- World Snooker Championship 1997
= The event =
The 1997 Embassy
World Snooker Championship took place at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield between the19th April to the5th May 1997 .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 toKen Doherty 12-18. Doherty also became only the second overseas player to win the world title afterCliff 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.
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
Highest Break
147
Ronnie O'Sullivan There were 39 centuries in this year's championship.
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
Results
World Snooker Championship Rounds
|flagicon|ScotlandStephen Hendry |10|flagicon|EnglandAndy Hicks |6
|flagicon|WalesMark Williams |10|flagicon|WalesTerry Griffiths |9
|flagicon|WalesDarren Morgan |10|flagicon|EnglandGary Wilkinson |5
|flagicon|EnglandRonnie O'Sullivan |10|flagicon|EnglandMick Price |6
|flagicon|England Stephen Lee|10|flagicon|EnglandNigel Bond |8
|flagicon|ThailandJames Wattana |10|flagicon|ScotlandGraeme Dott |9
|flagicon|England Anthony Hamilton|10|flagicon|EnglandJimmy White |9
|flagicon|EnglandJohn Parrott |10|flagicon|England Bradley Jones|9
|flagicon|NetherlandsStefan Mazrocis |10|flagicon|EnglandPeter Ebdon |3
|flagicon|CanadaAlain Robidoux |10|flagicon|EnglandBrian Morgan |8
|flagicon|WalesLee Walker |10|flagicon|EnglandDave Harold |7
|flagicon|ScotlandAlan McManus |10|flagicon|ScotlandBilly Snaddon |9
|flagicon|IrelandKen Doherty |10|flagicon|England Mark Davis|8
|flagicon|EnglandSteve Davis |10|flagicon|Scotland David McLellan|2
|flagicon|WalesDominic Dale |10|flagicon|MaltaTony Drago |9
|flagicon|ScotlandJohn Higgins |10|flagicon|ScotlandGraham Horne |6
|flagicon|ScotlandStephen Hendry |13|flagicon|Wales Mark Williams|8
|flagicon|WalesDarren Morgan |13|flagicon|EnglandRonnie O'Sullivan |12
|flagicon|EnglandStephen Lee |7
flagicon|ThailandJames Wattana |13
|flagicon|England Anthony Hamilton|11
flagicon|EnglandJohn Parrott |13
|flagicon|NetherlandsStefan Mazrocis |9|flagicon|CanadaAlain Robidoux |13
|flagicon|WalesLee Walker |13|flagicon|ScotlandAlan McManus |10
|flagicon|IrelandKen Doherty |13|flagicon|EnglandSteve Davis |3
|flagicon|WalesDominic Dale |5|flagicon|ScotlandJohn Higgins |13
|flagicon|ScotlandStephen Hendry |13|flagicon|WalesDarren Morgan |10
|flagicon|ThailandJames Wattana |13|flagicon|EnglandJohn Parrott |10
|flagicon|CanadaAlain Robidoux |13|flagicon|WalesLee Walker |8
|flagicon|IrelandKen Doherty |13|flagicon|ScotlandJohn Higgins |9
|flagicon|ScotlandStephen Hendry |17|flagicon|ThailandJames Wattana |13
|flagicon|CanadaAlain Robidoux |7|flagicon|IrelandKen Doherty |17
("Best of 35 frames") Crucible Theatre, Sheffield,4 May &5 May 1997 . Referee:Alan Chamberlain
flagicon|IrelandKen Doherty
18-12Stephen Hendry flagicon|Scotland
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
flagicon|IrelandKen Doherty wins the 1997 EmbassyWorld Snooker Championship
"Best of 19 frames"
"Best of 25 frames"
"Best of 25 frames"
"Best of 33 frames"
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