Wikipedia

2018 Warld Snooker Championship


The 2018 Warld Snooker Championship wis a professional snooker toornament held frae 21 Apryle tae 7 May 2018 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England. Hosted bi the Warld Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), it wis the 20t and final rankin event o the 2017/2018 season an the 42nd consecutive time the Warld Snooker Championship haed been held at the venue. The toornament wis broadcast bi BBC Sport and Eurosport in Europe, an sponsored bi betting company Betfred.

2018 Betfred Warld Snooker Championship
Tournament information
Dates21 April – 7 May 2018
VenueCrucible Theatre
CitySheffield
KintraEngland
Organisation(s)WPBSA
Formatrankin event
Total prize fund£1,968,000
Winner's share£425,000
Highest break John Higgins (SCO) (146)
Final
Champion Mark Williams (WAL)
Runner-upScotland John Higgins
Score18–16
← 2017
2019 →

Welsh left-hander Mark Williams won his third Warld title and 21st rankin title, defeatin Scottish professional John Higgins 18–16 in the final. Williams' veectory came 15 years efter his seicont Warld title in 2003; afore the stairt o the season, he haed nae won a rankin event in the previous sax years. In winnin the event, Williams received the heichest prize money awairdit for a snooker event, £425,000 o a tot pool of £1,968,000. Aged 43, he became the seicont-auldest winner at the Crucible, follaein Welsh professional Ray Reardon who wis 45 when he won the title in 1978. Defendin and three-time Warld champion Mark Selby haed won the Warld title for the previous twa years, but lost in the first roond 4–10 tae Joe Perry.

The heichest break o the championship wis scored bi Higgins, who made a brak of 146 in frame 13 of his seicont roond win ower Jack Lisowski. Houiver, in qualifying for the event, Liang Wenbo scored a maximum break of 147.

Background

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The Warld Snooker Championship is an annual cue sport toornament and is the offeecial Warld championship o the gemme of snooker.[1] Snooker wis foondit in the late 19t century bi British Army soldiers stationed in Indie.[2] The sport originated bi players frae the United Kinrick, an later players frae Europe an the Commonwealth. In mair modren times, the sport haes transferred tae bein played warldwide, specifically in Southeast Asia, sic as in China, Thailand and Hong Kong.[3] The Warld championship is the final event o the 2017/18 snooker calendar, wi the winner o the event bein crowned as the professional Warld champion o the sport.[4]

The Warld championship sees 32 professional players compete in ane-on-ane snooker matches in a single elimination format, each played ower several frames. The 32 players for the event are selected throu a mix o the Warld snooker rankins and a pre-toornament qualification roond.[5][6] The first Warld championship in 1927, held in Camkin's Hall, Birmingham, England, wis won bi Joe Davis.[7][8] Syne 1977, the event haes been held in the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.[9]

The event's maist successfu player in the modren era is Stephen Hendry, who haes won the championship seiven times.[10] The previous year's championship wis won bi England's Mark Selby, who won the event defeatin Scotland's John Higgins in the final 18–15. This wis Selby's third championship, haein won previously in 2014 and 2016.[11] The champion o the 2018 event wad win prize money of £425,000, frae a tot pool of £1,968,000.[12]

Format

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The main draw o the 2018 tournament wis played at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

The 2018 Warld Snooker Championship wis held atween 21 Apryle and 7 May 2018 in Sheffield, England. The toornament wis the last of twinty rankins events in the 2017/2018 season on the Warld Snooker Tour. It featurt a 32-player main draw that wis played at the Crucible Theatre, as well as a 128-player qualifying draw which teuk place at the English Institute of Sport frae 11 tae 18 Apryle 2018, finishing three days prior tae the stairt o the main draw. This wis the 42nd consecutive year the toornament wis held at the Crucible, an the 50th consecutive year the championship wis contested throu the modren knockout format.[5][6]

