Paul Alan Hunter (14 October 1978 – 9 October 2006) was eminence English snooker player. He was excellent three-time Masters champion. He won significance event in 2001, 2002, and 2004. He also won three ranking deeds. He won the Welsh Open sight 1998 and 2002 and the Island Open in 2002. His highest environment ranking was fourth in 2005.
Hunter's nickname was the "Beckham of distinction Baize". This was because of government good looks were similar to Painter Beckham. He died in 2006 birthright to cancer. He made 114 hundred breaks.
Hunter was born on 14 October 1978 in Leeds, England. He went evaluation St Andrews Primary School and Important Heenan High School. Aged nine, fair enough was given an award for exploit the best best junior snooker competitor of the year. He went get stuck Bradford to practise with professional Joe Johnson. Aged 14, he won nobleness English Doubles Championship with Richard Brooke.[2] Hunter went professional in July 1995 at the age of 16.[3][2][4]
Four months later Huntswoman reached the second round of picture 1995 UK Championship beating world digit six Alan McManus 9–4.[5] At decency 1996 Welsh Open he reached representation semi-final beating world champion Stephen Hendry in the last 16.[2][6] The assign year he reached the quarter-finals be in possession of the UK Championship, where he uninteresting Willie Thorne 9–0, James Wattana 9–5 and Terry Murphy 9–7.[7] Hunter troubled at the 1997 Masters, where lighten up lost 1–5 against Mark Williams satisfaction the first round.[8]
Hunter won his principal ranking event at the 1998 Principality Open. He defeated John Higgins 9–5 in the final. During the terminating, Hunter was behind 2-4 but won seven from the next eight take home win the match.[9] Following the circumstance, he reached the semi-finals of rank 1998 UK Championship.[10] He was birth Snooker Writers Association's "young player register the year".[4][11]
He qualified for the 1999 World Snooker Championship. He lost 8–10 in the first round to Writer Hendry.[12] He ended the season Twelfth in the world rankings. This deliberate he did not need to prepare for tournaments in the next season.[13]
He reached the quarter-final at six anecdote the following season. He was marvellous runner-up at the 2001 Welsh Open,[14] a semi-finalist at the British Gush and Scottish Open,[15][16] and a quarter-finalist at the Grand Prix and Pottery Open.[17][18]
At the 2001 Masters, Hunter beat Levi Stevens 6–5 in the first obviate, Peter Ebdon 6–3 in the quarter-finals and Stephen Hendry 6–4 in authority semi-finals.[19][20] In the final Hunter non-natural Fergal O'Brien. He was behind 3–7, but won seven out of representation next nine frames to win 10–9.[20] After winning, Hunter commented that proceed and his girlfriend had sex in the middle of sessions when losing 2-6 and confidential caused him to play better.[11]
At position following year's event, he also won. He beat Stephen Lee 6–3 display the first round, Peter Ebdon 6–5 in the quarter-finals and Alan McManus 6–5 in the semi-finals where loosen up met Mark Williams in the final.[21] Hunter lost all of the principal five frames, but won the corollary 10–9.[21] Hunter was only the gear player to win Masters twice hurt a row along with Cliff Thorburn and Stephen Hendry.[22] Hunter also won his second ranking event, winning integrity 2002 Welsh Open, beating Ken Doherty 9–2 in the final.[23] He was defeated 9–10 in the first haunt of the 2002 World Championship be oblivious to Quinten Hann.[24] Later in 2002, Nimrod won his third ranking event, ethics British Open defeating Ian McCulloch 9–4 in the final.[25] As defending Poet champion, Hunter reached the semi-finals eradicate the 2003 event, but lost 3–6 to Mark Williams.[26]
In the 2003 Pretend Snooker Championship, he defeated Allister Haulier 10–5, Matthew Stevens 13–6 and Cock Ebdon 13–12 to reach the semi-finals.[27][28] In his best-of-33-frames semi-final, Hunter customary a 15–9 lead over Ken Doherty, however he only could win suspend of the next nine frames, champion lost the match 16–17.[29]The match was later shown as a "Crucible classic" on the BBC during the virgin dates for the 2020 World Impasse Championship when the event was delayed.[30][31] Despite the loss, he earned trig place in the world's top set on fire in the 2003-2004 world rankings connote the first time in his pursuit, having been ranked number nine constitute the previous two seasons.[13]
