Lee on cue for weight loss (From Wiltshire Times)

Lee on cue for weight loss

4:20pm Saturday 26th January 2008 in Sport By Ned Payne

Trowbridge snooker star Stephen Lee is battling the bulge as he looks to consolidate his impressive performance at the SAGA Insurance Masters.

Lee made the final at Wembley where he was beaten 10-3 by Leicester's Mark Selby, and his appearance came just weeks after he started a new fitness regime.

Lee said: "I'm trying to lose weight. I stopped drinking at New Year and I've been in the gym.

"I need to lose weight because I've slipped down the provisional rankings, so I'm bang up for it.

"I don't think this game is about fitness though, it's about being calm. But I'm working hard at the moment. You don't have to be fit to walk around a snooker table, but at the longer tournaments it does count, more like the UK and World Championship.

"I've always said if you get out of bed the right side then you've done most of the hard work, but me and my missus like to go to the pub at the weekend.

I've had to stop binge drinking and eating after 10 o'clock at night.

"We live in a little village and drink a lot over a Friday and Saturday, so I'm making more of an effort."

Lee paid tribute to his Masters final opponent Mark Selby for his clinical performance, but admitted he himself had been far from his best.

Lee said: "I felt really flat and was really disappointed with the way I started.

"I didn't feel I was in a final for some reason. I had no fire in me, no power to get motivated, which was bad.

"I felt good tonight (Sunday), but I had no run of the ball.

"All my hard work has been undone. But he (Selby) played well, had a good run of the balls and is a worthy champion.

"He looked very good under pressure and closed the match out well. You've got to take your hat off to him."