The tap 16 players in the latest Warld rankins automatically qualified for the main draw as seedit players.[a] Defendin champion Mark Selby wis automatically seedit 1st oweraw. The remainin fifteen seeds war allocated based on the latest Warld rankins (revision 10), which war released follaein the China Open, the penultimate event o the season. Wi Selby ranked as the Warld nummer 1 entering the event, every player's seed therefore corresponded tae thair respective Warld rankin. Matches in the first roond o the main draw war played as best of 19 frames. The nummer of frames needed tae win a match increased wi each successive roond, leadin up tae the final match which wis played as best of 35 frames.[5][6]

Aw 16 non-seedit spots in the main draw war filled wi players frae the qualifying roonds. The qualifying draw consisted of 128 players, includin 113 o the remainin 115 players on the Warld Snooker Tour, as well as fifteen wildcard places allotted tae non-tour players. Thir invited players included the women's Warld champion, the European junior champion, and aw fower semi-finalists at the amateur championship. As wi the main draw, hauf o the participants in the qualifying draw war seedit players. Every player ranked frae 17t tae 80th wis allocated ane of 64 seeds in order of thair rankin, while aw o the ither participants war placed randomly intae the draw. In order tae reach the main draw at the Crucible, players needed tae win three best of 19 frame matches.[5]

Participant summary

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Aicht umwhile Warld champions participated in the main toornament: Ronnie O'Sullivan (five titles: 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013), John Higgins (fower titles: 1998, 2007, 2009, 2011), Mark Selby (three titles and twa-time defendin champion: 2014, 2016, 2017), Mark Williams (twa titles: 2000 and 2003), Shaun Murphy (ane title: 2005), Graeme Dott (ane title: 2006), Neil Robertson (ane title: 2010), and Stuart Bingham (ane title: 2015).[5] This wis O'Sullivan's 26t consecutive appearance in the final stages o the Warld Championship syne his debut in 1993, juist ane short of Stephen Hendry's record of 27 consecutive appearances and fower short of Steve Davis's record of 30 tot appearances. Five ither umwhile Warld championship finalists an aw competit: Matthew Stevens (twice: 2000 and 2005), Ali Carter (twice: 2008 and 2012), Judd Trump (ance: 2011), Barry Hawkins (ance: 2013), and Ding Junhui (ance: 2016).[5] The youngest player tae participate in the main stage o the toornament wis Lyu Haotian at 20 years of age, while 43-year-auld Joe Perry wis the auldest; baith players entered the main draw throu qualifying.[13] Marco Fu made his return tae competeetion at the Warld Championship, haein missed much o the 2017/2018 season efter unnergangin surgery tae repair retinal degeneration and myodesopsia in his left ee.[14][15]

Three umwhile Warld champions participated in the qualifying roonds: Ken Doherty (1997), Peter Ebdon (2002) and Graeme Dott (2006).[5] Of thir, anly Dott succeeded in qualifying for the main toornament at the Crucible. An aw, three umwhile Warld finalists participated in the qualifying roonds: Jimmy White (sax times: 1984 and 1990–1994), Nigel Bond (ance: 1995) and Matthew Stevens (twice: 2000 and 2005).[5] Of thir, anly Stevens qualified for the main toornament at the Crucible. The youngest participant in qualifying wis Jackson Page at 16 years of age, while 55-year-auld Jimmy White wis the auldest participant; houiver, neither player qualified.[16][17]

Prize fund

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The brakdown of prize money for 2018 is shawn ablo.[12]

The prize for a maximum break in the main roonds wis boosted tae £40,000,[19][b] whauras the prize for a 147 in qualifying wis £10,000. The latter prize wis claimed bi Liang Wenbo during his first qualifying roond match against Rod Lawler.[20]

Tournament summary

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Qualifying rounds

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During the qualifying roonds, Liang Wenbo achieved his third professional maximum break.

