NEWS
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Event Report - 14/Apr - Nothing will be more satisfied to compete in this �1.46m world championship, so does snooker. It is now the 25th anniversary since Embassy took over the sponsorship in 1976. As usual, elite players will compete in the Crucible Theater at Sheffield, England. Hundreds of players had already involved through several qualifying rounds. Only 16 players servive to challenge the top 16 seeds. Competition will start from 15th of April. Most of the matches will last more than one day. Who every keep their top form for 17 days can hold the first title in year 2000. It is the last but the most important tournament of the season. Many players will try their best to get a better world ranking place. Don't miss the action from the world championship! |
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news - Swail receives extra honour - 30/Apr - Joe Swail's contribution to this year's Embassy World Championship has earned him a special award from the sponsor. The Managing Director (UK) of Imperial Tobacco, Graham Blashill, presented a Keininger Skeletal Brass Clock worth �800 and a cheque for �500 to the Northern Ireland star. "We want to recognise Joe's preformance both on and off the table," said Blashill, "Not only has he played some superb snooker but his sportsmanship and good humour have been a credit to the game. "He has been a major contributor to making the 2000 Embassy World Championship an outstanding success." Swail has won �70,000 for reaching the semi-finals after recovered from 9-6 down to Stephen Maguire in the qualifiers before famously coming back form 12-8 down to beat former champion John Parrott 13-12 in round two. He also beat Paul Hunter and Dominic Dale before losing to Matthew Stevens in the last four. His ranking also risen from 28th to 16 in the ranking list. It means he is the first player to lose a top 16 then top 32 ranking and climb back to the top 16. |
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news - Stephen Hendry's hope - 28/Apr - Stephen Hendry is tipping John Higgins to maintain Scotland's stanglehold on snooker. Last year's champion wants the Embassy World title to stay north of the border as consolation for having the crown ripped form his grasp. Higgins must first overcome new world No.1 Mark J Williams to reach the final, where a GBP 240,000 winner's cheque is up for grabs. But Hendry insisted, "If you're asking me to tip the winner, I'll have to go for Higgins. "He has impressed me and has got stronger as the tournament has progressed. "John was absolutely brilliant in his quarter-final win over Anthony Hamilton." |
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news from snookernet - Steve Davis out of top 16 - 26/Apr - Today marks the end of an era, as it is now certain that Steve Davis will not be in the top sixteen next season. Joe Swail's extraordinary run at the Embassy World Championship means that Davis will leave the top sixteen for the first time since rankings began. The six-times world champion will need to play a qualifying match to reach the Crucible next year. "It won't make much difference to my life whatsoever," said Davis, as he faced the probability of leaving the top sixteen after losing to John Higgins in the second round. "It will only mean one more match against a top player and the quality stretches well beyond even the top 32," he said. For all in snooker, however, it marks the end of an era. Davis has been an ever-present since rankings were instituted, and has won more tournaments than any other player. The 42-year-old dominated the 1980s, and has won only four ranking tournaments fewer than Stephen Hendry. He relinquished the world number one spot to Hendry in 1990, and was fifteenth on the list this year. |
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news release - Ladies' Embassy World Championship - 23/Apr - The Ladies' world No.1 Kelly Fisher defeated Lisa Ingall 4-1 to clinch her third consecutive Embassy World Ladies' Championship title. Having won the first frame Fisher lost the second going in off the black. However, she quickly made amends. The 21-year-old won the next three frames to claim the title and the �5,000 winner's cheque. The highest break of the match was a 60 by Fisher in the fourth frame. The title underlines her dominance of the circuit thie season. She had already captured the British Open, Regal Masters, UK Championship and Connie Gough National Championship this sesaon before coming to Sheffield. "It's an unbelievable feeling to have won and I'm over the moon. This season has been really good and to finish with a win at the Crucible is absolutely brilliant," said Fisher who earlier beat Londoner Kim Shaw 4-1 in her semi-final. A disappointed Ingall, who fought back from 2-0 down against Newport's Sharon Dickson in her semis, vowed to retuen to the Crucible, "It has given me a taste and I will definitely be back," she said. "I am gutted that I lost, but take nothing away from Kelly. She played well and deserved to win." It was the 19-year-old's first ranking tournament final, although she is already ranked No.4 in the world. "What better tournament to do it than the Embassy World Championship!" she said before the match. "It's my first time at the Crucible and I love it - I wasn't bothered by the pressure in the semi-final and played better than I do in practice." |
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news behind - Ian Doyle's talk - 16/Apr - Deposed world champion Stephen Hendry has been kidding himself according to manager Ian Doyle. "He says he made the mistake of trying not to lose here at The Crucible but this is something he has been doing this for months." Hendry suffered the biggest upset since Steve Davis was beaten 10-1 by Tony Knowles in the first round 18 years ago when losing 10-7 to Essex professional, Stuart Bingham. But Doyle still believes the seven times world champion can win nine or even 10 titles before he puts his cue away for the last time. At the same time there was also a wrap across the knuckles for his stable star for playing golf at Gleneagles two weeks ago with UK champion, Mark Williams. "There is no place for golf before the world championship, it's just not on," said Doyle unaware that Bingham played 18 holes at Epping Forest before taking in a Vic Harris snooker pairs match in Southend on Monday. The CueMasters supremo continued, "Stephen is about to sign a new contract with both Highland Spring and Riley. These will take him up to his 35th birthday so there are no problems, he wants to carry on playing. "But he doesn't want to slide down the rankings either. If John Higgins wins his first match at Sheffield, it means Stephen will be No.3 next season and will need to win around four tournaments if he is to get back to the top straight away. "He has been given a gift which has enabled him to become the best player there has ever been. I'm sure he is still hungry for success and I know if he is properly focussed, he can do it." Doyle revealed that Hendry, accepting advice from coach Frank Callan and cue doctor, Lawrie Annandale will have repair work carried out before the start of next season, to the cue has used for 18 years. "Frank, Lawrie and myself feel Stephen has been hitting the ball too hard and that he has problems with the cue so it will have some wood lopped off the top and the same amount added to the butt. "After the summer break he will then sit down and examine his attitudes towards playing snooker," he added. |
