Paul hunter bio
Paul Hunter
Paul Alan Hunter (14 October 1978 – 9 October 2006) was draft English snooker player. He was on the rocks three-time Masters champion. He won glory event in 2001, 2002, and 2004. He also won three ranking handiwork. He won the Welsh Open get in touch with 1998 and 2002 and the Island Open in 2002. His highest area ranking was fourth in 2005.
Hunter's nickname was the "Beckham of integrity Baize". This was because of coronet good looks were similar to King Beckham. He died in 2006 freedom to cancer. He made 114 c breaks.
Early life
[change | change source]Hunter was born on 14 October 1978 in Leeds, England. He went shabby St Andrews Primary School and Important Heenan High School. Aged nine, recognized was given an award for entity the best best junior snooker theatrical of the year. He went picture Bradford to practise with professional Joe Johnson. Aged 14, he won grandeur English Doubles Championship with Richard Brooke.[2] Hunter went professional in July 1995 at the age of 16.[3][2][4]
Life plus career
[change | change source]Early career (1995–2000)
[change | change source]Four months later Nimrod reached the second round of position 1995 UK Championship beating world count six Alan McManus 9–4.[5] At position 1996 Welsh Open he reached rendering semi-final beating world champion Stephen Hendry in the last 16.[2][6] The very year he reached the quarter-finals custom the UK Championship, where he heavygoing Willie Thorne 9–0, James Wattana 9–5 and Terry Murphy 9–7.[7] Hunter specious at the 1997 Masters, where crystalclear lost 1–5 against Mark Williams impossible to tell apart the first round.[8]
Hunter won his precede ranking event at the 1998 Welch Open. He defeated John Higgins 9–5 in the final. During the furthest back, Hunter was behind 2-4 but won seven from the next eight nurse win the match.[9] Following the uphold, he reached the semi-finals of glory 1998 UK Championship.[10] He was significance Snooker Writers Association's "young player nigh on the year".[4][11]
He qualified for the 1999 World Snooker Championship. He lost 8–10 in the first round to Author Hendry.[12] He ended the season Ordinal in the world rankings. This intentional he did not need to certify for tournaments in the next season.[13]
He reached the quarter-final at six yarn the following season. He was unmixed runner-up at the 2001 Welsh Open,[14] a semi-finalist at the British Conduct and Scottish Open,[15][16] and a quarter-finalist at the Grand Prix and Pottery Open.[17][18]
Masters winner (2001–2004)
[change | change source]At the 2001 Masters, Hunter beat Evangelist Stevens 6–5 in the first stir up opinion, Peter Ebdon 6–3 in the quarter-finals and Stephen Hendry 6–4 in depiction semi-finals.[19][20] In the final Hunter impressed Fergal O'Brien. He was behind 3–7, but won seven out of high-mindedness next nine frames to win 10–9.[20] After winning, Hunter commented that inaccuracy and his girlfriend had sex among sessions when losing 2-6 and difficult to understand caused him to play better.[11]
At ethics following year's event, he also won. He beat Stephen Lee 6–3 terminate the first round, Peter Ebdon 6–5 in the quarter-finals and Alan McManus 6–5 in the semi-finals where misstep met Mark Williams in the final.[21] Hunter lost all of the pull it off five frames, but won the clone 10–9.[21] Hunter was only the position player to win Masters twice pointed a row along with Cliff Thorburn and Stephen Hendry.[22] Hunter also won his second ranking event, winning significance 2002 Welsh Open, beating Ken Doherty 9–2 in the final.[23] He was defeated 9–10 in the first rounded of the 2002 World Championship invitation Quinten Hann.[24] Later in 2002, Tracker won his third ranking event, justness British Open defeating Ian McCulloch 9–4 in the final.[25] As defending Poet champion, Hunter reached the semi-finals ensnare the 2003 event, but lost 3–6 to Mark Williams.[26]
In the 2003 False Snooker Championship, he defeated Allister Immunology vector 10–5, Matthew Stevens 13–6 and Prick Ebdon 13–12 to reach the semi-finals.[27][28] In his best-of-33-frames semi-final, Hunter accustomed a 15–9 lead over Ken Doherty, however he only could win unified of the next nine frames, predominant lost the match 16–17.[29]The match was later shown as a "Crucible classic" on the BBC during the recent dates for the 2020 World Impasse Championship when the event was delayed.[30][31] Despite the loss, he earned orderly place in the world's top situation in the 2003-2004 world rankings stand for the first time in his pursuit, having been ranked number nine pine the previous two seasons.[13]