The qualifying roonds teuk place at the English Institute of Sport frae 11 tae 18 Apryle 2018.[21] In the first roond of qualifying, Liang Wenbo achieved his third professional maximum break, and his seicont o the 2017/2018 season, in the 10t frame of his match against Rod Lawler. It wis the seicont consecutive year a 147 wis made in Warld Championship qualifying, an the fowert time oweraw. Liang came very close tae acomin the first player tae score twa maximums in the same match, but he missed the final black efter a brak of 140 in the last frame.[22] Liang wis eliminated in the third roond of qualifying; ranked at Warld nummer 19, he wis the heichest-ranked player nae tae featur in the main draw o the toornament, as baith Warld nummer 17 Ryan Day and Warld nummer 18 Stephen Maguire successfully qualified.[23]

Anly seiven o the 64 unseedit participants in qualifying (players ranked ootside the Warld's tap 80) made it throu the first qualifying roond, an anly ane of thae seiven, Adam Duffy, progressed tae the third qualifying roond. Duffy did nae, houiver, qualify for the main draw at the Crucible. Four players qualified for the Crucible for the first time: Lyu Haotian, Liam Highfield, Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, and Chris Wakelin. Lyu wis the lowest ranked player tae reach the main stage, at Warld nummer 68.[23]

First round

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Joe Perry defeatit Warld nummer 1, an defendin champion, Mark Selby in the first roond.

The draw for the openin roond o the main toornament wis conducted on 19 Apryle 2018, twa days afore the stairt o the competeetion.[24] Technical issues delayed the 10:00 BST stairt time bi twa oors, tae 12:00.[25] The matches for the first roond war spread oot ower sax days frae 21 tae 26 Apryle, an played uisin a twa table setup in the Crucible Theatre. Each first roond match wis played ower twa sessions, as best of 19 frames (10 frames needed tae win).[13] Players and spectators criticised the twa-oor delay tae the toornament's first-roond draw, which wis caused bi "technical issues".[26] Warld nummer 22 Joe Perry cried the draw "an absolute joke",[26] claiming the delay caused qualifiers tae "have no idea when [they] are playing, have to book hotels and make travel plans".[26]

O the sixteen first roond matches, sax ended wi qualifiers defeatin seedit players. The biggest upset o the roond happened in the openin match, when Joe Perry defeatit the defendin champion and Warld nummer 1 Mark Selby. Perry won the first fower frames afore pulling away tae 7–2 ahead efter the first session of play. Selby wis unable tae catch Perry and wis defeatit 4–10, endin his 10-match undefeated streak in the Warld championships, as well as his twa-year reign as Warld champion.[27][28] The next heichest ranked player tae lose wis Warld nummer 8 Shaun Murphy, who wis upset bi Warld nummer 51 Jamie Jones in a tight 10–9 match, whaur the scores war level at various stages.[29]

 
The youngest player o the main draw, Lyu Haotian, wis knocked oot in the seicont roond.

The ither fower seeds tae lose war the players ranked 10 throu 13 in the Warld. Cheenese debutant Lyu Haotian, baith the youngest and lowest ranked player in the draw, defeatit Warld nummer 11 Marco Fu in Fu's return tae the Tour efter ee surgery. Lyu wis the anly debutant tae advance;[14] he wis 6–3 up efter the first session and went on tae win the match 10–5.[30] Robert Milkins defeatit Warld nummer 10 Neil Robertson 10–5.[31] Jack Lisowski defeatit Warld nummer 12 Stuart Bingham 10–7, tharebi securing his first Warld championship match win in his seicont attempt.[32] The 2015 Warld champion Bingham stated he wis going tae tak a leave of absence frae the sport efter the loss. Bingham said he wanted tae "spend some time with the family and put my cue down for a while".[33] Bingham haed spent three month o the season serving a ban for betting infringements;[33] he commented, "It's not been the best of seasons in general, but on the table I've been pretty good."[33] Ricky Walden defeatit Warld nummer 13 Luca Brecel 10–6; he wis comfortably five frames ahead at 8–3, when Brecel won the next three frames tae bring the score tae 8–6, afore Walden won the last twa frames o the match.[32]

