Liam Highfield explains 'challenges' & 'demands' of gruelling World Snooker Championship Qualifying campaign

Liam Highfield is gearing up for what he describes as the most demanding and challenging event of the year, the World Snooker Championship Qualifiers.

The talented Stoke-on-Trent cueist is amongst a stellar 128-player field set to descend upon Sheffield's National Institute of Sport over the next ten days, all desperate to secure one of the 16 qualification spots for the upcoming Crucible showpiece.

Highfield has come through up to four arduous rounds of qualifying on three occasions in the past to reach the last 32 of the biggest tournament on the calendar, and is now hoping to reach the fabled Yorkshire venue for a fourth time later this month.

The two-time ranking event quarter-finalist last progressed to the televised stages of the event in 2022, where he fell just short of notching his first win inside the sport's spiritual home after succumbing to a 10-7 defeat at the hands of former semi-finalist Anthony McGill.

However, after enduring a couple of challenging and injury-hit campaigns, the 35-year-old says he is as ready as he has ever been to put himself through the rigours of the gruelling World Snooker Championship qualifying schedule.

"It's tough, incredibly tough," he answered when posed the question as to how challenging the campaign is in an exclusive interview with bet365.

"Physically and mentally, it asks you so many questions. It's so different to any other event on the calendar, mainly because of the longer format of the matches.

"On top of that, there are always little side-stories taking place too, which have significant impacts on you, such as battling to stay on tour, trying to earn prize money and so many other things.

There is no pressure quite like the World Snooker Championship qualifiers; four best-of-19 frame matches over a week or ten days, it can take an enormous amount out of you; it's really challenging and demanding!

- Liam Highfield (Two-time ranking event quarter-finalist)

"Of course, the carrot at the end of it is as spot at the Crucible, which is why we do everything we can to give ourselves the best opportunity of getting there.

"I've had a couple of difficult years for different reasons, but I am in a really good place now, I am enjoying my snooker, my game feels as well-rounded as it's ever been and I feel I am starting to really find my form at the perfect time."

In terms of preparation for the event, Highfield admits that he does undertake a slightly altered routine to the rest of the year, both on and off the table.

"You have to do things differently, because of the demands and the even greater importance of this event," he went on to say.

"It's the one tournament in the year where you can play two sessions of the same match across different days, so sleeping on a scoreline, whether you are winning or losing, is quite unique to us.

"It's so important to have the right mindset because of not only that, but because of the long nature of the matches - it's a marathon and certainly not a sprint, so you have to keep yourself level-headed at all times.

"You try and do all the right things in the month or so leading up to it, such as playing best-of-19 matches against other professionals, and having a break after nine frames to replicate the actual tournament itself.

"For me though, the down time is as important as the table time too, just making sure you are with the right people away from the table and not constantly battling with your thoughts about the significance of the qualifiers."

He added: "Thankfully, I have been able to keep my emotions in check pretty well over the years - I have a decent record in Sheffield, so fingers crossed I can keep that going over the next few years."