Matthew Stevens remains positive about the second half of the season despite a poor start to the campaign.

The former UK and Masters champion has won just five matches in the six main ranking events so far this season and slipped to 21st in the world.

If he’s not ranked among the top 16 after April’s China Open he’ll have to win three matches to qualify for the final stages of the World Championship, following a change in format to the qualifying structure of the sport’s blue riband event.

But Stevens, 37, is confident of regaining form.

“I have struggled this season but it’s all to play for now in the second half. I’m putting the work in and hitting the ball well so we’ll see how it goes,” he told worldsnooker.com.

“I’ve just got to play and try to enjoy it and not worry about the rankings.

“There’s no point complaining about the format of events because if you’re good enough you’ll make it.”

Stevens will be among 128 players battling for the title at the Welsh Open, which runs from February 16 to 22 and returns to the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff after ten years in Newport.

He faces a tough opening match on the first day of the tournament against Oliver Lines.

Ronnie O’Sullivan will be defending the title while Judd Trump, Neil Robertson, Mark Selby, Shaun Murphy and John Higgins will be among the other top stars in action.