By Phil Harlow BBC Sport at the Crucible

Pettman has struggled in his televised games

Qualifier Stuart Pettman did not enjoy the kindest of draws on his debut at the Embassy World Championship, being pitted against provisional world number one Mark Williams in the opening round.

But after producing a creditable performance on his way to a 10-2 defeat, the world number 58 spoke to BBC Sport about the intense pressure of playing at The Crucible for the first time.

"It's all good experience," he told this website.

"I've had to win three games just to get here and the nerves started when I qualified against Dave Harold six weeks ago.

"This was the first time I'd been to The Crucible - I'd never even been here before to watch before!

"I had a quick look in the arena before to try to settle my nerves, but if anything that made it worse!

"It was probably the biggest crowd I've played in front of and when Alan Hughes introduced me I was so emotional I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

The man behind the Whirlwind

"It was probably the hardest match I've ever played just because I felt like I was a fish out of water to start with."

Pettman feels he will become a better player for the experience he has gained on his trip to Sheffield.

"Next time I'd feel a lot more relaxed," he said.

"The difference between walking out on the first day and on the second day was enormous - I felt so much calmer the second time around," he said.

"And that can only help me for the rest of the tournaments I play in."

The Preston-based player admits he finds it difficult to produce his best form in televised matches and will have to eliminate the weakness from his game if he wants to progress in the rankings.

It is tough but it's a stepping stone and unfortunately I'm taking it very slowly Stuart Pettman

He said: "I've played in ranking tournaments before, but every time I've played on television I've always struggled. I just cannot get the hang of it for some reason.

"It's not so much the cameras, but I just think the table plays a lot differently to the qualifying tables that I'm used to. I don't know if it's the lights or what but for me it seems different.

"It's something that I've got to overcome or otherwise I'm going to get beaten every time I get on television and that's not what I want."

Like most of the other 700-odd players on the snooker circuit, Pettman is desperate to break into the elite top 32 at the top of the rankings.

The top 32 players automatically qualify for most ranking tournaments (although not every tournament as the top 16 do) which can make an enormous difference to a player's earnings and ability to pick up ranking points.

"The guys in the top 32 are there on merit, they haven't been handed their place and they've all had to do what I'm doing which is slogging through a lot of qualifying rounds.

"It is tough but it's a stepping stone and unfortunately I'm taking it very slowly.

"I've had a very average season. To be honest if it wasn't for qualifying for the World Championship I'd have had a very poor season.

"But I should have moved up into the top 48 which is a step forward as it's another qualifying round that I don't have to play."