2011 World Snooker Championship

Betfred.com
World Snooker Championship

Tournament information
Dates	16 April–2 May 2011
Venue	Crucible Theatre
Location	Sheffield
Country	England
Organisation(s)	WPBSA
Format	Ranking event
Total prize fund	£1,111,000
Winner's share	£250,000
Highest break	138 (x2)
Final
Champion	John Higgins
Runner-up	Judd Trump
Score	18–15
← 2010 2012 →

The 2011 Betfred.com World Snooker Championship professional ranking snooker tournament took place between 16 April and 2 May 2011 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England. It is the 35th World Snooker Championship to occur at the Crucible Theatre, which has hosted the event since 1977. Neil Robertson was the defending champion, but lost 8–10 against Judd Trump in the first round.

Trump and John Higgins reached the final by defeating Ding Junhui 17–15 and Mark Williams 17–14 respectively. John Higgins won his fourth World Championship title defeating Judd Trump by 18–15 in the final.

Contents 1 Notable moments 1.1 First round 1.2 Second round 1.3 Quarter-finals 1.4 Semi-finals 1.5 Final 2 Prize fund 3 Main draw 4 Preliminary qualifying 4.1 Round 1 4.2 Round 2 5 Qualifying 5.1 Round 1 5.2 Rounds 2–5 6 Century breaks 6.1 Qualifying stages centuries 6.2 TV stages centuries 7 References 8 External links

[edit] Notable moments

[edit] First round

• In an effort to cut costs World Snooker announced that there will be no prize money for a maximum break. In previous years the prize money for this achievement was £147,000.^[1]
• Débutantes at the Crucible were Andrew Pagett and Jimmy Robertson. This was also the first time that they qualified for the main draw of a ranking tournament.^[2] Neither of them reached the second round, as Pagett lost 7–10 against Jamie Cope and Robertson lost 1–10 against Mark Selby.^[3][4]
• Defending champion Neil Robertson lost 8–10 against Judd Trump.^[5] Robertson fell to the Crucible Curse, as he became another first time champion who couldn't defend his title.^[6]
• Barry Hawkins and Rory McLeod reached the second round of the World Championship for the first time in their career. Hawkins defeated Stephen Maguire 10–9 and McLeod defeated Ricky Walden 10–6.^[7][8]
• Ronnie O'Sullivan compiled his 100th Crucible century break in his first round match against Dominic Dale.^[9] O'Sullivan won the match 10–2.^[10] Before this match, it had been revealed that O'Sullivan had requested to withdraw from the tournament a few weeks previously, before retracting this the following day- An action which created much pre-match discussion.
• Only five out of the sixteen seeded players lost their first round matches: Neil Robertson, Stephen Maguire, Ricky Walden, Marco Fu and Peter Ebdon. Fu lost 8–10 against Martin Gould and Ebdon lost 8–10 against Stuart Bingham.^[11][12]

[edit] Second round

• Mark Selby made three records in his 13–4 victory over Stephen Hendry.^[13] Selby became the first snooker player to compile six century breaks at a World Championship match.^[14] This was also a record for a best of 25 frame match and took the number of Selby's century breaks in the season to 54, a record previously held by Hendry.^[14][15] Following Hendry's defeat to Selby, the seven-time World Champion's place in the elite top 16 of seeded players was put into doubt, and it looked as if Hendry may have to qualify for ranking events for the first time in his long career. Hendry hinted that he may retire from the game altogether if he dropped out of the 16. Hendry at least won his fourth frame of the match to avoid the ignominy of losing the match with a session to spare. Selby took the first frame of the final session, however, to clinch victory.
• Ding Junhui came back from 9–12 to defeat Stuart Bingham 13–12. Ding qualified for the quarter-finals of the World Championship for the first time in his career.^[16] Bingham's defeat cost him a place in the top 16 for the following season and meant that Stephen Hendry held onto a place in the elite group for at least another season.
• Rory McLeod reached the second round for the first time in his 20-year career. However, he went down 7-13 to multiple winner John Higgins.
• The match between Shaun Murphy and Ronnie O'Sullivan was unusual inasmuch as two such highly regarded players do not normally meet so early in a tournament. This was due to O'Sullivan having slid down the rankings, mainly because of his lack of major tournament play. The match had an added dimension as Murphy had been particularly vocal in his criticism of O'Sullivan's refusal to partake in certain tournaments throughout the season. In the event, O'Sullivan opened up an early lead and eventually triumphed 13-10. This was not before a wobble from O'Sullivan, and a mini-fightback from Murphy who trailed 7-10 going into the final session and was lucky to see O'Sullivan miss a routine red to clinch frame and match at 8-12 Murphy won this frame and the one which followed, before a surprising miss in frame 23 allowed O'Sullivan to struggle over the line.

