2014 World Snooker Championship

The 2014 World Snooker Championship featured 32 professional players competing in one-on-one snooker matches in a single-elimination format, each match played over several frames. These 32 players for the event were selected through a mix of the snooker world rankings and a pre-tournament qualification round.^[1][2][3] The first World Snooker Championship took place in 1927, with the final held at Camkin's Hall in Birmingham, England, and the title was won by Joe Davis.^[4][5] Since 1977, the event has been held at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England.^[6] As of 2022^[update], Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan are the event's most successful participants in the modern era, having both won the championship seven times.^[7][8] The defending champion was Ronnie O'Sullivan, who had won the 2013 event, defeating Barry Hawkins in the final to take his fifth title.^[9] The winner of the 2014 championship received £300,000, from a total prize fund of £1,214,000.^[10] The event was organised by World Snooker in partnership with the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA).^[11]

Format

The 2014 World Snooker Championship was a professional snooker tournament played from 19 April to 5 May 2014 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England.^[12] This was the 38th consecutive year that the World Snooker Championship was held at the Crucible Theatre.^[13] Of the 32 participants, 16 players qualified for the event from the snooker world rankings, and 16 from a four-round qualifying event held at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in Sheffield, England.^[1][2][3] The event was the last of twelve ranking events in the 2013–14 snooker season on the World Snooker Tour.^[14] The tournament was sponsored by sports betting company Dafabet for the first time, replacing previous sponsors Betfair.^[12][15]

Prize fund

The total prize money for the 2014 World Snooker Championship was £1,214,000, a raise from the previous year's £1,111,000. The winner received £300,000, an increase of £50,000 over the previous year. The breakdown of prize money for the 2014 event is shown below:^[10]

Qualifying

Four former world champions lost in the qualifying rounds. Six-time champion Steve Davis was defeated by Craig Steadman, a match Davis needed to win to retain his place on the World Snooker Tour.^[16] Two-time champion Mark Williams lost to Alan McManus in the final qualifying round 8–10 and failed to play at the main championship for the first time since 1996.^[17][18][19] Graeme Dott lost to Kyren Wilson 7–10,^[20] whilst Peter Ebdon lost 8–10 to Robin Hull.^[21] The loss for Ebdon meant that he ended 22 consecutive appearances at the event since his debut in 1992.^[22][23] Two previous runners-up also did not qualify. Six-time finalist Jimmy White lost in the second qualifying round to Ian Burns 10–4,^[24] whilst two-time runner-up Matthew Stevens lost to Tom Ford.^[17]

For the first time, no Welsh player automatically qualified to play at the Crucible.^[17] Three Welshmen, Dominic Dale, Michael White, and Ryan Day, won places in the first round through qualification.^[25][26] At the age of 44, 1997 champion Ken Doherty defeated Dechawat Poomjaeng 10–5 in qualifying to become the oldest player to reach the main stage.^[27][28] Kyren Wilson,^[29] Michael Wasley,^[30] Xiao Guodong, and Robbie Williams all made their debuts in the competition by coming through qualifying.^[31][32]

First round

The first round was played as best-of-19 frame matches held over two sessions between 19 and 24 April 2014.^[33] Defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan drew world number 122 Robin Hull in the first round,^[34][35] and won 10–4.^[36] The 2010 World Snooker Championship winner Neil Robertson won his first round match against Robbie Williams, leading 7–2 after the first session, and won 10–2.^[36][37] In his victory, he compiled breaks of 102, 102, 103, 132, and the tournament's highest of 140 to take his season total of century breaks to 97.^[38][39] The 2005 champion Shaun Murphy trailed 5–7 behind against Jamie Cope, before the pair played a deciding frame at 9–9. Murphy took the frame 65–49 to win the match.^[40] Third seed Mark Selby also won a deciding frame, as he defeated Michael White 10–9.^[41][42]

