Steven Hallworth on rebound from mental health struggle: I crashed but I’m enjoying things again

Steven Hallworth’s impressive recent run at the British Open was a sign of return to form on the snooker table, but more importantly that he has emerged from a dark time in his life.

The 26-year-old, who is competing as an amateur this year after dropping off tour, enjoyed a hat-trick of fine wins at the British, beating Julien Leclercq, Hammad Miah and then most remarkably Barry Hawkins.

He fell to Robbie Williams in the last 16 in a deciding frame, but it was a cracking effort and Hallworth revealed that he is winning a more important battle than anything on the baize.

In a Facebook post after his good run in Milton Keynes, he wrote: ‘I’ve taken massive pride in my performances and mindset this week. Those closest to me will know I’ve been in a torrid, dark place in recent months, so I’ve taken considerable time away to refocus on my mental health which was something I’d neglected without realising.

‘I’m back enjoying my snooker and more importantly appreciating everything in my life.’

Losing his professional status at the end of last season would seem to be an obvious blow, but Hallworth says it was a string of things that left him in a dark place, with the relentless grind of snooker contributing to it.

‘I dropped off the tour but I’ve dropped off before so I felt really prepared for it,’ Hallworth told Metro.co.uk. ‘You’re obviously trying your best for that not to happen, but I felt subconsciously okay to be able to deal with it.

‘I felt really good at Q School, played some really good stuff there and to finish high up on the Order of Merit was a good second prize to not getting a card because I fancied getting in all the pro tournaments.

‘I don’t know…I didn’t feel bad at all, if anything I felt really optimistic. I