Paul Alan Hunter (14 October 1978 – 9 October 2006) was an English professional snooker player. He was a three-time Masters champion, winning the event in 2001, 2002, and 2004; on all three occasions, he recovered from a deficit in the final to claim the title on a . He also won three ranking events: the Welsh Open in 1998 and 2002, and the 2002 British Open.
Hunter was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumours in March 2005, but he continued to play for several months after receiving the diagnosis. He died shortly before his 28th birthday in October 2006. A tournament in Fürth, Germany, was renamed the Paul Hunter Classic in his memory, and he was posthumously awarded the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award. In April 2016, the Masters trophy was renamed the Paul Hunter Trophy. He made 114 century breaks in professional competition, the highest of these a 146 in the 2004 Premier League tournament. During the 200405 season, Hunter attained a career-high ranking of world number four.
Early life
Paul Alan Hunter was born on 14 October 1978 in Leeds, He made his professional debut in July 1995 at age 16, with the help of his mentors Johnson and Jimmy Michie. where he lost 15 against Mark Williams in the first round.
The following year, Hunter won his first ranking tournament at the 1998 Welsh Open; after eliminating Paul Wykes 53, Neal Foulds 52, Steve Davis 53, Nigel Bond 54, Alan McManus 53, and Peter Ebdon 61, he defeated John Higgins 95 in the final. Hunter trailed 24 but won seven from the next eight to win the match and the Welsh Open title. He then lost 810 in the first round to Hendry, the eventual champion. Hunter reached his last ranking event final at the 2004 Players Championship, but lost 79 against Jimmy White. He reached the second round of the 2004 World Championship, where he lost 1213 against Stevens, despite leading 106 and 1210. His career-high ranking was world number four during 200405, The idea was ruled out at the time, but in 2007 the then-non-ranking Fürth German Open, a tournament first won by Hunter in 2004, was renamed the Paul Hunter Classic in his honour. Hunter was also described as being unfazed by bad luck or playing conditions by commentator Phil Yates, and Barry Hearn said that Hunter's "mercurial talent" was a "sad loss" to the sport.
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Tournaments
! 1995–<br />96
! 1996–<br />97
! 1997–<br />98
! 1998–<br />99
! 1999–<br />00
! 2000–<br />01
! 2001–<br />02
! 2002–<br />03
! 2003–<br />04
! 2004–<br />05
! 2005–<br />06
|-
| style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Rankings
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| LQ
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|3R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|3R
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|3R
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|3R
|align="center" style="background:yellow;"|SF
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | UK Championship
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" style="background:yellow;" |SF
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|3R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|3R
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|3R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|3R
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Malta Cup
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| LQ
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| LQ
|align="center" colspan="1" style="color:#555555;"| NH
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|colspan="2" style="text-align:center;color:#555555;"|Not Held
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;"| Welsh Open
|align="center" style="background:yellow;"|SF
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| LQ
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|W
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|3R
|align="center" style="background:#D8BFD8;"|F
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|W
|align="center" style="background:yellow;"|SF
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;"| China Open
|colspan="2" style="text-align:center;color:#555555;"|Not Held
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| NR
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|colspan="2" style="text-align:center;color:#555555;"|Not Held
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | World Championship
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| LQ
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| LQ
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| LQ
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" style="background:yellow;"|SF
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|-
|colspan="17"| Non-ranking tournaments
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Pot Black
| colspan="10" style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"| Tournament Not Held
|align="center" style="background:yellow;"|SF
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Premier League
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|RR
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|RR
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | The Masters
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|WR
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|W
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|W
|align="center" style="background:yellow;"|SF
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|W
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|-
|colspan="17"| Former ranking tournaments
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Asian Classic
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"| LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"| LQ
| colspan="30" style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"| Tournament Not Held
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | German Open
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"| LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"| LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"| LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"| NR
| colspan="30" style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"| Tournament Not Held
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;"| Malta Grand Prix
|colspan="4" style="text-align:center;color:#555555;"|Non-Ranking Event
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"| NR
|colspan="30" style="text-align:center;color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;"| Thailand Masters
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| LQ
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|colspan="4" style="text-align:center;color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Scottish Open
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| LQ
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| LQ
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|3R
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" style="background:yellow;"|SF
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|align="center" style="background:#D8BFD8;"|F
|colspan="2" style="text-align:center;color:#555555;"|Not Held
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | British Open
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| LQ
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| LQ
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| LQ
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|3R
|align="center" style="background:yellow;"|SF
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|W
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| NH
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Irish Masters
|colspan="7" style="text-align:center;color:#555555;"|Non-Ranking Event
|align="center" style="background:yellow;"|SF
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NH
|-
|colspan="17"| Former non-ranking tournaments
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;"| Pontins Professional
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
|align="center" style="background:yellow;"|SF
|colspan="30" style="text-align:center;color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;"| Malta Grand Prix
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| R
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|RR
|colspan="30" style="text-align:center;color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Champions Cup
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|RR
|colspan="30" style="text-align:center;color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Irish Masters
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" colspan="3" style="color:#555555;"| Ranking Event
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NH
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Scottish Masters
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| LQ
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"| A
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
|colspan="3" style="text-align:center;color:#555555;"|Not Held
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:78%;"
|-
! colspan="6"|Performance Table Legend
|-
| align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|LQ
| lost in the qualifying draw
| align="center" style="background:#afeeee;" width="30"|#R
| lost in the early rounds of the tournament<br />(WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin)
| align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;" width="30"|QF
| lost in the quarter-finals
|-
| align="center" style="background:yellow;"|SF
| lost in the semi–finals
| align="center" style="background:#D8BFD8;"|F
| lost in the final
| align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|W
| won the tournament
|-
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| did not participate in the tournament
|
|
|
|
|}
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"
|-
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|NH / Not Held || event was not held.
|-
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|NR / Non-Ranking Event || event is/was no longer a ranking event.
|-
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|R / Ranking Event || event is/was a ranking event.
|}
Career finals
Ranking finals: 5 (3 titles)
{| class="sortable wikitable"
!width="80"| Outcome
!width="20"| No.
!width="50"| Year
!style="width:200px;"| Championship
!style="width:180px;"| Opponent in the final
!style="width:80px;"| Score
!style="width:20px;"| Ref.
|-
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 1.
| 1998
| Welsh Open
|
| 9–5
|
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 1.
| 1992
| British Under-18 Championship
|
| 2–4
|
|-
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 2.
| 1993
| Pontins Junior Championship
|
| 4–2
|
|-
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 3.
| 1993
| Pontins Star of the Future
|
| 3–2
|
|-
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 4.
| 1995
| English Under-17 Championship
|
| 5–4
|
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 2.
| 1995
| English Amateur Championship
|
| 7–8
|
</references>
Further reading
External links
- Paul Hunter tribute in pictures at BBC Sport