Matthew Stevens is prepared to have to work hard if he is to keep his UK snooker crown.

After he won the Travis Perkins Championship in York last year, his first ranking title in ten years as a professional, he failed to win a match until the Embassy World Championship last spring.

He got through to the semi-finals at Sheffield - going out to surprise finalist Graeme Dott - and rose three places in the world rankings to number six.

But the new season started badly, when he slumped 5-1 to Andy Hicks in the first round of the totesport British Open at Preston.

"I've lost quite a few first rounds, running into players who have played really well against me," he said.

"I played Anthony Hamilton in Ireland and before that I played Marco Fu in the Regal Welsh and he didn't miss a ball.

"I have also had my first child (his partner Claire gave birth early in the new year to their son Freddie Morrell) and my preparations were not as good.

"Your do have some sleepless nights but I am not using that as an excuse.

"I am looking forward to the UK and will give it 100 per cent.

"No match is the same and it doesn't matter who you play in the first round. I played Hicks in the Grand Prix and it could have been Ronnie O'Sullivan on the table or Paul because he never missed a ball.

"It's going to be difficult to keep hold of the UK title. If you look on the trophy who's won it in the last ten years there's probably only four different names.

"It's going to be very tough, but I'll give it my best shot.

"I'll take it one match at a time and put the work in and hopefully that will come out on the match table.

"The longer matches suit me and I've got a good record in the tournament."

The 27-year-old Welsh speaker from Carmarthen reached the final two years in succession early in his career but lost to John Higgins in 1999 and then fellow Welshman Mark Williams the following year.

As for his professional rivalry with his close friend Paul Hunter, he said: "We are two of the best players in the world so he is going to beat me one day and I'll beat him the next.

"It's a toss of the coin every time we play."

Stevens, who came back from 4-0 down to beat Stephen Hendry 10-8 in last year's final, recalled: "It was an unbelievable occasion.

"I had looked up to Stephen since I was a boy, so to beat him in a major final was really special."

He starts his defence of the trophy on Saturday, November 20 against the winner of the first round match between Barry Pinches and Nigel Bond, who reached the quarter-finals last year.

If all goes well for both of them, Stevens and Hunter will clash in the first quarter-final, on Wednesday, November 25.

Updated: 16:34 Wednesday, November 10, 2004