Alex Borg

Last updated
Alex Borg
Alex Borg PHC 2016-1.jpg
Paul Hunter Classic 2016
Born (1969-06-05) 5 June 1969 (age 54)
Mellieha, Malta
Sport countryFlag of Malta.svg  Malta
Professional1991–1997, 1998/1999, 2001/2002, 2005–2007, 2013–2015, 2016–2018, 2019–2021
Highest ranking 80 (2005/2006)
Best ranking finishLast 32 (x1)

Alex Borg (born 5 June 1969 in Mellieha) is a Maltese former professional snooker player. Borg currently resides in Mellieha, Malta. [1]

Contents

Career

Borg first turned professional in 1991, and regularly appeared as a wild card in the Malta Grand Prix, where throughout the event's history he defeated players including Nigel Bond and John Higgins. His best performances were reaching the semi-final in 1997 and 1998. He also competed as a wild card in the Malta Cup. However, in ranking events he has not had such success, his best finish being to the last 64, he has achieved this on three occasions, all in the Grand Prix. He has won the EBSA European Snooker Championships twice, the first in 2005 where he beat Kristján Helgason 7–2 in the final, and the following year when he beat Jeff Cundy 7–5.

In the second event of the 2016 Q School, Alex Borg won against Alexander Ursenbacher to gain a two-year tour card. He endured a difficult opening to the 2016/17 season, losing his first eight matches on tour. His best win of the season was a 5–1 victory over Jack Lisowski at the 2017 China Open.

Borg came through the third event of the 2019 Q School by winning six matches to earn a two-year card on the World Snooker Tour for the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons. [2] In 2019, the Maltese Billiard and Snooker Association (MBSA) announced that he will be the captain of the Maltese Team during the 2019 World Cup held in China alongside his teammate Brian Cini. He also represented Malta with Tony Drago and Duncan Bezzina during the past years.

In 2021, Alex Borg ended his career as a professional snooker player after being dropped from the tour. Despite this, he still plays snooker in his home country and till date, he is currently recognised as one of the most active players affiliated with the Malta Billiards & Snooker Association.

Performance and ranking timeline

Tournament 1991/
92
1992/
93
1993/
94
1994/
95
1995/
96
1996/
97
1997/
98
1998/
99
1999/
00
2000/
01
2001/
02
2003/
04
2004/
05
2005/
06
2006/
07
2007/
08
2013/
14
2014/
15
2015/
16
2016/
17
2017/
18
2019/
20
2020/
21
Ranking [3] [nb 1] [nb 2] 241 193 180 174 164 [nb 3] [nb 2] [nb 3] [nb 3] [nb 2] [nb 3] [nb 3] [nb 2] 84 [nb 3] [nb 2] 80 [nb 3] [nb 2] 83 [nb 2] 97
Ranking tournaments
European Masters [nb 4] LQLQLQLQLQLQNHLQNot HeldLQA WR LQLQNRNot HeldLQLQLQ 1R
English Open Tournament Not Held 1R 1R 1R 1R
Championship League Tournament Not HeldNon-Ranking Event RR
Northern Ireland Open Tournament Not Held 2R 2R 1R 1R
UK Championship LQLQLQLQLQLQALQAALQAALQLQA 1R 1R A 1R 1R 1R 1R
Scottish Open [nb 5] NHLQLQLQLQLQALQAALQATournament Not HeldNot Held 2R 1R 1R WD
World Grand Prix Tournament Not HeldNRDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQ
German Masters [nb 6] Tournament Not HeldLQLQANRTournament Not HeldLQAALQLQLQLQ
Shoot-Out Tournament Not HeldNon-Ranking 1R 3R 1R WD
Welsh Open LQLQLQLQLQLQALQAALQAALQLQALQ 2R A 2R 1R 1R WD
Players Championship [nb 7] Tournament Not HeldDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQ
Gibraltar Open Tournament Not HeldMRA 1R 1R A
WST Pro Series Tournament Not HeldWD
Tour Championship Tournament Not HeldDNQDNQ
World Championship LQLQLQLQLQLQALQAALQLQALQLQALQLQALQLQLQLQ
Non-ranking tournaments
World Seniors Championship ATournament Not HeldAWDAANHAA
The Masters ALQAAAAAAAAAAAALQAAAAAAAA
Former ranking tournaments
Classic LQTournament Not Held
Strachan Open [nb 8] LQMRNRTournament Not Held
Dubai Classic [nb 9] LQLQLQLQLQLQTournament Not Held
Malta Grand Prix Not HeldNon-Ranking Event WR NRTournament Not Held
Thailand Masters [nb 10] LQALQLQLQLQALQAALQNot HeldNRTournament Not Held
British Open LQLQLQLQLQLQALQAALQAATournament Not Held
Northern Ireland Trophy Tournament Not HeldNRLQATournament Not Held
Wuxi Classic [nb 11] Tournament Not HeldALQNot Held
Australian Goldfields Open [nb 12] Not HeldNRTournament Not HeldALQANot Held
Shanghai Masters Tournament Not HeldALQLQALQLQNRNH
Paul Hunter Classic [nb 13] Tournament Not HeldPro-am EventMinor-Ranking 1R 2R NRNH
Indian Open Tournament Not HeldLQANHLQLQNot Held
China Open [nb 14] Tournament Not HeldNRLQAALQNHALQLQALQAA WR LQNot Held
Riga Masters [nb 15] Tournament Not HeldMinor-Rank.LQ 1R LQNH
International Championship Tournament Not HeldLQLQALQLQLQNH
China Championship Tournament Not HeldNRLQLQNH
World Open [nb 16] LQLQLQLQ 1R LQA 1R AALQAALQLQALQNot HeldLQLQLQNH
Former non-ranking tournaments
Malta Masters Tournament Not Held 1R Tournament Not Held
Malta Grand Prix Not Held 1R QF 1R SF SF R RR Tournament Not Held
European Masters [nb 17] Ranking EventTournament Not HeldRanking Event RR Not HeldRanking Event
Six-red World Championship [nb 18] Tournament Not Held RR RR AAAANH
Performance Table Legend
LQlost in the qualifying draw#Rlost in the early rounds of the tournament
(WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin)
QFlost in the quarter-finals
SFlost in the semi-finalsFlost in the finalWwon the tournament
DNQdid not qualify for the tournamentAdid not participate in the tournamentWDwithdrew from the tournament
DQdisqualified from the tournament
NH / Not Heldevent was not held.
NR / Non-Ranking Eventevent is/was no longer a ranking event.
R / Ranking Eventevent is/was a ranking event.
MR / Minor-Ranking Eventmeans an event is/was a minor-ranking event.
PA / Pro-am Eventmeans an event is/was a pro-am event.
  1. From the 2010/2011 season it shows the ranking at the beginning of the season.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 New players on the Main Tour don't have a ranking.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 He was not on the Main Tour.
  4. The event was called the European Open (1991/1992-1996/1997 & 2001/2002-2003/2004), Irish Open (1998/1999) and the Malta Cup (2004/2005–2007/2008)
  5. The event was called the International Open (1992/1993–1996/1997) and the Players Championship (2003/2004)
  6. The event was called the German Open (1995/1996–1997/1998)
  7. The event was called the Players Tour Championship Grand Finals (2010/2011–2012/2013) and the Players Championship Grand Final (2013/2014–2015/2016)
  8. The event was called the Strachan Challenge (1992/1993–1993/1994)
  9. The event was called the Thailand Classic (1995/1996) and the Asian Classic (1996/1997)
  10. The event was called the Asian Open (1991/1992–1992/1993) and the Thailand Open (1993/1994–1996/1997)
  11. The event was called the Jiangsu Classic (2008/2009–2009/2010)
  12. The event was called the Australian Open (1994/1995) and the Australian Masters (1995/1996)
  13. The event was called the Grand Prix Fürth (2004/2005) and the Fürth German Open (2005/2006–2006/2007)
  14. The event was called the China International (1997/1998–1998/1999)
  15. The event was called the Riga Open (2014/2015–2015/2016)
  16. The event was called the Grand Prix (1991/1992–2000/2001 and 2004/2005–2009/2010), the LG Cup (2001/2002–2003/2004) and the Haikou World Open (2011/2012–2013/2014)
  17. The event was called the Malta Cup (2007/2008)
  18. The event was called the Six-red World Grand Prix (2009/2010)

