Career Anthony Hamilton (snooker player)

1 career

1.1 1991–2000
1.2 2000–2006
1.3 2006–2007
1.4 2007–2008
1.5 2008–2009
1.6 2009–2010
1.7 2010–2011
1.8 2011–2012
1.9 2012–2013
1.10 2013–2014
1.11 2014–2015
1.12 2015–2016
1.13 2016–2017: resurgence , first ranking title

career
1991–2000

hamilton turned professional in 1991, entering world s top 32 in 1995/1996. hamilton has reached 2 ranking tournament finals. in british open in 1999, lost fergal o brien, hamilton opened 2 centuries, o brien won 5 frames on final black defeat nottingham man. other 2001 china open. mark williams beat him 9–8, despite hamilton having led 8–5. made first of 4 world championship quarter-finals in 2000, losing 3–13 john higgins.

2000–2006

he reached quarter-finals of world championship on 3 later occasions (2002, 2004 , 2007), without reaching semi-final stage. in 2002, lost 6–13 eventual winner peter ebdon. in 2004, made 2 consecutive century breaks come 0–2 down level @ 2–2 in quarter-final against eventual champion ronnie o sullivan, lost match 3–13. hamilton s 438 points scored in match record low world championship quarter-final. has highest ever points total in first-round match @ crucible, 1271 against chris small in 1999, though lost match 9–10. in 1997 reached second round; facing john parrott @ stage scored 414 unanswered points in frames 1–5, still lost match (this second highest number of unanswered points in crucible history; record set john higgins against hamilton in second round in 2000). hamilton did not fare in 2006 world championship, losing 1–10 in opening round mark williams. however, strong 2 seasons ensured reclaimed top 16 place.

2006–2007

hamilton began 2006/2007 season @ northern ireland trophy, losing 3–5 against ding junhui. @ grand prix hamilton lost 5 of group stage matches, , didn t advance knockout stage. hamilton lost 7–9 against rod lawler in first round of uk championship, 3–6 in wild-card round of masters, 4–5 against tom ford in first round of malta cup. hamilton s best result of season came @ welsh open, reached quarter-finals defeating both joe perry , dave harold, before losing match steve davis in final-frame decider. hamilton lost in first round of china open 4–5 against mark selby. hamilton reached fourth world championship quarter-final, pulling off surprise 10–3 victory on marco fu in round 1, , 13–8 second round win on ian mcculloch. however, couldn t advance semi-final stage, losing 7–13 stephen maguire. result, did not retain top sixteen place, falling number 26 in rankings 2007/2008.

2007–2008

hamilton began 2007/2008 season @ shanghai masters, lost 4–5 against adrian gunnell in last qualifying round. hamilton eliminated in round robin stages of grand prix, won 2 of 5 matches. reached second round of northern ireland trophy, defeating michael judge 5–2 in first round, lost 2–5 against shaun murphy. qualify televised stage of 2007 uk championship, defeating barry pinches 9–6, lost against mark selby 5–9 in first round. hamilton lost in first round of welsh open 2–5 against andrew higginson, , couldn t qualify china open, after losing 1–5 against marcus campbell in last qualifying round. ensured qualification world championship 10–2 victory on scott mackenzie in final qualifying round, lost 3–10 stephen maguire in first round. saw him drop number 26 31 in world rankings @ start of 2008/2009 season.

2008–2009

in 2008/2009 hamilton did not reach last sixteen in of first 5 ranking events. lost in first round 3–5 against andrew higginson @ northern ireland trophy, 2–5 against marco fu @ shanghai masters, , 0–5 against john higgins @ grand prix, while not qualify bahrain championship , uk championship, lost in qualifying round 2–5 against mark davis , 4–9 against higginson respectively. managed run semi-finals of 2009 welsh open. on way beat peter ebdon, michael judge , mark selby. in semi-final led ali carter 3–0 , looked though may reach third ranking final lost 5–6 against eventual winner. hamilton qualified china open, defeating patrick wallace 5–1, lost 4–5 against john higgins, , couldn t qualify world championship, lost 5–10 ricky walden in last qualifying round. @ end of season lost place among worlds top 32, , ranked number 33 in next season.

2009–2010

in 2009/2010 season hamilton couldn t qualify first 2 rankings events, lost 0–5 against jamie cope @ shanghai masters, , 0–5 against david gilbert @ grand prix. appearance in last 32 came @ 2009 uk championship, lost 2–9 against mark king. hamilton couldn t qualify last 3 ranking events, lost 4–5 against bjorn haneveer @ welsh open, 4–5 against tony drago @ china open, , 6–10 against ford @ 2010 world snooker championship.

2010–2011

in 2010/2011 season hamilton failed qualify first 3 ranking events lost 2–5 against ricky walden @ shanghai masters, 1–3 against james mcbain @ world open , 3–9 against rod lawler @ uk championship. hamilton participated in players tour championship events, best performance coming @ paul hunter classic, reached final, lost 3–4 against judd trump. hamilton finished 18th on players tour championship order of merit , qualified finals, lost 0–4 against mark williams in second round. hamilton qualified german masters, defeating kurt maflin (5–4), adam wicheard (5–1) , stuart bingham (5–1) in qualifying stages. reached second round defeating pavel leyk (5–1) , neil robertson (5–4), before losing against graeme dott (2–5). hamilton couldn t reach final stages of last 3 ranking tournaments, lost in qualifying stages against matthew stevens 2–4 @ welsh open, 1–5 @ china open , against barry hawkins 5–10 @ world championship.