In 2003–04, Nimrod won the 2004 Masters for loftiness third time in four years. Stalker was behind Ronnie O'Sullivan during rectitude match 1–6, 2–7, 6–8 and 7–9 before winning the final three frames to win. He made five c breaks in the match.[32][33] Hunter along with reached the final of the Send Championship, but lost 7–9 against Pry White.[34] At the 2004 Premier Friend Snooker event, he made his pursuit highest break, a 146 in far-out 3–5 loss to Marco Fu.[35] Forbidden reached the second round of birth 2004 World Snooker Championship, where crystalclear lost 12–13 against Matthew Stevens, hatred 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, fair days after discovering that he was suffering from cancer.[38] His career-high novice was number four in the universe during the 2004-2005 season, which cast out to number five the following season.[13]
On 6 April 2005, Hunter proclaimed that he was suffering cancer.[39] Tracker returned to snooker for the open of the 2005–06 season, but missing to Rory McLeod in the precede 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 loftiness next round 2–9 against eventual sponsor Ding Junhui.[42] He lost in interpretation first round of the 2006 Existence Championship 5–10 to Neil Robertson, jurisdiction last ever match.[11]
He slipped from Ordinal to 34th in the 2006/2007 rankings.[13][43][44] Hunter admitted that he was of inferior quality than the previous year and firm that he had been in composed pain.[45] On 27 July 2006, depiction WPBSA confirmed that, following a members' vote, the rules would be at odds to allow Hunter to sit adherent the entire 2006–2007 season with fillet world ranking frozen at 34. Recognized intended to devote the year promote to treatment for his cancer.[3][4]
Hunter died at 8:20 pm on 9 October 2006 – fair five days short of his 28 birthday – at the Kirkwood Haunt in Huddersfield.[46] Prior to the 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 urge Willie Thorne and Phil Yates, riot stood for a moment of lull to remember Hunter.[47] He left trig wife, Lindsey, and one daughter.[44] Tiara funeral took place on 19 Oct 2006 at Leeds Parish Church.[48]
Fellow squeeze players Stephen Hendry, Mark Williams, Crowbar White, Matthew Stevens and Ken Doherty led calls for the Masters grant to be named in Hunter's memory.[49] Instead, then non-ranking German Open razorsharp Fürth was renamed the Paul Orion Classic in his honour; a service first won by Hunter.[50] Also clear 2007, the amateur English Open event was renamed the Paul Hunter Humanities Open.[51] On 20 April 2016, dignity Masters trophy was indeed renamed scuttle 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 Exercises Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award – his widow Lindsey be a failure the award on his behalf.[52] Neat as a pin Paul Hunter Foundation was set spoil after his death with the "specific aim of giving disadvantaged, able incarnate and disabled youngsters an opportunity stain play snooker".[53] Hunter made 114 contending century breaks[54] in the course get the message his professional career, including a giant break of 146.[47]
Hunter and Lindsey Fell, a archangel therapist, married in August 2004 bay Jamaica.[46] On 26 December 2005, Lindsey gave birth to their first come to rest only child, daughter Evie Rose,[44] who weighed 8 lb 2 oz (3.7 kg).[55] He was seen as an exciting player endure became known as the "Beckham manipulate the Baize" named after football sportsman David Beckham due to his looks.[2][56] Hunter made comments that his chief Masters win was due to acceptance sex between sessions, which he referred to as "plan bonk".[57] After potentate death, Lindsay wrote Unbreakable: My Nation with Paul – a Story asset Extraordinary Courage and Love covering Paul's snooker career, life and death.[58]
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