{"id":4824,"date":"2026-04-12T06:52:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T06:52:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=4824"},"modified":"2026-04-12T06:52:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T06:52:11","slug":"zak-surety-desperate-for-crucible-return-after-surreal-record-breaking-debut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=4824","title":{"rendered":"Zak Surety desperate for Crucible return after &#8216;surreal&#8217; record-breaking debut"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 300px 160px; gap: 2px; width: 460px; background: #eee; padding: 2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u6574\u884c\u5bbd\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876674\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 90px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876676\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u5de6\u4fa7\u7ad6\u6392 -->\r\n  <div style=\"height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876672\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"height: 500px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876680\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u6469\u5929\u697c\uff08\u548c\u5de6\u4fa7\u5b8c\u5168\u5bf9\u9f50\uff09 -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row: 3\/5; height: 750px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876678\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e6\" data-zoneid=\"5876682\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2245410858.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27943274\" alt=\"International Championship 2025 - Day 5\" decoding=\"sync\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Zak Surety eventually enjoyed a memorable Crucible debut last year (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Zak Surety made a record-breaking impression on the Crucible on debut last year and is desperate to return to experience snooker\u2019s hallowed ground again.<\/p>\n<p>The 34-year-old enjoyed a brilliant end to last season, making his first ranking semi-final at the World Open before coming through World Championship qualifying for the first time to reach the Crucible.<\/p>\n<p>There he faced Ding Junhui and got off to a ropy start, losing the first four frames as his nerves jangled at the iconic theatre.<\/p>\n<p>From there he settled impressively, becoming the first Crucible debutant to make four centuries in his first match on the famous stage.<\/p>\n<p>Surety lost 10-7 to the Chinese legend, but after finding his feet in Sheffield, he is itching to tread those boards again this month.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018There\u2019s obviously players in the past have only played there once and you see the tour every year, it\u2019s so hard to get through,\u2019 Surety told <strong>Metro<\/strong>. \u2018I\u2019m trying not to think that way, because I\u2019m desperate to get back there.<\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tAre you mad about snooker?\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<p>You&#8217;re in the right place. I&#8217;m Phil Haigh, and I cover the game we all love for <strong>Metro<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>My new newsletter, The Table, is launching soon and I&#8217;ll be going deep on all things snooker for you.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"646\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Phil-Haigh-1-c59c.png?w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24029579\" alt=\"A headshot of Metro Sports reporter Phil Haigh\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Phil has been reporting on snooker for over a decade, since working in World Snooker&#8217;s press office in 2012<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ll be analysing the biggest talking points, breaking down frames and crowning the week&#8217;s winners and losers every Monday.<\/p>\n<p>Sign up here to get in for the first edition on April 13 ahead of this year&#8217;s World Championships.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u2018I said all the right things last year that I was going to enjoy it, but I don\u2019t even remember walking through the curtain! I remember Rob [Walker] saying my name, and him getting the crowd clapping, but I don\u2019t remember the walk down the steps to the chair. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"430\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2211458743.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27943283\" alt=\"Halo World Snooker Championship 2025 - Day Four\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Surety made four tons in defeat to Ding (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u2018Jason [Pegram] who looks after me said: \u201cStand on top of those steps, look out and take it all in, because that don\u2019t happen every day.\u201d I thought he was absolutely right, but there was no chance.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018I tried. You can see especially the second session, because I\u2019ve watched the video back. It looks like I try, but I\u2019m at that seat before he says Surety!<\/p>\n<p>\u2018I\u2019d love to get back there and sit in the chair and think that I belong there rather than it all being new. I thought I felt okay, but then every time I got to the table, I tried to convince myself I was meant to feel as bad as I felt and then it got a bit on top of me until I made that first century. Then I loved it.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018I started to actually play well. I\u2019m still freaked out how it happened. I\u2019d love to qualify again and not feel surreal.\u2019<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-spotify wp-block-embed-spotify\">\n<p>\n<iframe title=\"Spotify Embed: Talking Snooker Episode 248 - Zhao Xintong wins Tour Championship + World Championship qualifying\" style=\"border-radius: 12px\" width=\"100%\" height=\"152\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/episode\/5VflaSa94IQSMCabZOtm7l?utm_source=oembed\"><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Surety will need to win two qualifying matches to return to the Crucible, with his first against Oliver Sykes starting on Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>He has been working hard with regular practice partner Stuart Bingham and travelling to take on world number three Neil Robertson, which has been an education.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Yeah, great practice. He\u2019s the man you want to practice with,\u2019 said Surety. \u2018He\u2019s been good to me really. He chats to me, gives me some tips, you can\u2019t really beat that kind of practice can you?<\/p>\n<p>\u2018I\u2019ve had some absolute batterings from him in his club, which is good for you. I\u2019ve beaten him this season in a big tournament, but I kind of forget that and I just turn into like this young lad who\u2019s going to practice with the big bad pro. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2230511529.