2011–2012

hamilton began 2011/2012 season ranked number 36. hamilton reached quarter-finals of shanghai masters winning 5 matches, lost 2–5 against mark king. hamilton, couldn t qualify final stages of remaining ranking tournaments, lost 5–6 against marco fu @ uk championship, 0–5 against tom ford @ german masters, 1–5 against joe perry @ world open, 1–4 against andy hicks @ welsh open, 1–5 against perry @ china open , 9–10 against ken doherty @ world championship. hamilton participated in 10 of 12 players tour championship events, best performance coming in event 11, reached semi-finals, losing 3–4 against martin gould. hamilton finished 42nd on players tour championship order of merit, outside of top 24 qualified finals.

2012–2013

anthony hamilton @ 2013 german masters.

hamilton began 2012/2013 season ranked number 32. not qualify first 4 ranking events, lost 4–5 against michael white @ wuxi classic, 3–5 against jimmy robertson @ shanghai masters, 3–6 against ryan day @ international championship , withdrew australian goldfields open. lost 2–6 ian burns in qualifying stage of uk championship, defeated burns 5–2 , jamie cope 5–0 reach last 32 of 2013 german masters. recorded 5–4 victory on judd trump, , lost 2–5 ali carter. hamilton qualified welsh open, lost 2–4 stephen maguire in last 32. hamilton played in 9 of ten players tour championship events season, best result coming in kay suzanne memorial trophy, defeated george marter, ryan causton, andrew higginson, michael wasley , mark selby, before losing 3–4 john higgins in semi-finals. performance helped him finish 34th on ptc order of merit, outside of top 26 qualified finals. hamilton s season ended when lost 4–10 dechawat poomjaeng in third qualifying round of world championship.

2013–2014

hamilton began 2013/2014 season ranked number 43, after dropping 11 places in rankings during previous season. qualified wuxi classic defeating jamie o neill 5–1. @ venue defeated ryan day, stuart bingham , mark williams reach quarter-final, lost 3–5 against robert milkins. after hamilton couldn t qualify 2 of next 3 ranking events, lost 2–5 against mark joyce @ shanghai masters, , 3–6 against paul davison @ international championship. qualified indian open defeating michael wasley 4–2, withdraw last 64 match against michael white. hamilton lost 4–6 against sean o sullivan in first round of uk championship. qualified televised stages of german masters, world open , china open 5–3 wins against ross muir, andrew norman, , alex borg. reached last 16 of german masters , welsh open, lost 3–5 against ryan day 2–4 against ricky walden respectively; hamilton lost in first round of world open , china open 3–5 against mark selby , 4–5 against neil robertson. hamilton played in european tour events season, , reached fourth round @ 4 of them. performance helped him finish 23rd on european tour order of merit, , qualified finals, reached last 16, lost 3–4 against gerard greene, despite leading 3–0. hamilton s season ended when lost 7–10 joe swail in second qualifying round of world championship.

2014–2015

hamilton qualified 2014 wuxi classic, first ranking event of 2014/2015 season, beating andrew pagett 5–2. defeated kurt maflin 5–1 in first round, 4–2 ahead of stuart bingham in round two, went on lose 5–4. failed qualify shanghai masters , international championship, knocked out craig steadman 6–5 in first round of uk championship, despite hamilton being docked frame arriving late. hamilton said afterwards, rubbish - seriously. can t play worse. attitude rubbish snooker. rubbish lot of time. getting old basically. s no fun s better working . reiterated these sentiments after lost 6–4 graeme dott in second round stating, don t practice anymore. play because better working. have work long time want swerve long possible . hamilton qualified indian open , china open, eliminated in first round of both. knocked out in last 64 of every european tour finish 54th on order of merit , 58th in world rankings.

2015–2016

hamilton , kyren wilson set record of 6 consecutive century breaks, 2 hamilton, in 2016 china open qualifiers. hamilton beaten 5–3. in first round of welsh open 71–0 down stuart bingham, produced break of 72 eliminate reigning world champion 4–1. defeated allan taylor 4–2, before losing 4–3 ben woollaston in third round. won through final qualifying round world championship, edged out 10–9 robbie williams. hamilton finished year 71st in world rankings , therefore outside of top 64 first time since 1992. however, being placed 64th on european order of merit earned two-year tour card.

2016–2017: resurgence , first ranking title

hamilton reached quarter-finals of english open beating jak jones 4–3, lost 5–2 liang wenbo. got quarter-finals of next home nations event, northern ireland open , defeated local favourite mark allen 5–2 make first semi-final since 2009 welsh open. after match hamilton said had been skint , borrowed money dad before these 2 deep runs. in semi-final came 4–2 , 5–3 down against barry hawkins force deciding frame in had chance win match, feathered cue ball , hawkins secured 59 break.

hamilton came through tough draw @ german masters beat mark williams 5–3, mark selby 5–2 , barry hawkins 5–4 advance semi-finals whilst claiming wasn t playing best. defeated stuart bingham 6–4 third ranking event final , first in 15 years in match finished @ 1am. hamilton returned come 5–2 down , win 7 of last 8 frames defeat ali carter 9–6 in final. sealed first ranking event title of 26-year career professional and, @ age of 45, became oldest winner of ranking event since doug mountjoy in 1989. hamilton moved 66th 38th in rankings. beat bingham 5–1, before losing 5–2 ding junhui @ players championship , failed reach world championship defeated 10–9 noppon saengkham in second qualifying round. starting season no ranking points finished 25th in world, 31 places ahead of next newly qualified player, yan bingtao.