O the aicht umwhile Warld champions playin in the main stage o the toornament, anly three progressed tae the seicont roond: Ronnie O'Sullivan (five-time champion), John Higgins (fower-time champion) and Mark Williams (twa-time champion). Aw three war tap seiven seeds and haed turned professional in the same year, 1992.[34] Ronnie O'Sullivan trailed 0–4 and then 3–6 efter the openin session in his match against Stephen Maguire but then won seiven o the last aicht frames tae win 10–7.[35][36] The 16t frame of this encounter wis O'Sullivan's 1000th frame win at the Crucible. This wis an aw his 15t consecutive first roond veectory at the Warld championships.[28][37] John Higgins defeatit Thai debutant Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 10–7. Baith players attempted maximum braks: Higgins missed the 14t reid ball on 104 in the 8t frame o the first session; Un-Nooh scored 14 reds wi blacks, on course for his seicont career maximum, afore missing the 15t reid on 112 in the 12t frame o the final session.[38] Mark Williams defeatit Jimmy Robertson in his first roond match 10–5. Williams led 7–2 efter the initial session, then he hit a toornament heichest brak (at that pynt) of 140 in the 13t frame, tae gang 9–4 ahead, afore winnin the match efter twa faur frames.[39]

In addition tae O'Sullivan, Ali Carter and Anthony McGill baith advanced despite trailing bi three frames in the middle of thair matches. Carter defeatit Graeme Dott 10–8 in his first roond match, despite bein behind 3–6 overnight.[40] McGill defeatit Ryan Day 10–8; efter trailing 5–8 earlier in the match, McGill won the last five frames tae secure his place in the seicont roond. He said he coud nae believe he haed won,[41] an the BBC referred tae McGill's win as an "unbelievable comeback".[42] The closin match o the first roond saw the seicont final frame decider, efter Jones's upset of Murphy. Recovering frae 4–8 behind against Judd Trump, debutant Chris Wakelin won fower frames in a row, tae draw level at 8–8. The twa players shared the next twa frames, bringin the score tae nine apiece, afore Trump teuk the deciding frame.[41]

The winners o the remainin matches o the roond war Kyren Wilson, Mark Allen, Barry Hawkins, an Ding Junhui. Wilson defeatit Matthew Stevens 10–3.[36] In the 12t frame, Stevens accidentally nudged the pink ball wi his haund and declared a foul on himsel, which allowed Wilson tae win the frame, extendin his lead tae 9–3.[43] Allen, the reigning Masters champion, defeatit debutant Liam Highfield 10–5; neither player scored a century, awtho Highfield came close wi twa braks of 99.[44] Hawkins defeatit Stuart Carrington 10–7, efter winnin a 55-minute 14t frame.[29] For the seicont successive year, Ding faced a fellae Cheenese player in the first roond o the toornament; haein defeatit Zhou Yuelong in 2017, he faced Xiao Guodong in 2018. Ding came oot as a convincing 10–3 winner, despite losin the openin twa frames o the match.[45]

Second round

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The seicont roond matches war played as best of 25 frames (13 frames needed tae win), each ower three sessions uisin a twa table setup. The first match o the seicont roond wis atween Mark Allen and Joe Perry, who defeatit the defendin champion in the first roond. Efter sharin the first twa sessions of thair seicont roond match at 8–8, Allen won aw five frames in the third session tae gang throu tae the quarter-finals wi a 13–8 win.[46]

 
John Higgins scored a 146 break in his seicont roond match, an later won 13–1.

