Ali Carter facts for kids
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Carter in 2013
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| Born | 25 July 1979 Colchester, Essex, England |
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| Sport country |  England |
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| Professional | 1996/1997, 1998–present | |||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | 2 (September–October 2010) | |||||||||||||
| Current ranking | 11 (as of 8 May 2018) | |||||||||||||
| Tournament wins | ||||||||||||||
| Ranking | 6 | |||||||||||||
| Minor-ranking | 1 | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Ali Carter (born 25 July 1979) is a professional snooker player from England. He is often called "The Captain" because he loves flying planes as a hobby! Ali has been a finalist in the World Snooker Championship twice, in 2008 and 2012. Both times, he played against and lost to the famous player Ronnie O'Sullivan.
Ali Carter has won six major snooker tournaments, called ranking titles. He even reached the number two spot in the world rankings in 2010, which is a huge achievement in snooker.
Contents
Ali Carter's Snooker Journey
Ali Carter became a professional snooker player in 1996. He started to become well-known in 1999 when he won the Benson and Hedges Championship. This win helped him get a special spot in a big tournament called the Masters. He also reached the semi-finals of the Grand Prix that same year.
For several years, Ali was very close to being in the top 16 players in the world. He finally made it into the top 16 in the 2006–07 season and stayed there for a while.
Big Matches and Wins
In the 2005 World Championship, Ali won a match 10–0, which is very rare! He then reached his first World Championship quarter-final in 2007 by beating the world number one player, Stephen Hendry.
One exciting match was in the 2008 World Championship. Ali beat Barry Hawkins 10–9 in a very close game. He then went on to defeat two former champions, Shaun Murphy and Peter Ebdon. In the semi-final, he beat Joe Perry to reach the final against Ronnie O'Sullivan. Although he played well, Ali lost the final.
During the 2008 World Championship, Ali Carter achieved a "147 break". This is when a player pots every ball perfectly to score the maximum 147 points in one turn. It was an amazing moment, especially since another player, Ronnie O'Sullivan, also made a 147 break in the same tournament!
Ali won his first major ranking tournament in 2009, the Welsh Open. He beat several strong players to finally get his first big title after many years as a professional.
Climbing the Rankings
In the 2009–10 season, Ali had a strong year. He reached the final of the Welsh Open again, but lost to John Higgins. He also made it to the semi-finals of the China Open and the World Championship. He finished that season at his highest world ranking of 4th.
Ali continued his success by winning the 2010 Shanghai Masters in 2010. He had to make some great comebacks in his matches to win the title.
Health Challenges and Comebacks
The 2011–12 season was tough for Ali. He struggled with his health due to a condition called Crohn's disease. At one point, he even thought about retiring from snooker. However, he made a fantastic comeback at the 2012 World Championship. He changed his diet and played incredibly well, reaching the final for the second time. He faced Ronnie O'Sullivan again and lost, but it was an amazing effort given his health challenges.
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In the 2012–13 season, Ali won his third ranking title at the German Masters. He showed great determination to win the final after being behind.
In 2013, Ali faced another serious health challenge. He was diagnosed with cancer. After surgery and treatment, he bravely returned to snooker. In 2014, the cancer returned in his lung, and he had to take another break for intensive treatment. He fought hard and successfully completed his treatment. He made another inspiring comeback, winning the 2014 General Cup in October 2014.
Recent Achievements
Ali continued to play well after his health battles. In 2015, he won the Paul Hunter Classic, which was his first ranking title since overcoming cancer. This win was very special because the tournament is named after Paul Hunter, another snooker player who sadly passed away from cancer.
In 2016, Ali won his fourth ranking title at the World Open, which helped him get back into the top 16 players. He also reached the final of the 2017 German Masters in 2017.
Ali has consistently performed well in recent years. In 2019, he reached the final of the World Grand Prix. In 2020, he made it to the final of the prestigious Masters tournament, a big non-ranking event, but lost a close match to Stuart Bingham.
In 2023, Ali won his fifth ranking title at the German Masters, showing he is still a top player. He also reached the finals of the Players Championship and the Wuhan Open that year. In 2024, he won his sixth ranking title at the Championship League. He also reached the final of the Masters again, where he faced Ronnie O'Sullivan for a third time in a major final, but lost.
About Ali Carter's Life
Ali Carter has managed Crohn's disease since 2003. He helps control this condition by being careful about what he eats, especially avoiding dairy and wheat.
Ali is also a keen pilot and has a pilot's licence, which is where his nickname "The Captain" comes from. He even bought a snooker club in Chelmsford, where he used to practice.
Ali has two children. A son with his former partner Sarah, born in 2009, and a daughter with his former partner Stella English.
Career Finals Summary
Ali Carter has played in many important snooker finals throughout his career.
Ranking Event Finals
He has reached 14 ranking event finals, winning 6 of them:
- Wins:
- Welsh Open (2009)
- Shanghai Masters (2010)
- German Masters (2013)
- World Open (2016)
- German Masters (2023)
- Championship League (2024)
- Runner-up:
- World Championship (2008)
- Welsh Open (2010)
- World Championship (2012)
- German Masters (2017)
- World Grand Prix (2019)
- WST Pro Series (2021)
- Players Championship (2023)
- Wuhan Open (2023)
Minor-Ranking Event Finals
He has won 1 minor-ranking title:
- Wins:
- Paul Hunter Classic (2015)
Non-Ranking Event Finals
He has reached 12 non-ranking event finals, winning 4 of them:
- Wins:
- Benson and Hedges Championship (1999)
- Huangshan Cup (2008)
- General Cup (2014)
- Helsinki International Cup (2024)
- Runner-up:
- Scottish Masters Qualifying Event (2002)
- Masters Qualifying Event (2005)
- Wuxi Classic (2011)
- Championship League (2013)
- World Games (2017)
- The Masters (2020)
- Macau Masters – Event 1 (2023)
- The Masters (2024)
Images for kids
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2015 Paul Hunter Classic
See also
In Spanish: Ali Carter para niños
