The saying “Fail to prepare, prepare to fail” holds true for athletes entering the arena. Each player has their own pre-match routine, and we asked a few of them to share their methods. Judd Trump arrives an hour before the match to practice for 30-45 minutes, chat with his brother, and warm up. Mark Williams spends 20-30 minutes on the practice table before watching other matches or chatting with his coach. Jack Lisowski tries to relax until an hour before the match, then eats, showers, and arrives at the venue as close to game time as possible. Anthony McGill practices in the morning, rests in the afternoon, and calms his mind before the match. Chris Wakelin practices for 15 minutes, has a coffee, chats with friends, and prepares for the game. Trump and Lisowski eat before playing, while Williams and McGill opt for healthier snacks like bananas, nuts, and dates.
Wakelin prefers to eat two hours before a match to avoid feeling full and lethargic. Vafaei typically prepares healthy food for himself two or three hours before playing and enjoys cooking and listening to music in his apartment. He has lost 12 kilograms by cutting out junk food and making dishes like Ghormeh Sabzi. Trump used to get nervous when he was younger and struggling to break through on the tour, but now he rarely feels nervous and is more relaxed on bigger occasions. Williams rarely gets nervous and finds it amusing when he hears his opponents throwing up before a match. Lisowski has been nervous on three occasions, including his first pro match at the Crucible and his Masters debut. Vafaei only gets nervous occasionally, such as during his first semi-final against Mark Williams at the China Open in 2017. Wakelin doesn’t get nervous before a match, but sometimes feels it when entering a big arena, such as during the final of the Northern Ireland Open in Belfast.
