for you to play and not easy opponents, they always give you a good game. Sheffield is a good city.’
After coming through qualifying, Vafaei spoke of how difficult it has been to focus on snooker during the ongoing war in his home country.
Having downed the world number one on the sport’s most iconic stage, he said of representing his country during a terrible time: ‘This is the only thing I can do. I have only one cue in my hand. I have to raise the flag up.’
Vafaei and Wu play to a finish in their race to 13 frames on Wednesday in the afternoon and evening sessions.