Fourth seed Ding Junhui had previously won five ranking events in the season, a record he jointly held with Stephen Hendry.^[43] In his first round match he was defeated 9–10 by debutant Michael Wasley, and so failed to set a new record for tournament wins in a season.^[43][44] Ken Doherty won the last seven frames of his match against sixth seed Stuart Bingham to win 10–5, recording his first victory at the event since 2006.^[45] Alan McManus achieved his first Crucible win since 2005 by defeating fellow Scot John Higgins 10–7,^[46] while Dominic Dale won his first Crucible match since 2000 by defeating 13th seed Mark Davis 10–5.^[47] The final frame of Ricky Walden's first-round match against Kyren Wilson lasted 73 minutes 13 seconds, just under two minutes short of the Crucible record of 74 minutes 58 seconds that Stephen Maguire and Mark King set in 2009.^[48][49] Walden won the frame to clinch a 10–7 victory.^[50] Qualifier Ryan Day defeated tenth seed Stephen Maguire 10–9.^[51]

During the first round, a "Ladies' Day" at the tournament featured events designed to encourage greater female participation in the sport.^[52] The day was also used to raise money for the Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice in Rotherham.^[53]

Second round

The second round was played as best-of-25 frame matches over three sessions between 25 and 28 April 2014.^[33] O'Sullivan trailed Joe Perry throughout the first two sessions of their match, but ultimately won 13–11.^[54] O'Sullivan described the encounter with Perry as "probably my most exciting match ever at the Crucible."^[55] McManus played Doherty and won six frames in a row from 4–3 ahead to lead 10–3, and later won 13–8.^[56] This was McManus' first quarter-final appearance since 2005, when he also beat Doherty in the second round.^[57] Murphy led Marco Fu 9–7 after the first two sessions, before winning four of the next five frames to win 13–8.^[58]

Dale defeated Wasley 13–4 to reach his first World Championship quarter-final since 2000.^[59] In defeating Mark Allen 13–7, Robertson added two more century breaks to bring his season total to 99. In the last two frames he made breaks of 94 and 92, narrowly missing his 100th century of the season.^[60][61] Barry Hawkins met Walden in a repeat of the previous year's semi-final.^[62] Hawkins won again, this time 13–11, to reach his second Crucible quarter-final.^[63] Selby led Ali Carter 9–7 after the first two sessions, and won three frames in a row to lead 12–7. Carter won the next two frames before Selby won the 20th frame by 82 points to 19 to win 13–9.^[64] In the last second round match, seventh seed Judd Trump defeated Day 13–7.^[65]

Quarter-finals

The quarter-finals were played as best-of-25 frame matches across three sessions between 29 and 30 April.^[33] Selby and McManus only completed seven of the scheduled eight frames in the first session of their match as they ran out of time, with Selby leading 4–3.^[66] Selby won eight of the nine in the second session to lead 12–4,^[67] and won the second frame of the final session to win 13–5.^[68] Having trailed 0–2 and needing three snookers in the third frame, O'Sullivan won 13 of the last 14 frames to defeat Shaun Murphy 13–3, ending the match with a session to spare.^[69]

Hawkins opened up a 6–2 lead over Dominic Dale in the first session,^[70] and extended his lead to 11–5 after two sessions.^[71] In the final session, Dale fought back to win seven frames in a row and take the lead 12–11, but Hawkins captured the last two frames to win the match 13–12.^[72] Neil Robertson trailed Judd Trump 2–6 after the first session, and 6–9 after the second, before he won seven of the last nine frames to win the match 13–11.^[73][74] In the 22nd frame, Robertson compiled his 100th century break of the 2013–14 snooker season.^[75]

Semi-finals

The semi-finals were played as best-of-33 frame matches over four sessions on 2 and 3 May.^[33] O'Sullivan and Hawkins contested the first semi-final, a rematch of the previous year's final.^[76] O'Sullivan led at 10–2, but Hawkins won three of the next four to trail overnight 11–5.^[77] O'Sullivan made breaks of 76, 55, 103 and 84 and later won the match 17–7 in the final frame of the third session.^[78] This was the first time in ten years that a player had won two matches with a session to spare in the same event, having done so himself previously in 2004.^[79][80] That year, O'Sullivan won the championship one frame into the final session.^[81]

