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Wales Online
a day ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Stephen Hendry comments on Shaun Murphy's snooker rule change proposal
Stephen Hendry comments on Shaun Murphy's snooker rule change proposal Snooker icon and Eurosport pundit Stephen Hendry has thrown his support behind Shaun Murphy's latest call for a rule change, but only under specific circumstances Stephen Hendry isn't totally against Shaun Murphy's suggestion (Image: Alex Pantling, Getty Images ) Shaun Murphy has found an ally in Stephen Hendry following his plea for a snooker rule change. The reigning Masters champion is well known for voicing his bold views and regularly suggesting ideas to enhance the sport's appeal. Murphy is particularly keen on the idea of adding a spot to the cue ball to indicate the level of spin applied during play. While spots are common in other cue sports, they are notably absent in snooker. The Magician has used a spot on the cue ball on his YouTube channel, where he shares coaching techniques and strategy advice. He said during one video: 'I'm going to keep using the spotted cue ball because we're getting some really good feedback about that. 'You guys are loving seeing the spin, how the spin manipulates the cue ball and what it's actually doing. It's great that you can see it with one of these. Article continues below 'You know what? I actually think we should be using one of these in tournament play. "I think that you should be able to see this when we're playing. Think about this, snooker, currently, is the only table sport and cue sport that doesn't use one of these. "They are using it in billiards, they're using it in nine-ball, they are using it in everything. Maybe it's time that snooker moved on, just so you guys can see what's happening." Murphy has called for snooker to make several changes (Image: Getty ) Now, snooker legend Hendry has weighed in on the subject. When asked by Neil Robertson for his thoughts on the idea on Hendry's Cue Tips YouTube channel, the seven-time world champion said he would be in favour of it being applied at certain tournaments - but crucially not all. 'I think there'd be room for it in one tournament but I wouldn't like to see it rolled out in everything,' explained Hendry. 'A lot of players wouldn't like it because they'd see the unwanted side they put on the ball.' Article continues below Murphy has also suggested a host of other changes to shake up the sport, including implementing a shot clock and axing the foul and miss rule. He stated at this year's Welsh Open: "I just find it so weird that we have a rule in the game that allows players to have a sighter. In my opinion, the miss rule needs to be taken out of the game altogether. I don't like the rule at all." Meanwhile, Murphy began the new season with a crushing 5-0 victory over 14-year-old tour newcomer Michal Szubarczyk to qualify for the televised stages of the Wuhan Open in late August.
Metro
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Metro
The 10 greatest graduates from Q School as latest hopefuls attend class
There have been and remain multiple routes onto the professional snooker tour, with Q School a well-trodden path since being established in 2011. Amateur players battle it out in stressful, intense tournaments with the winners booking a spot on the World Snooker Tour for the next two seasons, while those who fall short have to play their snooker elsewhere. Players who have been on the pro tour since before 2011 have never had to face the pressure of Q School to keep their careers alive, so you won't have seen the likes of Judd Trump, Ronnie O'Sullivan or Mark Selby scrapping it out for their tour cards. That is not to say that Q School has not seen plenty of fantastic players over the years, though, with a number winning their places on tour and going on to win ranking events. For the following list of the greatest graduates from Q School, they are being judged on what they have achieved since their graduations. The likes of Fergal O'Brien, Joe Swail and Andy Hicks came back onto tour through Q School later in their careers, but their glory days were long before those times. But there are plenty who have earned their place on tour through Q School and gone on to great things, so any players lining up in Leicester this week can be inspired by these 10 names. In one of the biggest surprises in snooker history, Jordan Brown won the 2021 Welsh Open, beating Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final after downing Mark Selby and Stephen Maguire on his way to the showpiece. Just one ranking semi has followed that, which will disappoint the Northern Irishman, but what a win to have on his CV. Still just 23 years old, Jackson Page secured a brilliant piece of snooker history last month when he became the first player to make two 147s in the same match, doing so in World Championship qualifying. The Welshman reached his first ranking final this season and is continuing to make his way up the rankings as one of the brightest young British hopes. Similar to Brown's shock win, Fan Zhengyi pulled