[edit] Quarter-finals

• Mark Williams defeated Mark Allen 13–5 to reach the semi-finals of the World Championship for the first time since 2003, when he won his second world title.^[17]
• Judd Trump, rated an 80–1 outsider at the beginning of the tournament, defeated previous year's runner up Graeme Dott 13–5 to reach the semi-finals.^[18][19]
• Ding Junhui won his match 13–10 against Mark Selby to become the third player from Asia and the first from China to reach the semi-finals of the World Championship.^[20][21] As a result of Selby's exit from the tournament Williams becomes the new world number one after the event.^[21]
• 3-time former champions John Higgins and Ronnie O'Sullivan faced each other in the quarter finals. O'Sullivan led 7-4 and 8-5 before a comeback from Higgins saw the match tied at 8-8 going into the final session. Higgins took the last session 5-2, and won the match 13-10.

[edit] Semi-finals

• Judd Trump defeated Ding Junhui 17–15 in an absorbing match to become the second youngest player, after Stephen Hendry in 1990, to reach the final of the World Championship.^[22] Trump also reached his second consecutive ranking final after winning the China Open at the start of the month.^[23]
• John Higgins reached his third final in five years by defeating Mark Williams 17–14.^[24] During the 28th frame Higgins was heckled by a member of the audience, "How did you swallow that £300,000, John? ... You're a disgrace to snooker." in reference to the News of the World allegations last year, who was later ejected from the venue.^[25][26] In the match itself, Williams led 9-6 before another fightback from Higgins saw him rally to take a 13-11 lead going into the final session. Williams took the next two to level but the Scotsman eventually clinched a 17-14 victory and a place in his fifth world final.

[edit] Final

• Ted Lowe, commentator of Pot Black, died at the age of 90 on the first morning of the final.^[27]
• The referee of the final was Jan Verhaas, who refereed his fourth World Championship final.^[28]
• Through making the final of the tournament John Higgins and Judd Trump will be ranked number 2 and 9 respectively at the start of the 2011/12 season, irrespective of the final outcome.^[29]
• After the first session was tied at four frames all, Trump won the second session 6–3 to take a 10–7 lead into the second day's play.^[30][31] Higgins took a 13–12 lead after the third session of the final, which he won 6–2.^[32] The score levelled at fourteen frames all, but Higgins won four of the last five frames to win the match 18–15. Higgins won his 24th ranking title and became only the fourth player to win the World Championship four times in the modern era after Ray Reardon, Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry.^[33]
• The highest break of the tournament was 138 made by both Mark King and Ding Junhui. This was the first time that the highest break of the tournament was lower than 140 since 1987, when it was 127 made by Steve Davis.^[34]

[edit] Prize fund

The prize fund of the World Championship as follows:^[35][36]

Winner: £250,000 Runner-Up: £125,000 Semi-final: £52,000 Quarter-final: £24,050 Last 16: £16,000 Last 32: £12,000 Last 48: £8,200 Last 64: £4,600

Stage 1 High Break: £1,000 Stage 2 High Break: £10,000 Total: £1,111,000

[edit] Main draw

Shown below are the results for each round. The numbers in brackets beside some of the players are their seeding ranks (each championship has 16 seeds and 16 qualifiers).^{[37][38][39][40]} The draw for the first round took place on 21 March 2011, one day after the Finals of the Players Tour Championship.^[2][41]