In the second semi-final, a match that lasted 12 hours and 4 minutes,^[82] Selby defeated Robertson 17–15 to reach his second World Championship final.^[83] Selby had previously reached the final once before in 2007.^[84] During the match, Robertson extended his century break record to 103,^[85] but his defeat meant that he lost his world number one position.^[86]

Final

The final was played on the 4 and 5 May 2014 between Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Selby as best-of-35 frames, held over four sessions and was refereed by Brendan Moore.^[33] This was the first time that Moore had presided over a World Championship final.^[87] In the first session on Sunday afternoon, O'Sullivan took a 5–3 lead, which he extended in the evening session to 8–3 and 10–5. Selby took the last two frames of the day to leave O'Sullivan with a 10–7 overnight lead.^[88] O'Sullivan's highest break on the first day was a 131 in the 14th frame, while Selby's highest break of the day was just 62.^[89]

The third session concluded after just six of the scheduled eight frames.^[90] Selby won five of the six frames to go into the final session with a 12–11 lead.^[91] He then won three of the first four frames of the evening session, extending his lead to 15–12 at the mid-session interval, before winning the final 18–14 to capture his first world title.^[90] In all, Selby won 13 of the last 17 frames, and scored his two highest breaks of the match in frames 30 and 31 to increase his lead from 15–14 to 17–14.^[92] This was Selby's fourth ranking title, and made him the ninth player to win all three Triple Crown events,^[91] reinstating him as the world number one.^[93]

O'Sullivan said "I want to congratulate Mark on a fantastic tournament. He's been the best player over 17 days ... In the end I was numb as he was too strong and tough."^[91] Selby dedicated the title to his late father, who died two months before he turned professional.^[94]

The draw for the first round took place on 17 April 2014, one day after the qualifying, and was broadcast live on World Snooker's YouTube channel at 12 pm BST.^[95][96] The numbers in parentheses beside some of the players are their seeding ranks, whilst players in bold denote match winners. Below are the full results from the event.^[97][98][99]

First round Best of 19 frames

Second round Best of 25 frames

Quarter-finals Best of 25 frames

Semi-finals Best of 33 frames

Final Best of 35 frames

19 April

Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG) (1)

10

24, 25 & 26 April

Robin Hull (FIN)

4

Ronnie O'Sullivan (1)

13

20 & 21 April

Joe Perry (16)

11

Joe Perry (ENG) (16)

10

29 & 30 April

Jamie Burnett (SCO)

7

Ronnie O'Sullivan (1)

13

19 & 20 April

Shaun Murphy (9)

3

Shaun Murphy (ENG) (9)

10

27 & 28 April

Jamie Cope (ENG)

9

Shaun Murphy (9)

13

22 & 23 April

Marco Fu (8)

8

Marco Fu (HKG) (8)

10

1 & 2 May

Martin Gould (ENG)

7

Ronnie O'Sullivan (1)

17

22 & 23 April

Barry Hawkins (5)

7

Barry Hawkins (ENG) (5)

10

25 & 26 April

David Gilbert (ENG)

4

Barry Hawkins (5)

13

21 & 22 April

Ricky Walden (12)

11

Ricky Walden (ENG) (12)

10

29 & 30 April

Kyren Wilson (ENG)

7

Barry Hawkins (5)

13

23 & 24 April

Dominic Dale

12

Mark Davis (ENG) (13)

5

26, 27 & 28 April

Dominic Dale (WAL)

10

Dominic Dale

13

20 & 21 April

Michael Wasley

4

Ding Junhui (CHN) (4)

9

4 & 5 May

Michael Wasley (ENG)

10

Ronnie O'Sullivan (1)

14

21 April

Mark Selby (3)

18

Mark Selby (ENG) (3)

10

24 & 25 April

Michael White (WAL)

9

Mark Selby (3)

13

19 & 20 April

Ali Carter (14)

9

Ali Carter (ENG) (14)

10

29 & 30 April

Xiao Guodong (CHN)