off a wild result by winning the 2022 European Masters, beating O'Sullivan in the final. He also hasn't followed it up with more success but the Chinese is still only 24 and has shown more good flashes, including a run to the Champion of Champions semis. Lei Peifan made a huge name for himself last season, firstly by winning the Scottish Open and then by beating defending champion Kyren Wilson at the Crucible. The 21-year-old has not done a great deal else yet as a professional, but if those two performances are anything to go by there is a lot more to come. The first player on this list to have reached the world's top 16, Jak Jones is also the first to have made it to a World Championship final. His run to the Crucible Showpiece in 2024 was his career highlight so far and his challenge now is to bring his Sheffield game to the rest of the tour, having not been to any other final as yet. Chris Wakelin has enjoyed a brilliant and much-improved two-and-a-half years on tour, stepping up at least one level from where he stood before. Winning the Shoot Out in 2023 remains his only ranking title, but finals of the Northern Ireland Open and International Championship have followed, as has a Masters debut and a run to the quarter-finals at the Crucible this year. One of the great rising talents in the game, but one who is yet to get his hands on any silverware, despite coming close. Si Jiahui has been to two ranking finals and the semi-finals of the World Championship and Saudi Arabia Masters, with a trophy for the 22-year-old seeming only a matter of time. In Gloucester back in 2014 Zhang Anda came through Q School and after years of not making many waves, he made his splash in the 2023/24 season. Zhang won the International Championship and reached the finals of the English Open and Players Championship, soaring into the top 16 in the process. Dave Gilbert had been on tour but fell off in 2011 and needed Q School to bounce straight back, just, losing in the first two finals before winning Event 3. Since then he has been to five ranking finals, winning one of them, two World Championship and two Masters semis, reaching a high of number 10 in the world. If any Q School hopeful this year needs some inspiration then look no further than the reigning world champion as Zhao Xintong graduated at the Meadowside Leisure Centre, Burton-upon-Trent in 2018. More Trending The Cyclone won the UK Championship in 2021 and German Masters in '22 before being banned from the sport only to return and conquer the Crucible this month, seven years on from beating Dechawat Poomjaeng to win Q School Event 2 in Burton. Honorary mentions go to the only future ranking event winner to come through Q School and not make this list, Michael Georgiou, and to Elliot Slessor who narrowly missed out on the top 10 because he's very good but is yet to reach a ranking final. UK Q School this year begins on Wednesday May 21 with 171 players competing to claim just eight tour cards. MORE: Snooker prospect Ronnie Sullivan doesn't love obvious comparison: 'It does my head in' MORE: World Women's Snooker Championship draw, schedule and how to watch MORE: Stephen Hendry names his top five snooker players of all-time
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
King loses appeal against snooker match-fixing ban
Snooker player Mark King has lost his appeal against a five-year ban for was handed the ban in November 2024 after an independent disciplinary committee found the Englishman guilty of one count of match-fixing and one count of providing inside information on a former Northern Ireland Open champion was suspended by the sport's world governing body, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), on 18 March was after suspicious betting was reported on his match against Joe Perry on 13 February that year at the Welsh Open, which King lost 4-0. Perry was not accused of any was ordered to pay over £68,000 in costs and banned from the sport for five 51, contested the punishment and his appeal was heard by an independent appeals committee on 8-9 April former world number 11 presented four points to be heard within his appeal, one of which he chose to abandon at the start of the stated that bettors placing large sums on 4-1 and 4-2, as well as the actual result of 4-0, weakened the argument that he had agreed to lose also argued that his relationship with one of the people connected to the betting was he complained that the disciplinary committee reached a number of wrong conclusions surrounding his form and an injury he was suffering with going into the match against Perry."Nowhere in this appeal has it been demonstrated that a factual decision is so wrong it could not have been reached, or an evaluative decision is so wrong that it can be said to be unreasonable," the independent appeals committee's final report added: "In our view the committee reached reasonable, rational, logical, clear and reasoned conclusions based on all of the evidence which they clearly considered carefully and we find no reason to interfere with the conclusions it reached."King will be eligible for a return to the sport in March 2028.
