List of world number one snooker players
There have been three ranking systems in place in professional snooker since 1975, which have seen nine players hold the number one rank: Ray Reardon, Cliff Thorburn, Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, John Higgins, Mark Williams, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Neil Robertson and Mark Selby.[1]
An Order of Merit was introduced for the 1975/1976 season, which saw Ray Reardon ranked in the top position. This system was only in place for a season before being replaced by the world rankings, which saw successive periods of dominance for the first 22 seasons by Ray Reardon (1976/1977–1982/1983), Steve Davis (1983/1984–1989/1990) and Stephen Hendry (1990/1991–1997/1998), interrupted only by the 1981/1982 season when Cliff Thorburn held the position. The following period (1998/1999–2009/2010) was shared by O'Sullivan (five seasons), John Higgins (three seasons) and Williams (three seasons), while Hendry regained the position for the 2006/2007 season, ensuring that the four men held the position between them for a twenty year span (1990–2010). In the first 34 years of the world rankings only seven players held the number one position.[2]
This period of dominance ended with the restructuring of the rankings system for the 2010/2011 season, which saw the world rankings updated after each tournament carrying ranking points, rather than just once a year after the World Championship as under the previous system. Since the introduction of the new system, John Higgins, Neil Robertson, Mark Williams and Mark Selby have all attained the number one rank. Robertson and Selby assumed the position mid-season and would therefore not have reached the number one spot under the previous system.[2]
Sometimes other factors besides performance in ranking events impact upon the rankings. Alex Higgins would have been ranked number 1 in 1982/1983, but had ranking points deducted as a result of disciplinary action,[3][4] and similarly, Robertson assumed the number one spot earlier than would have been possible if John Higgins hadn't received a six month ban in 2010.[5] Higgins would also have finished the 2010/2011 season ranked number 1 if he weren't banned, since the points he was guaranteed from participating in the tournaments he missed would have been enough for him to take the top spot,[6] and similarly O'Sullivan's decision not to enter the Malta Cup during the 2005/2006 season cost him the top rank for the following season, since the entry points on offer would have been enough for him to retain the position.[7]
Number one players
The snooker players ranked number one in the world are listed below for each period since rankings officially began in 1976/77.[1]
From |
To |
Name |
Nationality |
01975-05 May 1975[a] |
01981-05 May 1981 |
Reardon, RayRay Reardon |
Wales |
01981-05 May 1981 |
01982-05 May 1982 |
Thorburn, CliffCliff Thorburn |
Canada |
01982-05 May 1982 |
01983-05 May 1983 |
Reardon, RayRay Reardon |
Wales |
01983-05 May 1983 |
01990-05 May 1990 |
Davis, SteveSteve Davis |
England |
01990-05 May 1990 |
01998-05 May 1998 |
Hendry, StephenStephen Hendry |
Scotland |
01998-05 May 1998 |
02000-05 May 2000 |
Higgins, JohnJohn Higgins |
Scotland |
02000-05 May 2000 |
02002-05 May 2002 |
Williams, MarkMark Williams |
Wales |
02002-05 May 2002 |
02003-05 May 2003 |
O'Sullivan, RonnieRonnie O'Sullivan |
England |
02003-05 May 2003 |
02004-05 May 2004 |
Williams, MarkMark Williams |
Wales |
02004-05 May 2004 |
02006-05 May 2006 |
O'Sullivan, RonnieRonnie O'Sullivan |
England |
02006-05 May 2006 |
02007-05 May 2007 |
Hendry, StephenStephen Hendry |
Scotland |
02007-05 May 2007 |
02008-05 May 2008 |
Higgins, JohnJohn Higgins |
Scotland |
02008-05 May 2008 |
02010-05 May 2010 |
O'Sullivan, RonnieRonnie O'Sullivan |
England |
02010-05 May 2010 |
02010-09 September 2010 |
Higgins, JohnJohn Higgins |
Scotland |
02010-09 September 2010 |
02010-12 December 2010 |
Robertson, NeilNeil Robertson[8] |
Australia |
02010-12 December 2010 |
02011-05 May 2011 |
Higgins, JohnJohn Higgins[9] |
Scotland |
02011-05 May 2011 |
02011-09 September 2011 |
Williams, MarkMark Williams[10] |
Wales |
02011-09 September 2011 |
TBC |
Selby, MarkMark Selby[11] |
England |
Records
- Stephen Hendry holds the record for most seasons at number 1, with nine seasons (1990/1991–1997/1998 and again in 2006/2007). His first spell of eight consecutive seasons at number 1 is also a record.[12]
- It took both Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry just five seasons from turning professional to reach the number 1 rank.[12]
Notes
- a Even though the "official" rankings started in 1976, an Order of Merit was published in 1975 to determine the seedings for events. It used the same criteria that was used to determine the first set of official rankings the following year.[2]
References
- ^ a b Turner, Chris. "World Number Ones". Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/No1.html. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
- ^ a b c Turner, Chris. "Historical World Rankings". Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/HistoricRank1.html. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
- ^ Osley, Richard; Gray, Sadie (25 July 2010). "Snooker legend Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins is dead". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/snooker-legend-alex-hurricane-higgins-is-dead-2034992.html. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
- ^ "Alex Higgins: The genius". The Belfast Telegraph (Independent News & Media). 26 July 2010. http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/alex-higgins/alex-higgins-the-genius-14888599.html. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
- ^ "Higgins cleared of bribery claims". BBC Sport. 8 September 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/8973869.stm. Retrieved 8 September 2010.
- ^ "Rankings after 2011 World Champs" (PDF). worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Archived from the original on 6 May 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5yTSNTAng. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
- ^ "2005-6 Main Tour Two Year Rankings Updated 01/05/06 after 888.com World Championship". Global Snooker Centre. Archived from the original on 5 October 2008. http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20081005051808/http://www.globalsnookercentre.co.uk/files/Rankings/05-6twoyrrks.htm.
- ^ "Neil Robertson beats Ronnie O'Sullivan in World Open". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/snooker/9035008.stm. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
- ^ Hirschowitz, Ivan. "Higgins – My Finest Hour". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/NewsArticles/0,,13165~2243824,00.html. Retrieved 14 December 2010.
- ^ "Chinese Cracker Into Semis". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/NewsArticles/0,,13165~2348379,00.html. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
- ^ "Mark Selby beats Mark Williams to win Shanghai Masters". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/snooker/14870798.stm. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
- ^ a b Årdalen, Hermund (2010/2011). "Ranking History". WWW Snooker. http://snooker.org/rnk/history.asp. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
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