First Round

Second Round

Quarter-Finals

Semi-Finals

Best of 19 frames

Best of 25 frames

Best of 25 frames

Best of 33 frames

16 April

Neil Robertson (1)

8

21, 22 & 23 April

Judd Trump

10

Judd Trump

13

19 & 20 April

Martin Gould

6

Marco Fu (16)

8

26 & 27 April

Martin Gould

10

Judd Trump

13

19 & 20 April

Graeme Dott (9)

5

Graeme Dott (9)

10

22 & 23 April

Mark King

7

Graeme Dott (9)

13

16 & 17 April

Ali Carter (8)

11

Ali Carter (8)

10

28, 29 & 30 April

Dave Harold

3

Judd Trump

17

17 & 18 April

Ding Junhui (5)

15

Ding Junhui (5)

10

24 & 25 April

Jamie Burnett

2

Ding Junhui (5)

13

18 & 19 April

Stuart Bingham

12

Peter Ebdon (12)

8

26 & 27 April

Stuart Bingham

10

Ding Junhui (5)

13

17 & 18 April

Mark Selby (4)

10

Stephen Hendry (13)

10

23, 24 & 25 April

Joe Perry

9

Stephen Hendry (13)

4

20 & 21 April

Mark Selby (4)

13

Mark Selby (4)

10

Jimmy Robertson

1

16 & 17 April

Mark Williams (3)

10

21 & 22 April

Ryan Day

5

Mark Williams (3)

13

16 & 17 April

Jamie Cope (14)

4

Jamie Cope (14)

10

26 & 27 April

Andrew Pagett

7

Mark Williams (3)

13

19 & 20 April

Mark Allen (11)

5

Mark Allen (11)

10

22 & 23 April

Matthew Stevens

9

Mark Allen (11)

13

18 April

Barry Hawkins

12

Stephen Maguire (6)

9

28, 29 & 30 April

Barry Hawkins

10

Mark Williams (3)

14

16 & 17 April

John Higgins (2)

17

Shaun Murphy (7)

10

23, 24 & 25 April

Marcus Campbell

1

Shaun Murphy (7)

10

18 & 19 April

Ronnie O'Sullivan (10)

13

Ronnie O'Sullivan (10)

10

26 & 27 April

Dominic Dale

2

Ronnie O'Sullivan (10)

10

19 & 20 April

John Higgins (2)

13

Ricky Walden (15)

6

24 & 25 April

Rory McLeod

10

Rory McLeod

7

20 & 21 April

John Higgins (2)

13

John Higgins (2)

10

Stephen Lee

5

Final (Best of 35 frames) Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, 1 & 2 May 2011. Referee: Jan Verhaas.[42]
Judd Trump  England	15–18	John Higgins (2)  Scotland
64–19, 76–1, 38–73, 54–75, 5–115, 113–0, 68–69, 56–19, 20–64, 67–45, 68–0, 127–0, 38–63, 25–64, 77–18, 60–9, 69–36, 8–64, 113–0, 0–97, 99–0, 55–65, 35–93, 1–113, 8–77, 38–66, 78–0, 60–38, 52–64, 35–65, 75–52, 44–64, 61–62	Century Breaks: 4 (Trump 3, Higgins 1) Highest break by Trump: 104 Highest break by Higgins: 113	64–19, 76–1, 38–73, 54–75, 5–115, 113–0, 68–69, 56–19, 20–64, 67–45, 68–0, 127–0, 38–63, 25–64, 77–18, 60–9, 69–36, 8–64, 113–0, 0–97, 99–0, 55–65, 35–93, 1–113, 8–77, 38–66, 78–0, 60–38, 52–64, 35–65, 75–52, 44–64, 61–62
John Higgins wins 2011 Betfred.com World Snooker Championship

