World Snooker Championship 1997
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Contents |
[edit] The event
The 1997 Embassy World Snooker Championship took place at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield between the 19th April to the 5th May 1997.
[edit] Notable Moments
- The semi-final matches were 'best of 33' for the first time, having previously been 'best of 31'.
- Ronnie O'Sullivan made the quickest 147 in history with a time of 5 minutes and 20 seconds and the fourth in the history of the tournament.
- Only one English player reached the quarter-finals, a World Championship record, and until 2006 a ranking tournament record. Six different nations were represented in the last 8, a total matched in the 2006 event.
- Stephen Hendry's five year run as World Champion came to an end after losing to Ken Doherty 12-18. Doherty also became only the second overseas player to win the world title after Cliff Thorburn in 1980.
- Hendry's loss ended a 29 match winning streak at the World Championship, which is an all time record. Joe Davis won more titles consecutively, however in those days the defending champion only played a challenge match.
[edit] Prize Money
Winner £210,000
Runner-Up £126,000
Semi-finalist £63,000
Quarter-finalist £31,500
Round Two £16,800
Round One £9,450
Highest TV Break £18,000
Maximum TV Break £147,000
Total £1,260,000
[edit] Highest Break
There were 39 centuries in this year's championship.
[edit] TOURNAMENT REVIEW
Day One - Saturday 19th April
The tournament by tradition opens up with the defending champion. Stephen Hendry advanced after a tough 10-6 win over Andy Hicks, a semi-finalist at the Crucible just 2 years ago. Hendry, looking for his seventh crown which would take the record, will now meet 16th seed Mark Williams, or retiring former champion Terry Griffiths who finish their game tomorrow. On Saturday afternoon, Stefan Mazroicis put up a big lead over Peter Ebdon; in the evening Ken Doherty faced Mark Davis who had beaten him 10-7 just two years earlier.
Day Two - Sunday 20th April
Terry Griffiths' professional snooker career came to an end, Mark Williams winning 10-9 to set up a meeting with the World champion on Friday morning. Darren Morgan faced Gary Wilkinson, Morgan needing a good run to simply stay in the top 16. Two seeds were shocked today, Lee Walker, ranked 189 but Dave Harold was dispatched 10-7. The shocks weren't new, only 6 players ranked 17-32 (leaving one qualifier) won through to Sheffield.
The big shock came in the afternoon. Stefan Mazroicis putting Peter Ebdon out 10-3 -- the 1996 finalist out on the opening weekend of the tournament. Following Stefan into round two is Ken Doherty, the seventh seed putting a gritty performance from Mark Davis to fruitlessness, a 10-8 win.
Day Three - Monday 21st April
One headline today, RONALD ANTONIO O'SULLIVAN. Ronnie made the headlines for the good reasons through making a 147 in frame fourteen against Mick Price. The 8th seed at the centre of all controversy during the Embassy in 1996 earned £515.62 per second during the 5 minutes and 20 second break, making it the fastest ever maximum break. His 10-6 win means he's playing Darren Morgan for a place in the last eight. Morgan having won 10-5 vs. former world no 5 Gary Wilkinson.
Steve Davis rolled back the years to record the heaviest win so far, 10-2 over David McLellan from Clydebank. The Number 10 seed, who is the oldest seed in the draw, will now meet Ken Doherty.
Day Four - Tuesday 22nd April
Nigel Bond became the big name casualty at the Crucible so far. Stephen Lee from Trowbridge winning 10-8 against the man who had eliminated him in the first round by the same score two years ago. Along with Bond, Alan McManus (6) and John Parrott (4) both sneaked home against lower ranked opposition, both winning 10-9. Parrott beating a player who had earned £0 at the game in 1995/96
[edit] Results
{{World Snooker Championship Rounds Stephen Hendry 10 Andy Hicks 6 ||
Mark Williams|10| Terry Griffiths|9 || Darren Morgan|10|
Gary Wilkinson|5 || Ronnie O'Sullivan|10| Mick Price|6 || Stephen Lee|10| Nigel Bond|8 ||
James Wattana|10|
Graeme Dott|9 || Anthony Hamilton|10| Jimmy White|9 || John Parrott|10| Bradley Jones|9 || Stefan Mazrocis|10| Peter Ebdon|3 ||
Alain Robidoux|10| Brian Morgan|8 || Lee Walker|10| Dave Harold|7 || Alan McManus|10| Billy Snaddon|9 ||
Ken Doherty|10| Mark Davis|8 || Steve Davis|10| David McLellan|2 || Dominic Dale|10|
Tony Drago|9 || John Higgins|10| Graham Horne|6 Stephen Hendry]]|13| Mark Williams|8 || Darren Morgan|13| Ronnie O'Sullivan|12 || Stephen Lee|7 | James Wattana|13 || Anthony Hamilton|11 | John Parrott|13 || Stefan Mazrocis|9| Alain Robidoux|13 || Lee Walker|13| Alan McManus|10 || Ken Doherty|13| Steve Davis|3 || Dominic Dale|5| John Higgins|13 || Stephen Hendry|13| Darren Morgan|10 || James Wattana|13| John Parrott|10 || Alain Robidoux|13| Lee Walker|8 || Ken Doherty|13| John Higgins|9 || Stephen Hendry|17| James Wattana|13 || Alain Robidoux|7| Ken Doherty|17 |(Best of 35 frames) Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, 4 May & 5 May 1997. Referee: Alan Chamberlain | Ken Doherty |18-12 |Stephen Hendry |67-1, 5-117 (117), 0-106 (106), 77-13, 78-9 (69), 75-51, 69-11 (59), 0-122 (122), 12-76, 89-32, 62-55, 57-43, 65-13, 85-50 (85, 50), 47-74, 60-28 (52), 23-70 (58), 71-24 (70), 4-110 (92), 86-0 (46), 85-16, 59-45, 0-137 (137), 12-75, 30-61 (51), 0-114 (110), 57-61, 82-23, 69-19 (50), 71-49 | |67-1, 5-117 (117), 0-106 (106), 77-13, 78-9 (69), 75-51, 69-11 (59), 0-122 (122). 12-76, 89-32, 62-55, 57-43, 65-13, 85-50 (85, 50), 47-74, 60-28 (52), 23-70 (58), 71-24 (70), 4-110 (92), 86-0 (46), 85-16, 59-45, 0-137 (137), 12-75, 30-61 (51), 0-114 (110), 57-61, 82-23, 69-19 (50), 71-49 | Ken Doherty wins the 1997 Embassy World Snooker Championship |Best of 19 frames |Best of 25 frames |Best of 25 frames |Best of 33 frames }}
| World Snooker Championship |
|---|
| The early years |
| 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 |
| Post-War to decline |
| 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 |
| Challenge Matches |
| 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1968 |
| The modern era pre-Crucible |
| 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 |
| The Crucible Theatre |
| 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
| Winners and statistics |
| List of winners from 1927 to present |