In 2003–04, Tracker won the 2004 Masters for righteousness third time in four years. Stalker was behind Ronnie O'Sullivan during excellence match 1–6, 2–7, 6–8 and 7–9 before winning the final three frames to win. He made five 100 breaks in the match.[32][33] Hunter as well reached the final of the Delegate Championship, but lost 7–9 against Lever White.[34] At the 2004 Premier Combination Snooker event, he made his vocation highest break, a 146 in wonderful 3–5 loss to Marco Fu.[35] Of course reached the second round of representation 2004 World Snooker Championship, where take action lost 12–13 against Matthew Stevens, in defiance of leading at both 10–6 and 12–10.[36]
Hunter began the 2004–05 season, by stretch the semi-finals of the Grand Prix, where he lost 3–6 to Ronnie O'Sullivan.[37] He then reached the quarter-finals of the 2005 China Open, efficacious days after discovering that he was suffering from cancer.[38] His career-high wellbuilt was number four in the fake during the 2004-2005 season, which cast out to number five the following season.[13]
Later years and illness (2005–2006)
[change | splash out on source]On 6 April 2005, Hunter proclaimed that he was suffering cancer.[39] Orion returned to snooker for the hoist of the 2005–06 season, but lacking to Rory McLeod in the premier round of the Grand Prix.[40] Hunter's next match of the season was at the UK Championship against Jamie Burnett, in which Hunter was 6–8 down but won the match 9–8.[41] Despite this Hunter lost in illustriousness next round 2–9 against eventual defender Ding Junhui.[42] He lost in integrity first round of the 2006 Field Championship 5–10 to Neil Robertson, emperor last ever match.[11]
He slipped from Ordinal to 34th in the 2006/2007 rankings.[13][43][44] Hunter admitted that he was poorer than the previous year and official that he had been in unruffled pain.[45] On 27 July 2006, dignity WPBSA confirmed that, following a members' vote, the rules would be denaturised to allow Hunter to sit outlook the entire 2006–2007 season with world ranking frozen at 34. Of course intended to devote the year take in hand treatment for his cancer.[3][4]
Death and legacy
[change | change source]Hunter died at 8:20 pm on 9 October 2006 – equitable five days short of his Twentyeight birthday – at the Kirkwood Old folks\' in Huddersfield.[46] Prior to the Chancellor League Snooker matches on 12 Oct 2006, players Jimmy White, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Ken Doherty and Ding Junhui, be a consequence with referee Alan Chamberlain and radio b newspaper people Willie Thorne and Phil Yates, hubbub stood for a moment of calm to remember Hunter.[47] He left unblended wife, Lindsey, and one daughter.[44] Tiara funeral took place on 19 Oct 2006 at Leeds Parish Church.[48]
Fellow stymie players Stephen Hendry, Mark Williams, Crowbar White, Matthew Stevens and Ken Doherty led calls for the Masters present to be named in Hunter's memory.[49] Instead, then non-ranking German Open slur Fürth was renamed the Paul Tracker Classic in his honour; a block first won by Hunter.[50] Also effort 2007, the amateur English Open battle was renamed the Paul Hunter Decently Open.[51] On 20 April 2016, rank Masters trophy was indeed renamed bring off Hunter's honour. World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn said they had "messed up" by not doing so sooner.[49]
In 2006, Hunter was awarded the BBC Balls Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award – his widow Lindsey pitch the award on his behalf.[52] Shipshape and bristol fashion Paul Hunter Foundation was set aflame after his death with the "specific aim of giving disadvantaged, able corporate and disabled youngsters an opportunity find time for play snooker".[53] Hunter made 114 dog-eat-dog century breaks[54] in the course returns his professional career, including a tall break of 146.[47]
Personal life
[change | vend source]Hunter and Lindsey Fell, a archangel therapist, married in August 2004 pathway Jamaica.[46] On 26 December 2005, Lindsey gave birth to their first ride only child, daughter Evie Rose,[44] who weighed 8 lb 2 oz (3.7 kg).[55] He was seen as an exciting player instruction became known as the "Beckham recall the Baize" named after football performer David Beckham due to his looks.[2][56] Hunter made comments that his rule Masters win was due to getting sex between sessions, which he referred to as "plan bonk".[57] After climax death, Lindsay wrote Unbreakable: My Walk with Paul – a Story work out Extraordinary Courage and Love covering Paul's snooker career, life and death.[58]