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newspaper reports - Stephen Hendry (1) - 12/Apr - Stephen Hednry insist he can dominate snooker for another five years. He also believes he will never be toppled from his lofty perch as the undisputed King of the cue. Defending champion Hendry has already chalked up a record seven world crowns. The ice-cool Scot achieved a major goal by nosing in front of six-times winner Steve Davis in Sheffield last year. But there will be no let-up in Hendry's relentless pursuit of glory as he guns for title No.8. Hendry, 31, declared, "This time of year if so special to snooker players - it is impossible not to get caught up in world championship fever. "I will have no problem motivating myself for victory. Every time I think I am happy with what has been achieved, the world championships roll around and I'm desperate to win again. "It was a huge ambition of mine to break Steve's record but I just want to go on to win as many as I can. "There are at least another couple of titles left in me and I believe I can stay at the top for another four or five years. "I am always setting targets and I'm fired up for this tournament because I've been through a lean spell this season and want to get that out of my system. "I'm feeling sharp and, quite simply, I want to be the best again." Hendry became the youngest winner of snooker's most coveted trophy when he captured the crown aged 21. He is among the front-runners to retain the title and kicks off his defence with what should be a first-round stroll against qualifier Stuart Bingham. But defeats by both John Higgins and Mark J Williams in other major tournaments this season are threatening Hendry's rock-solid reputation. He also knows there is a huge group of new young stars rising through the game. And he believes they will stop any one player running away with the title year after year, as he has. There has already been a concerted effort by Welshmen Williams and Matthew Stevens to shatter snooker's Scottish stranglehold forged in recent years by Hendry and John Higgins. Hendry said, "It will be much harder in future for any players to dominate like me and Steve Davis have. "I can't see it happening again. There are five or six players in a group separate from the pack but no clear individuals who can rule. "The kids are practising harder and the coaching and facilities in the game are now so much more improved that it is an exciting time for the grass-roots of the game. "The bookies will make me one of the more fancied players to win it again but then look at Mark J Williams, who is in great form and a real threat." |
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ceefax news - Stephen Hendry (2) - 10/Apr - Cue master Stephen Hendry admits he is under pressure every time he goes to the World Championship, whether he is reigning champion or not. Hendry, beaten by Matthew Stevens in last week's Regal Scottish Open, said, "I never like to lose, so in a way I put pressure on myself. Every time I've won the world title I've allowed myself to relax, but I'm soon thinking about next year." This year's World Championship is one of the most wide open in years, says the seven-time winner. The 31-year-old Scot, who will be making his 14th appearance at the championships, says it becomes harder each year to predict the winner. He said: "This year there are four or five joint-favourites who are capable of going all the way." Hendry believes snooker is on the road to recovery after years of in-fighting which saw lost sponsorship and the game almost brought to its knees. He said: "We're only just finishing cleaning up from the last administration. I think we should be able to get new sponsors and I'm optimistic. The future looks good." |
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ceefax news - Stephen Hendry (3) - 11/Apr - Reigning champion Stephen Hendry believes next weekend's Embassy World Championship sets the tone for the entire game. The seven-time champ said: "The World Championship is the one event where the press really get behind us, and we enjoy good TV coverage. If we can produce something special in Sheffield, it can only be good for the game." The Crucible Theatre is one of the main factors that makes the Embassy World Championship the greatest tournament in the world, says Hendry. The current world No2, who launches his bid for an eighth title, said: "The Crucible has become synonymous with the game. It's a closed-in theatre, full every day with its own special atmosphere." The Scot, who at 16 became the youngest player ever to play at the Sheffield venue, added, "We play most of the tournaments in big leisure centres which aren't always full. At Sheffield you are playing in a smaller arena, but to full houses." Hendry admits he is "on a hiding to nothing" when he faces qualifier Stuart Bingham in the first round of the Embassy World Championship. Hendry said: "These are the games where you are expected to win, and it is a big shock if you don't. I've never played him before and don't know much about him, so I'll just prepare in my usual way." |
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ceefax news - title contenders - 13/Apr - John Higgins feels he has a great chance of recapturing his World title after winning the Irish Masters. The 1998 World champion had gone out in the quarter-finals of his previous three tournaments but had already won two other titles this season. "Now I can head to Sheffield feeling I have a great chance of winning the World Championship," he said. "I will continue to put the work in because I feel as if my game is coming back," he added.