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-26282305\" alt=\"Saudi Arabia Masters 2025 - Day 9\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Neil Robertson won a 26th ranking title at the Saudi Arabia Masters this season (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u2018You go and play someone like him on his own table on his own turf, it\u2019s daunting, isn\u2019t it? He knows exactly what he\u2019s doing. He knows all the shots. He knows all the tricks and he\u2019s amazing. <\/p>\n<p>\u2018It\u2019s down to you to pick up on what he does and learn from it. He told me a few home truths about how I should practice, stuff I know deep down, but when a triple crown winner, a world champion tells you, you\u2019ve got to take it on board.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018We had a really good game the other day, I held my own, so it\u2019s the perfect prep going into the qualifiers, because when I went a couple of weeks ago, I kind of questioned what I was doing with my life again.\u2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: John Higgins rates Stan Moody potential after rising star left him \u2018feeling really old\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Kyren Wilson names the World Snooker Championship qualifier to avoid at the Crucible<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Mark Davis returns to scene of \u2018brutal\u2019 defeats relishing scrap to extend epic career<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"share-buttons-bottom\" class=\"share-buttons share-buttons-bottom\">\n\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Comment now<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-comment\" href=\"#social-comment\"\/><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-comments__label\">Comments<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-preferred-source\" href=\"#social-preferred-source\"\/><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-preferred-source__label\">Add as preferred source<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/section>\n<div class=\"newsletter-end-card accent--snooker\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-end-card__inner\">\n<h4>The Table<\/h4>\n<p>Stay ahead of snooker&#8217;s next big break with Metro&#8217;s resident expert Phil Haigh in his new weekly newsletter.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- \u603b\u5bb9\u5668\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u5bbd908px Grid\u7d27\u51d1\u5e03\u5c40 -->\r\n<div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 728px 160px; gap:2px; width:908px; background:#eee; padding:2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u901a\u680f\u9876\u90e8\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u6a2a\u5e45 908x258 \u8de8\u6574\u884c -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column:1\/-1; height:258px; background:#ff6b6b; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114307\" data-width=\"908\" data-height=\"258\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114307});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u7b2c\u4e8c\u901a\u680f\uff1a728\u00d790 \u901a\u680f -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column:1\/-1; height:90px; background:#4ecdc4; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114300\" data-width=\"728\" data-height=\"90\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114300});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u5de6\u4fa7\u4e3b\u680f\uff1a\u591a\u5e7f\u544a\u5806\u53e0 -->\r\n  <div style=\"display:grid; 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background:#ff9ecd; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114305\" data-width=\"250\" data-height=\"250\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114305});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n    <div style=\"height:139px; background:#c792ea; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114302\" data-width=\"133\" data-height=\"139\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114302});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n    <div style=\"height:125px; background:#91e7ac; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t\r\n<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114303\" data-width=\"125\" data-height=\"125\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114303});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u7ad6\u680f\uff1a160\u00d7600 \u6574\u5217\u9ad8\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row:3\/8; height:600px;  display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114301\" data-width=\"160\" data-height=\"600\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114301});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<br \/> Zak Surety desperate for Crucible return after &#8216;surreal&#8217; record-breaking debut<br \/>\n<br \/>#Zak #Surety #desperate #Crucible #return #surreal #recordbreaking #debut<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Zak Surety eventually enjoyed a memorable Crucible debut last year (Picture: Getty Images) Zak Surety&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4825,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[2126,5655,5653,2106,325,5652,5654,5651],"class_list":["post-4824","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-crucible","tag-debut","tag-desperate","tag-recordbreaking","tag-return","tag-surety","tag-surreal","tag-zak"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2245410858_1775975429.jpg",1200,630,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2245410858_1775975429-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2245410858_1775975429-300x158.jpg",300,158,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2245410858_1775975429-768x403.jpg",640,336,true],"large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2245410858_1775975429-1024x538.jpg",640,336,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2245410858_1775975429.jpg",1200,630,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2245410858_1775975429.jpg",1200,630,false],"covernews-slider-full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2245410858_1775975429-1115x630.jpg",1115,630,true],"covernews-slider-center":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2245410858_1775975429-800x500.jpg",800,500,true],"covernews-featured":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2245410858_1775975429-1024x538.jpg",1024,538,true],"covernews-medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2245410858_1775975429-540x340.jpg",540,340,true],"covernews-medium-square":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2245410858_1775975429-400x250.jpg",400,250,true]},"author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?author=1"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?cat=6\" rel=\"category\">Sports<\/a>","tag_info":"Sports","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4824","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4824"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4824\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4825"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4824"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4824"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4824"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}