8

Mark Selby (3)

13

21 & 22 April

Alan McManus

5

John Higgins (SCO) (11)

7

25 & 26 April

Alan McManus (SCO)

10

Alan McManus

13

19 & 20 April

Ken Doherty

8

Stuart Bingham (ENG) (6)

5

1, 2 & 3 May

Ken Doherty (IRL)

10

Mark Selby (3)

17

22 & 23 April

Neil Robertson (2)

15

Judd Trump (ENG) (7)

10

26, 27 & 28 April

Tom Ford (ENG)

8

Judd Trump (7)

13

19 & 20 April

Ryan Day

7

Stephen Maguire (SCO) (10)

9

29 & 30 April

Ryan Day (WAL)

10

Judd Trump (7)

11

22 & 23 April

Neil Robertson (2)

13

Mark Allen (NIR) (15)

10

27 & 28 April

Michael Holt (ENG)

4

Mark Allen (15)

7

23 & 24 April

Neil Robertson (2)

13

Neil Robertson (AUS) (2)

10

Robbie Williams (ENG)

2

Final: (Best of 35 frames) Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, 4 & 5 May. Referee: Brendan Moore[100][101]
Ronnie O'Sullivan (1) England				14–18			Mark Selby (3)  England
Session 1: 5–3
Frame	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
O'Sullivan	77	64	102	28	47	80	36	66	N/A	N/A
Selby	0	26	0	69	68	8	72	54	N/A	N/A
Session 2: 10–7
Frame	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
O'Sullivan	99	70	67	25	45	131	85	10	9	N/A
Selby	24	47	27	82	96	0	0	84	78	N/A
Session 3: 12–13
Frame	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
O'Sullivan	35	23	7	29	76	67	100	24	N/A	N/A
Selby	81	77	84	89	38	70	0	67	N/A	N/A
Session 4: 14–18
Frame	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
O'Sullivan	39	4	79	66	0	14	56	N/A	N/A	N/A
Selby	64	90	0	47	131	87	62	N/A	N/A	N/A
131				Highest break			127
3				Century breaks			1
14				50+ breaks			13
† = Winner of frame

The qualifying rounds 1–3 for the tournament took place between 8 and 13 April 2014 at the Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in Sheffield, England. The final round of qualifying took place on 15 and 16 April 2014 at the same venue.^[1][2][3] This was the first snooker event held at the venue.^[102]