Last year's runner-up Mark J Williams comes into the World Championship safe in the knowledge that he will end the season ranked as world No.1.
Ronnie O'Sullivan is philosophical about his World Championship title chances this year.
Matthew Stevens is hoping to claim his first ranking title in Sheffield this year. |
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ceefax news - other players - 13/Apr - Crucible favourite Jimmy White returns to Sheffield with his hopes of staying in the top 16 in the balance. He was not helped by a third round exit against Marcus Campbell in the Scottish Open after losing a 3-1 lead. Marco Fu reached the semi-finals in Aberdeen while another top 16 rival Steve Davis made it to round four. "I'll just have to focus on Sheffield," said the six-times World Championship runner-up. "I've been playing well in practice and even made some maximums."
Marco Fu makes his second appearance at The Crucible after a phenomenal year in the sport. |
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ceefax news - three players make their debut - 13/Apr - John Read, the 30-year-old who has been a professional since 1991, book his dream ticket by beating Brian Morgan in his last qualifying round. "I can't tell you what the feeling was like. It was something I had never experienced before, not even when I beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 5-2 in the Grand Prix a couple of years ago," he said. Read, ranked No.62 but 73rd on the provisional list, will meet new world No.1 Mark J Williams in his first crucible match.
Basildon's Stuart Bingham faces a tough debut after being drawn against world champion Stephen Hendry in the first round of the Championship.
Kristjan Helgason beat Terry Murphy 10-5 to become the first player from Iceland to qualify for the final stages of the Embassy World Championship. |
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qualifying rounds - slowest ever match - 18/Mar - As the 16 qualifiers emerged at Preston and Newport, one of them, Gary Wilkinson, a former world matchplay champion, had to wait three hours longer than anyone else. His 10-9 victory over Jason Ferguson took 11hrs and 38 mins to complete with the match drawing to an end at 1.35 am. It is the longest best-of-19-frame match in snooker history which beat the previous record by 38 minutes. The last frame took 84 minutes - also the longest-ever in the tournament. In fact it took the two contestants four and half hours to play the last six frames which were watched by two hardy spectators, one of them wearing an Aston Villa T shirt. |
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qualifying rounds - Dennis Taylor makes his last try - 10/Mar - Dennis Taylor, coaxed out of retirement by popular demand, goes into next week's Embassy World Championship qualifiers insisting this will be his last shot at Crucible glory. Taylor, who beat Steve Davis 18-17 in that dramatic black-ball finish to the 1985 final watched by 18.5 million viewers on BBC2, had intended to hang up his cue at the end of last season. But he was so disappointed after losing 10-3 to Nick Walker in his first match at last year's qualifiers that he wanted one more chance to make it to Sheffield. Now he joins 1986 winner Joe Johnson, former world No.2 Tony Knowles and evergreen Willie Thorne at the Newport Centre from March 13 to 18 as 72 players compete for eight places in the televised stage of snooker's blue riband event. Final qualifying is being staged at two venues this year and there are eight more places up for grabs at Preston Guild Hall. "This is definitely my final year on the tour and my last chance of qualifying for the world championship," said the 51-year-old Irishman. "I am really looking forward to the challenge of playing in Newport. "I have always enjoyed the competition, but after 30 years as a pro I think it's time to give the whizz-kids a chance!" Taylor has been travelling the country with the Embassy Snooker Roadshow, which provides him with plenty of practice, and his confidence is high. And although most of his time now is taken by his duties as a director of the World Snooker Association, television commentator and after-dinner speaker, he will be pulling out all the pots for one last taste of glory. He said: "The World Championship is very special and it is every player's ambition to win it. Hardly a day goes by without someone reminding me of my victory in the 1985 final and it is still very special to me. "It would be lovely to bow out by playing at the Crucible - and not just in the commentary box!" Taylor has to win four matches at Newport to claim one of the eight places available in the televised stage of the Embassy World Championship, which takes place from April 15 to May 1. |
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qualifying rounds - Dennis Taylor makes the final exit - 15/Mar - Dennis Taylor was beaten 10-8 by Sean lanigan in Newport last night as the curtain fell on his last Embassy World Championship. Taylor, 51, had vowed to give it one last shot in his bid to reach the Crucible, where he won the title in 1985. But despite recovering from 8-4 down to 8-8, he could not complete the comeback. Taylor said: "It was embarrassing to finish like that but it's definitely the end. "I've spent most of my career competing in front of the telvision cameras but to finish like that is sad." |