Paul Hunter facts for kids
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Hunter in 2002
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| Born | 14 October 1978 Leeds, Yorkshire, England |
|---|---|
| Died | 9 October 2006 (aged 27) Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England |
| Sport country |  England |
| Nickname |
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| Professional | 1995–2006 |
| Highest ranking | 4 (2004/2005) |
| Career winnings | £1,535,730 |
| Highest break | 146: 2004 Premier League |
| Century breaks | 114 |
| Tournament wins | |
| Ranking | 3 |
| Non-ranking | 3 |
Paul Alan Hunter (born 14 October 1978 – died 9 October 2006) was a famous English snooker player. He was known for winning the Masters tournament three times, in 2001, 2002, and 2004. He also won three other big tournaments. These were the Welsh Open in 1998 and 2002, and the British Open in 2002. His highest world ranking was number four in the 2004/05 season.
Paul Hunter was sometimes called the "Beckham of the Baize" because he was good-looking and had a stylish way of playing. He sadly passed away in 2006 from cancer. During his career, he made 114 "century breaks," which means scoring 100 points or more in one turn. His highest score in a single turn was 146 points, which he achieved in the 2004 Premier League.
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Paul Hunter's Early Life and Snooker Journey
Paul Hunter was born in Leeds, England, on 14 October 1978. He went to St Andrews Primary School and Cardinal Heenan High School. When he was just nine years old, he won an award for being the best junior snooker player of the year.
He often traveled to Bradford to practice snooker with professional player Joe Johnson. Paul won many junior competitions. At 14, he won the English Doubles Championship with his partner, Richard Brooke. With help from Jimmy Michie and Joe Johnson, Paul became a professional snooker player in July 1995, when he was 16.
Paul Hunter's Professional Career
Starting Out: 1995–2000
Just four months after becoming a professional, Paul Hunter made a big splash. He reached the second round of the 1995 UK Championship. He even beat Alan McManus, who was ranked sixth in the world, with a score of 9–4.
In 1996, at the Welsh Open, he reached the semi-finals. He beat the world champion, Stephen Hendry, in one of the earlier rounds. That same year, he reached the quarter-finals of the UK Championship. He won against several strong players before losing to Stephen Hendry again. In 1997, he played in the Masters tournament for the first time.
Paul won his first major tournament, the 1998 Welsh Open. He beat many players, including Steve Davis and Peter Ebdon, before facing John Higgins in the final. Paul was behind 2-4 in the final, but he made an amazing comeback, winning seven of the next eight frames to win the match 9–5. After this win, he reached the semi-finals of the 1998 UK Championship. At the end of that year, snooker writers named him the "young player of the year."
In 1999, Paul Hunter played in the World Snooker Championship for the first time. He lost in the first round to Stephen Hendry, who went on to win the championship. By the end of the 1999-2000 season, he was ranked 12th in the world. This meant he automatically qualified for the final stages of big tournaments.
The next season, he reached the quarter-finals in six different events. He was a runner-up at the 2001 Welsh Open and reached the semi-finals at the British Open and Scottish Open.
Becoming a Masters Champion: 2001–2004
The 2001 Masters was a huge moment for Paul. He beat top players like Matthew Stevens, Peter Ebdon, and Stephen Hendry to reach the final. In the final, he played against Fergal O'Brien. Paul was losing 3–7, but he fought back incredibly, winning seven of the next nine frames to win the match 10–9.
He won the Masters again the very next year, at the 2002 event. He beat Stephen Lee, Peter Ebdon, and Alan McManus. In the final, he played Mark Williams. Paul lost the first five frames, but he made another amazing comeback to win 10–9. Paul Hunter was only the third player ever to win the Masters two years in a row.
In 2002, Paul also won his second Welsh Open title, beating Ken Doherty 9–2 in the final. Later that year, he won his third major tournament, the British Open, by defeating Ian McCulloch 9–4. As the defending Masters champion, he reached the semi-finals of the 2003 event, but lost to Mark Williams.
In the 2003 World Snooker Championship, Paul had a fantastic run. He beat Allister Carter, Matthew Stevens, and Peter Ebdon to reach the semi-finals. In his semi-final match against Ken Doherty, Paul was leading 15–9. However, Ken made a strong comeback, and Paul lost the match 16–17. Even though he lost, this great performance helped him get into the world's top eight players for the first time.
In the 2003–04 season, Paul won the 2004 Masters for the third time in four years. In the final, he was playing against Ronnie O'Sullivan. Paul was behind several times, including 1–6, 2–7, 6–8, and 7–9. But he won the last three frames to win the match. He made five century breaks in that final! Paul also reached the final of the Players Championship, but lost to Jimmy White. In the 2004 Premier League Snooker event, he made his highest ever score in one turn, a 146.
Paul started the 2004–05 season by reaching the semi-finals of the Grand Prix. He then reached the quarter-finals of the 2005 China Open. This was just a few days after he found out he was suffering from cancer. His career-high ranking was number four in the world during the 2004-2005 season.
Later Years and Illness
On 6 April 2005, Paul Hunter announced that he was suffering from cancer. He bravely returned to play snooker for the 2005–06 season. He lost his first match at the Grand Prix. His next match was at the UK Championship, where he made another great comeback to win 9–8 against Jamie Burnett. However, he lost in the next round. Paul played his last ever match at the 2006 World Championship, where he lost to Neil Robertson.
His world ranking dropped from 5th to 34th. Paul shared that he was in continuous pain. In July 2006, the snooker association changed its rules to allow Paul to take a break from playing for the entire 2006–2007 season. This allowed him to focus on his cancer treatment.
Death and Legacy
Paul Hunter passed away on 9 October 2006, just five days before his 28th birthday. He died at the Kirkwood Hospice in Huddersfield. Before the Premier League Snooker matches on 12 October 2006, many famous players and officials held a moment of silence to remember him. Paul left behind his wife, Lindsey, and their daughter. His funeral took place on 19 October 2006 in Leeds.
Many fellow snooker players, including Stephen Hendry and Mark Williams, suggested that the Masters trophy should be named in Paul's memory. Instead, a tournament in Germany, the German Open, was renamed the Paul Hunter Classic in his honor. Paul had actually won this event before. In 2007, the amateur English Open tournament was also renamed the Paul Hunter English Open. Finally, on 20 April 2016, the Masters trophy was indeed renamed in Paul Hunter's honor.
In 2006, Paul was given the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award. This award celebrates courage in the face of adversity. His wife, Lindsey, accepted the award for him. After his death, the Paul Hunter Foundation was created. Its goal is to give young people, including those with disabilities, the chance to play snooker. Paul made 114 century breaks during his professional career, with his highest being 146 points.
Paul Hunter's Personal Life
Paul Hunter married Lindsey Fell, a beauty therapist, in August 2004 in Jamaica. On 26 December 2005, they had their first and only child, a daughter named Evie Rose. Paul was known as an exciting player and was nicknamed the "Beckham of the Baize." This was because of his good looks, similar to the famous football player David Beckham. After Paul's death, Lindsey wrote a book called "Unbreakable: My Life with Paul – a Story of Extraordinary Courage and Love." The book shares details about Paul's snooker career, his life, and his brave fight against illness.
- BBC Sport profile for Paul Hunter
See also
In Spanish: Paul Hunter (jugador de snooker) para niños