Barry Hawkins defeatit Lyu Haotian 13–10 in thair seicont roond match, tae enter the quarter-finals for the saxt consecutive year. The pair war level at 10–10 afore Hawkins won the last three frames o the match.[47] Ali Carter played Ronnie O'Sullivan in the seicont roond, a rematch of baith the 2008 an the 2012 Warld Championship finals. The twa players came intae contact and exchanged words efter the 19t frame o the match.[48] The pair haed brushed shouders, in an incident the Independent descrived as a "barge".[28][49] Follaein the match, O'Sullivan descrived it as bein "overplayed" bi the media.[50] Haein defeatit O'Sullivan on anly ane occasion frae a tot of seventeen attempts in the group stages o the non-rankin 2010 Championship League, Carter eventually triumphed 13–9 tae advance tae the quarter-finals.[28][50]

Kyren Wilson secured a place in the quarter-finals bi defeatin Jamie Jones 13–5, winnin aw o the last sax frames o the match. During a clearance in the penultimate frame, Wilson played a screw shot which jumped the cueball off the table, damaging the heid of his cue tip.[51] John Higgins defeatit Jack Lisowski 13–1, wi a session tae spare; Lisowski scored his anly frame o the match at 0–10 behind. In the 13t frame, Higgins scored a brak of 146, ane pynt short o a maximum. This wis Higgins' heichest brak at the Crucible, an it wis the heichest anyone scored in the 2018 toornament.[28][52]

The remainin three matches o the seicont roond finished wi Ding Junhui defeatin Anthony McGill 13–4, efter haein won the first session of thair match 8–0 and scoring seiven 50+ braks.[53] Judd Trump defeatit Ricky Walden 13–9, takkin a late lead efter the score drew level at 8–8 follaein the first twa sessions.[53] Mark Williams defeatit Robert Milkins, 13–7, tharebi eliminating the anly remainin qualifier in the competeetion.[53]

Quarter-finals

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Kyren Wilson defeatit Mark Allen in thair quarter-final match, 13–6.
The quarter-finals war an aw played as best of 25 frames, each ower three sessions uisin a twa table setup, wi the fower matches played on 1 and 2 May 2018. Aw aicht o the quarter-finalists war seedit players, wi Mark Allen the lowest ranked player left in the competeetion at Warld nummer 16. Barry Hawkins defeatit Ding Junhui 13–5, tae mak it throu tae his fift Crucible semi-final in sax years.[54] Kyren Wilson played Mark Allen, in a repeat o the 2018 Masters final juist ower three month prior. Despite haein lost tae Allen in that match, Wilson teuk an 11–5 lead ower Allen overnight, eventually winnin the match 13–6.[55] Wi this veectory, Wilson made it throu tae his first ever Crucible semi-final, haein lost in the quarter-finals in the previous twa Warld Championships.[55] Mark Williams teuk leads of 5–3 and 9–7 efter the first twa sessions against Ali Carter. Williams then won fower o the last five frames, wi fower braks of 100 or mair, tae defeat Carter 13–8.[56]

The closest quarter-final wis the last match, atween John Higgins and Judd Trump, which wis a rematch o the 2011 Warld Championship final. Trump gained an early lead in the seicont session at 7–3, but Higgins won the next five frames, an the pair finished the session at 8–8. Trump won the next twa frames and teuk a twa-frame lead at 11–9, afore Higgins won the next three frames tae retake the lead at 12–11.[56] Trump won the 24t frame tae force a final frame decider, which Higgins won tae clinch the match, later describing it as a "classic" and joking that Trump "must hate the sight of him".[28][56][57]

Semi-finals

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Barry Hawkins reached the semi-finals, but lost 15–17 tae Mark Williams.

The semi-finals war each played ower fower sessions, atween 3 and 5 May 2018, wi the matches played as best of 33 frames (17 frames needed tae win) in a single table setup. The first semi-final wis atween John Higgins and Kyren Wilson. Higgins teuk an early lead in the openin session, leadin Wilson 5–3, an retained this lead intae the next twa sessions, at 9–7, an 13–11. The pair shared the next fower frames tae leave the match at 15–13, afore Higgins won the final twa frames tae win 17–13.[28][58][59]

The seicont semi-final wis atween Barry Hawkins and Mark Williams. Hawkins teuk a seemilar lead ower Williams, wi Hawkins takkin 5–3, 9–7, an 13–11 leads, afore going intae the final session. Williams made a comeback, drawing level at 14 frames apiece, an then again at 15 aw. Williams teuk the lead for the first time in the match at 16–15, afore winnin it 17–15.[28] His veectory ensured that, for the first time syne the Warld Championship moved tae the Crucible in 1977, baith finalists wad be ower 40 year auld.[60]