Wales Online
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Snooker star Mark King loses appeal against five-year ban and £68k fine for match fixing
Snooker star Mark King loses appeal against five-year ban and £68k fine for match fixing Mark King was handed a five-year ban from snooker in November 2024 after being found guilty of one count of match fixing and one count of providing inside information Mark King's ban has been upheld (Image: (Image: Getty.) ) Snooker ace Mark King has had his appeal dismissed after being convicted of match fixing and providing inside information, meaning his five-year ban remains in place. The 51-year-old was suspended last November following suspicious betting activity during his match against Joe Perry at the 2023 Welsh Open. Perry, however, was not implicated in any wrongdoing. King refuted the charges and appealed the decision. However, the former world No. 11's appeal has been unsuccessful. He did not attend the hearing in person. Two other charges related to King's match with John Higgins on 13 December 2022 were dropped during the initial independent disciplinary committee's findings. King, who suffered a 4-0 defeat by Perry in Llandudno, maintained his innocence, arguing that numerous bets were also placed on a 4-2 or 4-1 loss. He suggested that if the result had been prearranged, bettors would have only wagered on a 4-0 outcome. The Essex-born snooker star also claimed that the original investigation failed to consider that he was nursing a finger injury during the match. Nonetheless, the committee dismissed King's claims and expressed that it was "concerned by the number of online and in-store bettors who could be linked." It discovered that these bettors had no previous history of betting on snooker, that accounts were created specifically to bet on the Perry match, and that some accounts were not used by the individuals who had opened them. Article continues below Mark King during his Welsh Open match with Joe Perry (Image: (Image: Getty) ) The WPBSA concluded its inquiries into King after receiving a tip-off that he was compensated £15,000 by an unidentified source to intentionally lose matches against Perry and Higgins. Although it expanded its probe to include the latter match, allegations linked to the match with Higgins were not substantiated. In a statement, the WPBSA announced: "On November 7, 2024, the Independent Disciplinary Committee delivered its final decision in the case of the WPBSA and Mark King. He was found guilty of one count of match fixing and one count of providing inside information on his match played against Joe Perry on February 13, 2023. He was suspended from the sport for five years and ordered to pay £68,299.50 in costs. "Mark King appealed the decision of the Independent Disciplinary Committee and on April 8, 2025, his appeal was heard by an Independent Appeals Committee chaired by Philip Evans KC. "On May 13, 2025, the Independent Appeals Committee issued its decision on the appeal. Mr King's appeal has been refused and the findings against Mr King regarding his match with Joe Perry and in relation to the sanction that was imposed at the original hearing will stand. A decision regarding the costs of the appeal will be made in due course." King was suspended last November, and will be banned until 2028 Article continues below Back in November, WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson conveyed a sense of duty that accompanies the sport's growth, saying in a statement: "The global expansion of this sport brings with it great responsibility, both for our players and for the WPBSA as the sport's world governing body. I have known Mark King since he was very young, he is a very experienced player who has enjoyed great success, and I am deeply saddened to read the finding in this case. "However, the integrity of this sport will always be our No. 1 priority. This case is testament to the fact that no stone will ever be left unturned in ensuring that the hundreds of millions of snooker fans worldwide, and our many global partners, can have full confidence in this incredible sport." King is now set to serve a suspension that spans from March 18, 2023, to March 17, 2028.
Daily Mirror
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Mark Selby says fan credited him with 'saving her life' on eve of Crucible
Mark Selby has been open about his battles with his mental health, with the four-time world champion now revealing that his openness had been helping others with their struggles Snooker star Mark Selby has revealed an anguished fan credited him with 'saving' her life by disclosing his own battles with mental health. The 41-year-old has won four World Championships and nine Triple Crowns since turning pro in 1999. He won the British and Welsh Open last season but was dumped out of the World Championship in the first round. The wins in Cheltenham and Llandudno ensured it was Selby's most successful season for some time. The Englishman has now opened up on his battles with mental health. He revealed that he hit a low ebb last year as his wife Vikki underwent treatment for brest cancer. That came around the same time as a close family friend died after being diagnosed with cancer. While Selby has tended to keep his personal struggles private, he did issue an emotional statement three years ago, which he credits with helping him through his struggles. And his decision to go public also help to stop a fan from taking their own life. Selby has revealed that the day before this year's World Championship began, he was stopped outside the Crucible where the woman credited him with saving her life. 'I was doing a few autographs and pictures. And this girl came up to me, bless her. She only must have been in her mid-20s. She said: 'Mark, can I just say something to you?' Of course, I said," he told The Sun. "She replied: 'I just want to say, I tried to take my own life a little while ago and hearing you speak out made me realise there's more to life – and you can get on.' So, that was quite emotional and touching, knowing that you have helped someone – because you never know what's going on behind closed doors. 'If you can help one person, that girl for example, that obviously makes it worthwhile, me speaking out. It basically saved her life. There's a lot more people going through it than what you think. And I was one of them." Unfortunately for Selby, he suffered a shock 10-8 defeat to Ben Woolaston in the first round of the World Championship. He admitted afterwards that he had not performed at the level required. "I didn't deserve to win. Ben played some great stuff, his safety was unbelievable at times but I still had my chances. It was pathetic really from me, to play like that is disappointing," Selby said. "It's the same old story, I try too hard and stop myself from playing. I love Ben to bits, I've known him for years. I grew up with him and have seen him progressing. It was tough from start to finish, I didn't play anywhere near where I can play and didn't deserve to win. "I played poorly from start to finish. I felt like I threw so many frames away, I kept getting 30 in front and running out of position or missing a silly shot, and then Ben would come back and win the frame. "I probably threw five or six frames away and it's disappointing because I came here with a bit of confidence and I didn't expect to play like that."