[edit] Preliminary qualifying

The preliminary qualifying rounds for the tournament took place on 3 March 2011 at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield. (WPBSA members not on The Tour.)^{[43][44][45][46]}

[edit] Round 1

Sam Baird	5–1	Colin Mitchell
Tony Brown	2–5	Ali Bassiri
David Singh	4–5	David Gray
Ian Stark	5–2	Paul Cavney
Philip Minchin	0–5	Stephen Rowlings
Tony Knowles	4–5	Del Smith
Les Dodd	4–5	Stephen Ormerod

[edit] Round 2

Neil Selman	3–5	Sam Baird
Ali Bassiri	0–5	David Gray
Ian Stark	0–5	Stephen Rowlings
Del Smith	5–0	Stephen Ormerod

[edit] Qualifying

The qualifying rounds 1–4 for the tournament took place between 4 and 10 March 2011 at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield. The final round of qualifying took place between 12 and 13 March 2011 at the same venue.^{[43][44][45][46]}

[edit] Round 1

Reanne Evans	6–10	Sam Baird
bye		David Gray
Jak Jones	3–10	Stephen Rowlings
bye		Del Smith

[edit] Rounds 2–5

	Round 2 Best of 19 frames				Round 3 Best of 19 frames				Round 4 Best of 19 frames				Round 5 Best of 19 frames
		Kyren Wilson	10			Joe Swail	6			Rory McLeod	10			Mark Davis	5
		Dermot McGlinchey	5			Kyren Wilson	10			Kyren Wilson	3			Rory McLeod	10
		Liu Song	10			Adrian Gunnell	9			Mark Joyce	6			Joe Perry	10
		Michael Judge	8			Liu Song	10			Liu Song	10			Liu Song	6
		James Wattana	10			Andy Hicks	2			Jamie Burnett	10			Liang Wenbo	7
		Justin Astley	3			James Wattana	10			James Wattana	8			Jamie Burnett	10
		Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon	8			Alfie Burden	7			Mike Dunn	10			Mark King	10
		Sam Baird	10			Sam Baird	10			Sam Baird	9			Mike Dunn	5
		James McBain	10			Ian McCulloch	5			Michael Holt	10			Dominic Dale	10
		Issara Kachaiwong	9			James McBain	10			James McBain	8			Michael Holt	6
		Igor Figueiredo	5			Joe Jogia	10			Robert Milkins	10			Martin Gould	10
		Joe Delaney	10			Joe Delaney	4			Joe Jogia	4			Robert Milkins	6
		Liu Chuang	10			Jimmy White	9			Tom Ford	8			Ryan Day	10
		David Gray	3			Liu Chuang	10			Liu Chuang	10			Liu Chuang	7
		David Morris	8			Barry Pinches	7			Peter Lines	6			Judd Trump	10
		David Gilbert	10			David Gilbert	10			David Gilbert	10			David Gilbert	4
		Paul Davison	10			Anthony McGill	7			Fergal O'Brien	10			Matthew Stevens	10
		Stephen Rowlings	5			Paul Davison	10			Paul Davison	4			Fergal O'Brien	9
		Patrick Wallace	10			Rod Lawler	5			Matthew Selt	10			Marcus Campbell	10
		Del Smith	2			Patrick Wallace	10			Patrick Wallace	9			Matthew Selt	6
		Michael White	10			Matthew Couch	3			Anthony Hamilton	10			Barry Hawkins	10
		Adam Wicheard	2			Michael White	10			Michael White	7			Anthony Hamilton	5
		Liam Highfield	8			Jack Lisowski	10			Steve Davis	10			Stephen Lee	10
		Kuldesh Johal	10			Kuldesh Johal	7			Jack Lisowski	9			Steve Davis	2
		Simon Bedford	10			Jamie Jones	10			Dave Harold	10			Gerard Greene	9
		Noppon Saengkham	3			Simon Bedford	6			Jamie Jones	9			Dave Harold	10
		Ben Woollaston	10			Stuart Pettman	10			Alan McManus	10			Stuart Bingham	10
		Jamie O'Neill	8			Ben Woollaston	5			Stuart Pettman	8			Alan McManus	2
		Andrew Pagett	10			Bjorn Haneveer	4			Nigel Bond	9			Andrew Higginson	6
		Zhang Anda	6			Andrew Pagett	10			Andrew Pagett	10			Andrew Pagett	10
		Xiao Guodong	10			Jimmy Robertson	10			Tony Drago	8			Ken Doherty	6
		Kurt Maflin	9			Xiao Guodong	9			Jimmy Robertson	10			Jimmy Robertson	10