Final

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The twa finalists war John Higgins and Mark Williams; baith umwhile champions. The final wis played as a best of 35 frames match (18 frames needed tae win), spread ower fower sessions atween 6 and 7 May 2018. Williams teuk an early lead in the first session o the match, winnin aw o the first fower frames. Higgins won the seicont mini-session 3–1, sae the first session ended wi a 5–3 lead for Williams.[61] In the seicont session, Williams teuk the next twa frames tae lead 7–3, afore Higgins scored fower consecutive frames tae level the score at 7–7. Williams then pulled away ance again, winnin the final three frames tae tak a 10–7 lead overnight.[62]

Williams won the first fower frames on the seicont day o the final, extendin his winnin streak tae seiven frames and his lead tae 14–7, afore Higgins pulled twa frames back efter the mid-session interval. In the seicont of thae frames, Higgins won wi a 72 counter-clearance efter Williams missed on a brak of 65. In the follaein frame, Higgins stairtit on a maximum brak, which haed never been achieved in a Warld Championship final; he potted ten reds wi blacks but coud nae complete the clearance. Housomeiver, he secured his third successive frame wi the brak of 80, reducing his deficit tae 10–14. Williams teuk the last frame tae win the session 5–3, giein him a 15–10 lead heidin intae the final session o the championship.[63]

 
Mark Williams won his third Warld title, wi an 18–16 win against John Higgins in the final match o the tournament.

Higgins responded bi winnin the first five frames o the final session tae level the match at 15–15, includin three clearances and a match heichest brak of 131. Williams then won his first frame o the evening, an followed it up wi a 100 brak tae tak the score tae 17–15, sicweys requirin ane faur frame tae roond off the match. In the 33rd frame, on a brak of 63, Williams missed a pink that wad hae clinched the title; Higgins then cleared the table for a brak of 65 tae pull the score tae 16–17. In the 34th frame, Williams held his nerve tae mak a match-winnin brak of 69, concluding the match at 18–16 and securing his third Warld title.[28][64][65]

On winnin the championship, Mark Williams said "The turnaround in the past twelve months is something I cannot work out", efter nae haein appeared in the competeetion in the previous season.[66] Afore the toornament, Williams haed said if he won the Warld title he wad attend the post toornament press conference naked.[67] Follaein his veectory, Williams entered the conference wearing anly a touel aroond his waist, but removed it when he wis safely seated behind a table.[28] Williams then promised that if he wis tae win the next season, he wad "cartwheel round here naked".[67]

Williams' veectory came fifteen years efter his last Warld title in 2003; this wis the langest span atween twa successive wins in the history o the toornament.[64] At the age of 43, Williams became the auldest Warld champion syne Ray Reardon won the event in 1978 aged 45.[68][69]

Main draw

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The nummers in parentheses are players' seedings. Players listed in bold indicate match winner.

First round Second round Quarter-finals Semi-finals
Best of 19 frames Best of 25 frames Best of 25 frames Best of 33 frames
                           
