- Anthony Hamilton (snooker player)
Infobox Snooker player
Name = Anthony Hamilton
Caption =
Born = birth date and age|1971|6|29|df=y
Birthplace = Nottingham
Nationality = Flagicon|ENG English
Nickname = "The Robin Hood of Snooker",
"Swampy",
"Sheriff of Pottingham"
Professional = 1991–
High ranking = #10 (1999/2000)
Current rank = #31
Prize money = GB£839,705 [http://www.worldsnooker.com/players_head_to_head-7602.htm]
High break = 145 (World Championship 1995)
Best finish = "Runner-up": British Open 1999, China Open 2002
Ranking wins =
Other wins = 2
World champ =Anthony Hamilton (born
29 June 1971 ,Nottingham ,East Midlands ) is an English professionalsnooker player. He is nicknamed "the Sheriff of Pottingham", and his distinctive goatee beard has also earned him the less flattering nickname of "Swampy ", after the eco-warrior. He now lives inMuswell Hill , northLondon .Career
Hamilton's world ranking reached no. 10 in the world in the 1999/2000 season, the best of his four-season run in the Top 16. Hamilton has only reached two ranking tournament final rounds, the British Open of 1999, where he lost to
Fergal O'Brien , and the 2001 China Open whereMark J. Williams beat him 9-8, despite Hamilton having led 8-5. He made the first of his four World Championship quarter-finals in 2000, losing 3-13 toJohn Higgins . In the same year he suffered a broken wrist while attempting to stop a friend being mugged, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/in_depth/2000/uk_championship_snooker/1016555.stm] an injury which kept him out of three tournaments and ultimately cost him his 2001/2002 Top 16 place.He has reached the quarter-finals of the World Championship on three later occasions (2002, 2004 and 2007), but without reaching the semi-final stage. In 2002, he lost 6-13 to eventual winner
Peter Ebdon . In 2004, he made two consecutive Cuegloss|Century|century breaks to come from 0-2 down to level at 2-2 in his quarter-final against eventual championRonnie O'Sullivan , but eventually lost the match 3-13. Hamilton's 438 points scored in this match are a record low for a World Championship Quarter-final. He also has the highest ever points total in a first-round match at the Crucible, 1271 againstChris Small in 1999, though he lost this match 9-10 [http://www.thesnookerforum.com/board/showthread.php?t=6774] . In 1997 he reached the second round; facingJohn Parrott at this stage he scored 414 unanswered points in frames 1-5, but still lost the match (this is the second highest number of unanswered points in Crucible history; the record was set byJohn Higgins against Hamilton in the second round in 2000).Hamilton did not fare well in the 2006 World Championship, losing 1-10 in the opening round to Mark J. Williams. However, a strong two seasons ensured that he reclaimed a top 16 place.
In the high point of his campaign in the 2006/2007 season, Hamilton reached the
Welsh Open quarter-finals by defeating both Joe Perry andDave Harold , before losing his quarter-final match toSteve Davis in a final-Cuegloss|Frame|frame decider. After winning no other matches up to the 2007 World Championship, he entered the Championship provisionally ranked no. 32.Despite being unable to retain his Top 16 ranking for 2007/2008, Hamilton reached his fourth World Championship quarter-final in the 2007 event, pulling off a surprise 10-3 victory over
Marco Fu in round 1, and a 13-8 second round win over Ian McCulloch (who had eliminated reiging championGraeme Dott in the first round). However, he failed again to advance to the semi-final stage, losing 7-13 toStephen Maguire .The 2007/2008 season produced little achievement of note for Hamilton, as he failed to reach the last 16 of any ranking event. He ensured his qualification for the 2008 World Championship with a 10-2 victory over
Scott MacKenzie in the final qualifying round, but lost 10-3 to Stephen Maguire in the first round proper.Known as a prolific Cuegloss|Break|break builder, Hamilton has compiled 173 competitive centuries during his career.
Tournament Wins
Non-Ranking
*Strachan Open - 1994, leg 1 and 2
References
Links
*World Snooker|id=7602|name=Anthony Hamilton
* [http://www.globalsnookercentre.co.uk/files/Players/Global_Europe/Global_England/eng_anthony_hamilton.htm Profile on globalsnooker.co.uk]* [http://www.110sport.com/110clients/snooker/anthonyhamilton.php Player profile and contact detail on 110sport.com]
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