[edit] Century breaks

[edit] Qualifying stages centuries

There were 73 century breaks in the qualifying stages of the World Championship.^[47][48][49]

141 James Wattana 135, 108, 106, 100 Xiao Guodong 133, 125, 124, 120, 103 Sam Baird 132, 129, 118, 118, 115 Jamie Burnett 130, 114 Kurt Maflin 130 Rory McLeod 129 David Gilbert 129 Matthew Stevens 127 Anthony McGill 127 Liu Chuang 127, 122 Ryan Day 126, 114 Stuart Bingham 124 Joe Swail 124 Gerard Greene 123, 123, 113 Michael Holt 123, 101, 100 Matthew Selt 122 Ian McCulloch 121 Jack Lisowski 119, 115, 100, 100 Patrick Wallace 117 Liu Song 116 Andy Hicks 113, 112, 107 Kuldesh Johal

113, 112 David Gray 112 Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon 112 James McBain 112 Tom Ford 111 Jamie O'Neill 111 Barry Pinches 111 Jimmy Robertson 109, 103 Paul Davison 109, 102 Ken Doherty 108 Stephen Rowlings 108, 101 Dominic Dale 107, 105 Michael White 106, 100 Fergal O'Brien 105, 101 Steve Davis 105 Stephen Lee 103 Anthony Hamilton 102 Kyren Wilson 101 Zhang Anda 101 Mike Dunn 101 Liang Wenbo 100 Judd Trump

[edit] TV stages centuries

There were 73 century breaks in the televised stages of the World Championship.^[50][51]

138, 128, 121, 119, 117, 114, 102 Ding Junhui 138 Mark King 137, 125, 115, 113, 109, 106, 105, 104, 103 Mark Williams 135, 132, 131, 124, 123, 121, 120, 101 John Higgins 134, 101 Stuart Bingham 133, 117, 114 Stephen Hendry 129, 127, 125, 124, 117, 108, 107, 100 Mark Selby 128, 119, 116, 115, 113, 105, 100 Ronnie O'Sullivan 127, 100 Neil Robertson

123, 122, 110, 108, 105, 104, 104, 103, 102, 102 Judd Trump 122, 120, 111, 102 Graeme Dott 117 Barry Hawkins 115, 112, 104 Ali Carter 115, 100 Marco Fu 114, 103, 102, 100 Mark Allen 101 Stephen Lee 100 Shaun Murphy

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official website
• Official blog
• World Snooker Championship channel on YouTube
• "World Championship Qualifiers 2011: Picture Perfect I". Pro Snooker Blog. http://prosnookerblog.com/2011/03/07/world-championship-qualifiers-2011-picture-perfect-i/. Retrieved 2 May 2011. 
• "World Championship Qualifiers 2011: Picture Perfect II". Pro Snooker Blog. http://prosnookerblog.com/2011/03/12/world-championship-qualifiers-2011-picture-perfect-ii/. Retrieved 2 May 2011. 
• "World Championship Qualifiers 2011: Picture Perfect III". Pro Snooker Blog. http://prosnookerblog.com/2011/03/21/world-championship-qualifiers-2011-picture-perfect-iii/. Retrieved 2 May 2011. 
• "World Championship 2011: Picture Perfect I". Pro Snooker Blog. http://prosnookerblog.com/2011/04/24/world-championship-2011-picture-perfect-i/. Retrieved 2 May 2011. 

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