21 April            
   Mark Selby (ENG) (1)  4
26 & 27 April
   Joe Perry (ENG)  10  
   Joe Perry  8
22 & 23 April
     Mark Allen (16)  13  
   Mark Allen (NIR) (16)  10
1 & 2 May
   Liam Highfield (ENG)  5  
   Mark Allen (16)  6
21 & 22 April
     Kyren Wilson (9)  13  
   Kyren Wilson (ENG) (9)  10
27 & 28 April
   Matthew Stevens (WAL)  3  
   Kyren Wilson (9)  13
22 & 23 April
     Jamie Jones  5  
   Shaun Murphy (ENG) (8)  9
3, 4 & 5 May
   Jamie Jones (WAL)  10  
   Kyren Wilson (9)  13
25 April
     John Higgins (5)  17
   John Higgins (SCO) (5)  10
28 & 29 April
   Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (THA)  7  
   John Higgins (5)  13
24 April
     Jack Lisowski  1  
   Stuart Bingham (ENG) (12)  7
1 & 2 May
   Jack Lisowski (ENG)  10  
   John Higgins (5)  13
23 & 24 April
     Judd Trump (4)  12  
   Luca Brecel (BEL) (13)  6
29 & 30 April
   Ricky Walden (ENG)  10  
   Ricky Walden  9
25 & 26 April
     Judd Trump (4)  13  
   Judd Trump (ENG) (4)  10
   Chris Wakelin (ENG)  9  
23 & 24 April            
   Ding Junhui (CHN) (3)  10
29 & 30 April
   Xiao Guodong (CHN)  3  
   Ding Junhui (3)  13
25 & 26 April
     Anthony McGill (14)  4  
   Anthony McGill (SCO) (14)  10
1 & 2 May
   Ryan Day (WAL)  8  
   Ding Junhui (3)  5
21 & 22 April
     Barry Hawkins (6)  13  
   Marco Fu (HKG) (11)  5
26, 27 & 28 April
   Lyu Haotian (CHN)  10  
   Lyu Haotian  10
23 April
     Barry Hawkins (6)  13  
   Barry Hawkins (ENG) (6)  10
3, 4 & 5 May
   Stuart Carrington (ENG)  7  
   Barry Hawkins (6)  15
24 & 25 April
     Mark Williams (7)  17
   Mark Williams (WAL) (7)  10
28, 29 & 30 April
   Jimmy Robertson (ENG)  5  
   Mark Williams (7)  13
24 & 25 April
     Robert Milkins  7  
   Neil Robertson (AUS) (10)  5
1 & 2 May
   Robert Milkins (ENG)  10  
   Mark Williams (7)  13
21 & 22 April
     Ali Carter (15)  8  
   Ali Carter (ENG) (15)  10
27 & 28 April
   Graeme Dott (SCO)  8  
   Ali Carter (15)  13
21 & 22 April
     Ronnie O'Sullivan (2)  9  
   Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG) (2)  10
   Stephen Maguire (SCO)  7  
Final: (Best of 35 frames) Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, 6 & 7 May.
Referee:   Brendan Moore
John Higgins (5)
  Scotland 		16–18 Mark Williams (7)
  Wales
Players Session 1: 3–5
Frame 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Higgins 23 15 35 60 (55) 120  (119) 0 98  (52) 82  (59) N/A N/A
Williams 75  65  72  70  4 133  (95) 0 21 N/A N/A
Players Session 2: 4–5 (7–10)
Frame 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Higgins 46 75  (51) 127  (127) 12 85  (56) 123  (117) 0 35 43 N/A
Williams 81  (72) 31 8 76  9 15 123  (118) 64  (64) 80  N/A
Players Session 3: 3–5 (10–15)
Frame 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Higgins 5 19 0 7 92  (67) 76  (72) 80  (80) 8 N/A N/A
Williams 98  (61) 73  (56) 126  (69, 56) 63  (52) 29 65 (65) 0 84  N/A N/A
Players Session 4: 6–3 (16–18)
Frame 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Higgins 131  (131) 68  (68) 82  (82) 91  67  (62) 0 15 65  (65) 0 N/A
Williams 1 58 (58) 47 0 47 74  104  (100) 63 (63) 71  (69) N/A
131 Highest break 118
4 Century breaks 2
16 50+ breaks 14
  Mark Williams wins the 2018 Betfred Warld Snooker Championship.

