Tournament information | |
---|---|
Dates | 27 March – 5 April 1997 |
Venue | Plymouth Pavilions |
City | Plymouth |
Country | England |
Organisation | WPBSA |
Format | Ranking event |
Winner's share | £60,000 |
Final | |
Champion | Mark Williams (WAL) |
Runner-up | Stephen Hendry (SCO) |
Score | 9–2 |
← 1996 1998 → |
The 1997 British Open was a professional ranking snooker tournament, that was held from March to April 1997 at the Plymouth Pavilions, Plymouth, England. [1]
Mark Williams won the tournament by defeating Stephen Hendry nine frames to two in the final. The defending champion, Nigel Bond, was defeated in the last 16 by Tony Drago. [2]
Steve Davis is an English retired professional snooker player who is currently a commentator, DJ, electronic musician, and author. He is best known for dominating professional snooker during the 1980s, when he reached eight World Snooker Championship finals in nine years, won six world titles, and held the world number one ranking for seven consecutive seasons. He was runner-up to Dennis Taylor in one of snooker's most famous matches, the 1985 World Championship final, whose dramatic black-ball conclusion attracted 18.5 million viewers, still the largest British television audience for any broadcast after midnight and any broadcast on BBC Two.
Mark James Williams is a Welsh professional snooker player who is a three-time World Champion, winning in 2000, 2003 and 2018. Often noted for his long potting ability, Williams has earned the nickname "The Welsh Potting Machine".
Stephen Gordon Hendry is a Scottish professional snooker player who is best known for dominating the sport during the 1990s, when he became one of the most successful players in its history. After turning professional in 1985 at age 16, Hendry rose rapidly through the snooker world rankings, reaching number four in the world by the end of his third professional season. He won his first World Snooker Championship in 1990 aged 21 years and 106 days, surpassing Alex Higgins as the sport's youngest world champion, a record he still holds. From 1990 to 1999, he won seven world titles, setting a modern-era record that stood outright until Ronnie O'Sullivan equalled it in 2022. Hendry also won the Masters six times and the UK Championship five times for a career total of 18 Triple Crown tournament wins, a total exceeded only by O'Sullivan's 21. His total of 36 ranking titles is second only to O'Sullivan's 39, while his nine seasons as world number one were the most by any player under the annual ranking system used until 2010.
Ronald Antonio O'Sullivan is an English professional snooker player who is the world number one. Widely recognised as one of the most talented and accomplished players in the sport's history, he has won the World Snooker Championship seven times, a modern-era record he holds jointly with Stephen Hendry. He has also won a record seven Masters and a record seven UK Championship titles for a total of 21 Triple Crown titles, the most achieved by any player. He holds the record for the most ranking titles, with 39, and has held the top ranking position multiple times.
John Higgins, is a Scottish professional snooker player. He has won 31 career ranking titles, placing him in third position on the all-time list of ranking event winners, behind Ronnie O'Sullivan (39) and Stephen Hendry (36). Since turning professional in 1992, he has won four World Championships, three UK Championships and two Masters titles, for a total of nine Triple Crown titles. This achievement puts him on a par with Mark Selby and behind only O'Sullivan (21), Hendry (18) and Steve Davis (15). A prolific break-builder, Higgins has compiled over 900 century breaks in professional competition, including 12 maximum breaks in professional tournaments, second only to O'Sullivan's 15. He has achieved the world number 1 ranking position on four occasions.
Paul Alan Hunter was an English professional snooker player. He was a three-time Masters champion, winning the event at the 2001, 2002, and 2004 tournaments, recovering from a deficit in the final to win 10–9 on all three occasions. He also won three ranking events: the Welsh Open twice, in 1998 and 2002, and the 2002 British Open.
Raymond Reardon is a Welsh retired professional snooker player. He turned professional in 1967 aged 35 and dominated the sport in the 1970s, winning the World Snooker Championship six times and more than a dozen other tournaments. Reardon was World Champion in 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1978, and runner-up in 1982. He won the inaugural Pot Black tournament in 1969, the 1976 Masters and the 1982 Professional Players Tournament.
Doug Mountjoy was a Welsh snooker player from Tir-y-Berth, Gelligaer, Wales. He was a member of the professional snooker circuit from the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, and remained within the top 16 of the world rankings for 11 consecutive years. He began his professional snooker career by taking the 1977 Masters, which he entered as a reserve player. He won both the 1978 UK Championship and the 1979 Irish Masters. Mountjoy reached the final of the 1981 World Snooker Championship where he was defeated by Steve Davis. He was also runner-up at the 1985 Masters losing to Cliff Thorburn, but by 1988 he had dropped out of the top 16.
Anthony Knowles is an English former professional snooker player. He won the 1982 International Open and the 1983 Professional Players Tournament, and was a three times semi-finalist in the World Professional Snooker Championship in the 1980s. His highest world ranking was second, in the 1984/85 season.
Peter Lines is an English former professional snooker player. He has reached the semi-finals of one ranking tournament, the 2018 Paul Hunter Classic. He reached his highest ranking, 42nd in the world, in 1999. He is the father of professional snooker player Oliver Lines. In January 2022, he won the 2022 UK Seniors Championship, part of the World Seniors Tour.
The 2000 British Open was a professional ranking snooker tournament, that was held from 1–8 October 2000 at the Plymouth Pavilions, Plymouth, England.
The 1996 British Open was a professional ranking snooker tournament which was held from 1–8 April 1996 at the Plymouth Pavilions, Plymouth, England.
The 1999 British Open was a professional ranking snooker tournament, that was held from 8–19 September 1999 at the Plymouth Pavilions, Plymouth, England.
The 1999 British Open was a professional ranking snooker tournament, that was held from 4–11 April 1999 at the Plymouth Pavilions, Plymouth, England.
The 1998 British Open was a professional ranking snooker tournament, that was held from 2–12 April 1998 at the Plymouth Pavilions, Plymouth, England.
The 1995 British Open was a professional ranking snooker tournament, that was held from 1–9 April 1995 at the Plymouth Pavilions, Plymouth, England.
The 1997 International Open was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 13 and 22 February 1997 at the AECC in Aberdeen, Scotland.
The 1994 British Open was a professional ranking snooker tournament, that was held from 30 March to 7 April 1994 at the Plymouth Pavilions, Plymouth, England.
The 1993 International Open was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 2–11 April 1993 at the Plymouth Pavilions in Plymouth, England with TV coverage on Sky Sports beginning on 5 April. It was the first International Open held since 1989 and is now moved to April for this season only as the last ranking tournament before the World Championship.
The 1992 British Open was a professional ranking snooker tournament, that was held from 17 to 29 February 1992 at the Assembly Rooms in Derby, England.