	Round 1 Best of 19 frames					Round 2 Best of 19 frames					Round 3 Best of 19 frames					Round 4 Best of 19 frames
	Zhang Anda		10			Dechawat Poomjaeng		10
	Andrew Pagett		2			Zhang Anda		8			Dechawat Poomjaeng		10			Ken Doherty		10
	Craig Steadman		10			Steve Davis		8			Craig Steadman		6			Dechawat Poomjaeng		5
	Jak Jones		7			Craig Steadman		10
	Liam Highfield		10			Jimmy Robertson		10
	Khaled Belaid Abumdas		2			Liam Highfield		7			Jimmy Robertson		10			David Gilbert		10
	Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon		10			Anthony McGill		10			Anthony McGill		9			Jimmy Robertson		6
	Sanderson Lam		8			Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon		7
	Barry Pinches		10			Alfie Burden		10
	Hammad Miah		3			Barry Pinches		4			Alfie Burden		3			Graeme Dott		7
	Kyren Wilson		10			Rod Lawler		3			Kyren Wilson		10			Kyren Wilson		10
	Chris Norbury		6			Kyren Wilson		10
	Martin O'Donnell		10			Andrew Higginson		10
	Shane Castle		1			Martin O'Donnell		5			Andrew Higginson		10			Dominic Dale		10
	Daniel Wells		10			Kurt Maflin		10			Kurt Maflin		3			Andrew Higginson		6
	Ryan Clark		9			Daniel Wells		7
	Jamie O'Neill		9			Peter Lines		10
	Cao Xinlong		10			Cao Xinlong		9			Peter Lines		8			Mark Williams		8
	Paul Davison		10			Alan McManus		10			Alan McManus		10			Alan McManus		10
	Chris Wakelin		9			Paul Davison		2
	Michael Leslie		6			Aditya Mehta		10
	Christopher Keogan		10			Christopher Keogan		4			Aditya Mehta		5			Michael Holt		10
	Joel Walker		10			Jamie Jones		10			Jamie Jones		10			Jamie Jones		6
	Allan Taylor		8			Joel Walker		9
	James Wattana		9			Marcus Campbell		4
	Alex Borg		10			Alex Borg		10			Alex Borg		7			Mark King		7
	Sam Baird		9			Jamie Cope		10			Jamie Cope		10			Jamie Cope		10
	John Astley		10			John Astley		2
	Gary Wilson		4			Tom Ford		10
	James Cahill		10			James Cahill		6			Tom Ford		10			Matthew Stevens		8
	Luca Brecel		10			Yu Delu		7			Luca Brecel		1			Tom Ford		10
	Lee Page		8			Luca Brecel		10
	Chen Zhe		10			Mark Joyce		10
	Antony Parsons		8			Chen Zhe		8			Mark Joyce		6			Robert Milkins		9
	Michael Wasley		10			Rory McLeod		6			Michael Wasley		10			Michael Wasley		10
	Sydney Wilson		9			Michael Wasley		10
	Robbie Williams		10			Liu Chuang		5
	Lyu Haotian		8			Robbie Williams		10			Robbie Williams		10			Fergal O'Brien		9
	Li Hang		10			Pankaj Advani		10			Pankaj Advani		7			Robbie Williams		10
	Ratchayothin Yotharuck		5			Li Hang		9
	Tony Drago		3			Tian Pengfei		6
	Robin Hull		10			Robin Hull		10			Robin Hull		10			Peter Ebdon		8
	Ian Burns		10			Jimmy White		4			Ian Burns		4			Robin Hull		10
	Fraser Patrick		6			Ian Burns		10
	Sean O'Sullivan		9			Martin Gould		10
	Mitchell Travis		10			Mitchell Travis		1			Martin Gould		10			Liang Wenbo		7
	Adam Duffy		4			Gerard Greene		8			Igor Figueiredo		1			Martin Gould		10
	Igor Figueiredo		10			Igor Figueiredo		10
	Noppon Saengkham		9			Jamie Burnett		10
	Vinnie Calabrese		10			Vinnie Calabrese		4			Jamie Burnett		10			Ben Woollaston		8
	Scott Donaldson		10			Cao Yupeng		10			Cao Yupeng		8			Jamie Burnett		10
	Ahmed Saif		6			Scott Donaldson		5
	Stuart Carrington		10			Jack Lisowski		7
	Andrew Norman		5			Stuart Carrington		10			Stuart Carrington		10			Ryan Day		10
	David Grace		6			Nigel Bond		10			Nigel Bond		5			Stuart Carrington		5
	Ross Muir		10			Ross Muir		5
	Mike Dunn		2			Matthew Selt		10
	Rhys Clark		10			Rhys Clark		6			Matthew Selt		10			Michael White		10
	David Morris		7			Thepchaiya Un-Nooh		10			Thepchaiya Un-Nooh		2			Matthew Selt		7
	Alexander Ursenbacher		10			Alexander Ursenbacher		5
	Alex Davies		7			Anthony Hamilton		7
	Joe Swail		10			Joe Swail		10			Joe Swail		8			Xiao Guodong		10
	Li Yan		10			Dave Harold		3			Li Yan		10			Li Yan		1
	Elliot Slessor		5			Li Yan		10

Televised stage centuries

There were 58 century breaks in the televised stage of the World Championship.^[42] For every century break made during the main tournament, Dafabet, donated £100 to the Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice.^[103] Neil Robertson made the highest break of the event, a 140.^[42]

Qualifying stage centuries

There were 69 century breaks in the qualifying stage of the World Championship.^[104] The highest was 139 by both Martin O'Donnell and Andrew Higginson.^[104]