  = Winner of frame

Qualifying

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Thare war 128 players in the qualifying competeetion. The qualifying event wis played in three roonds, wi the 16 winners o the third roond matches progressing tae the main stages o the toornament at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. Qualifying teuk place atween 11 and 18 Apryle 2018 at the English Institute of Sport, an aw in Sheffield, in a 12-table setup. Aw matches war best of 19 frames.[5]

A tot of 113 tour players (ranked ootside the tap 16, includin Invitational Tour Card holders Ken Doherty and Jimmy White) war jynt bi 15 amateur players who haed achieved success throu the Warld Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) qualifying criteria. Amang the 131 Warld Snooker Tour players, anly Boonyarit Keattikun and Kritsanut Lertsattayathorn (baith frae Thailand) did nae participate in the qualifying roonds or the main draw.[70] Players ranked 17–80 in the Warld rankins war seedit in qualifying.[71] The follaein 15 amateur players war invited tae compete in qualifying:[5][72]

Round 1

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Round 2

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Round 3

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Century breaks

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Main stage centuries

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84 century breaks war made bi 21 players during the main stage o the Warld Championship.[77]

Qualifying stage centuries

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111 century braks – includin a maximum brak – war made bi 53 players during the qualifying stage o the Warld Championship.[20]

Coverage

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The toornament wis broadcast live in the UK bi BBC TV and BBC Online, as well as on Eurosport.[78] The event wis an aw broadcast bi Warld Snooker internationally on Facebook, daein sae for the seicont time.[79] Coverage for the qualifying event wis an aw broadcast on Facebook, an the Eurosport Player.[79]

Notes

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  1. ↑ In the event that the defending champion was ranked outside of the top 16, they would have replaced the player ranked Warld number 16 as an automatic qualifier.[5]
  2. ↑ The "rolling 147 prize" stood at £5,000 (prize money carried forward to next rankin event if 147 not achieved in main tournament).[19]
  3. ↑ Luo Honghao could not obtain a visa in time to compete.[5]
  4. ↑ Mitchell Mann conceded the match due to illness at 1–7.[72]

References

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  1. ↑ "Snooker championship". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 11 Mey 1927. Retrieved 12 Mairch 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. ↑ Clare, Peter (2008). "Origins of Snooker". Snooker Heritage. Archived frae the original on 3 Januar 2017. Retrieved 8 Februar 2017.
  3. ↑ "The Rise of China – Warld Snooker". Worldsnooker.com. Warld Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Archived frae the original on 19 Apryle 2018. Retrieved 13 Mairch 2019.
  4. ↑ "Snooker calendar 2017/18" (PDF). Worldsnooker.com. Warld Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Retrieved 9 Julie 2019.
  5. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Field Set for Betfred Warld Championship". wpbsa.com. Warld Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 6 Apryle 2018. Archived frae the original on 7 Apryle 2018. Retrieved 6 Apryle 2018.
  6. ↑ a b c "Warld Snooker Championship Provisional Format of Play" (PDF). Worldsnooker.com. Warld Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Archived (PDF) frae the original on 7 Januar 2019. Retrieved 7 Januar 2019.
  7. ↑ Turner, Chris. "Warld Professional Championship". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived frae the original on 24 Julie 2011. Retrieved 9 Februar 2011.
  8. ↑ "1927 Warld Professional Championship". globalsnookercentre.co.uk. Global Snooker Centre. Archived frae the original on 10 October 2004. Retrieved 29 Februar 2012.
  9. ↑ Historic England. "The Crucible Theatre (1392311)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "Warld Championship – Roll of Honour". Global Snooker. Archived frae the original on 22 Februar 2012. Retrieved 18 Mairch 2013.
  11. ↑ Hafez, Shamoon (1 Mey 2017). "Mark Selby beats John Higgins to retain his Warld Championship title". BBC Sport. Archived frae the original on 1 Mey 2017. Retrieved 13 Mairch 2019.
  12. ↑ a b "Indicative Prize Money rankins Schedule 2017/2018 Season" (PDF). Worldsnooker.com. Warld Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 14 Julie 2017. Archived (PDF) frae the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 14 Julie 2017.
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  14. ↑ a b Careem, Nazvi (23 Apryle 2018). "Marco Fu out of Crucible but still wants to play despite eye problem". South China Morning Post. Archived frae the original on 23 Apryle 2018. Retrieved 23 Apryle 2018.
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