Matthew Stevens
A Welsh snooker virtuoso with a silken cue action, whose career is a tale of majestic talent punctuated by agonizing near-misses at the Crucible.
Born 1977 (age 49)·Welsh professional snooker player·Birthday: September 11·Generation X
Biography
Matthew Stevens entered the snooker world as a prodigy from Wales, a player whose natural, fluid technique made the game look effortless. For over two decades, he has been one of the sport's most gifted and, at times, most tragic figures. He announced himself by winning the prestigious Masters in 2000, and captured the UK Championship in 2003, proving he could win on the biggest stages. Yet, his legacy is inextricably linked to two World Championship finals he lost in 2000 and 2005, heartbreaks that denied him the sport's ultimate prize. Stevens's game is one of pure break-building, having compiled over 350 century breaks, a mark of his sustained excellence and attacking flair, even as the world title remained just out of reach.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Matthew was born in 1977, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Matthew Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Matthew's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won two of snooker's Triple Crown events: the Masters in 2000 and the UK Championship in 2003.
- Was a two-time runner-up in the World Snooker Championship, in 2000 and 2005.
- Achieved a career-high world ranking of No. 4 during the 2005/2006 season.
- Has compiled more than 350 century breaks in professional competition.
Did You Know?
He is nicknamed 'The Welsh Dragon.'
Stevens made a maximum 147 break at the 2012 UK Championship.
He comes from Carmarthen, Wales, and turned professional in 1994.
His father, Morrell Stevens, was a former rugby player for Llanelli.
“You have to take your chances when they come; sometimes you just don't get the run of the ball.”