Career finals

Amateur finals: 30 (22 recorded titles)

OutcomeNo.YearChampionshipOpponent in the finalScore
Runner-up1.1987Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Joe Grech 3–8
Runner-up2.1989Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Paul Mifsud 0–8
Runner-up3.1990Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Paul Mifsud 2–8
Runner-up4.1996Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Paul Mifsud 4–8
Runner-up5.1997Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Joe Grech 7–8
Winner6.1998Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Joe Grech 8–7
Runner-up7.1998 EBSA European Snooker Championships Flag of Iceland.svg Kristján Helgason 2–7
Runner-up8.1999Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Joe Grech 6–8
Winner9.2001Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Simon Zammit8–5
Runner-up10.2002Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Simon Zammit6–8
Winner11.2003Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Duncan Bezzina8–2
Winner12.2004Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Joe Grech 8–4
Runner-up13. 2004 EBSA European Snooker Championships (2) Ulster Banner.svg Mark Allen 6–7
Winner14.2005Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Simon Zammit7–4
Winner15.2005 EBSA European Snooker Championships Flag of Iceland.svg Kristján Helgason 7–2
Winner16.2006Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Simon Zammit7–2
Winner17.2006 EBSA European Snooker Championships (2) Flag of England.svg Jeff Cundy 7–5
Winner18.2007Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Simon Zammit7–4
Winner19.2008Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Simon Zammit7–3
Winner20.2009Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Duncan Bezzina7–2
Runner-up21.2010Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Duncan Bezzina2–7
Runner-up22.2010EBSA International Open Flag of Norway.svg Kurt Maflin 2–5
Winner23.2011Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Simon Zammit7–6
Winner24.2012Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Duncan Bezzina7–4
Runner-up25.2013Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Duncan Bezzina1–6
Winner26.2014Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Duncan Bezzina6–4
Winner27.2015Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Duncan Bezzina6–5
Runner-up28.2016Malta Amateur Championship Flag of Malta.svg Brian Cini4–6
Winner29.2019Attrans Malta Snooker Open Flag of Malta.svg Duncan Bezzina6-4
Winner30.2019Second MBSA Amateur Ranking Tournament Flag of Malta.svg Duncan Bezzina5-4
Winner31.2021Maltese Masters Final Flag of Malta.svg Pierre Pace5-1
Winner32.2022Ranking Shootout Flag of Malta.svg Manuel Mallia1-0
Runner-up33.2023Malta Master Flag of Malta.svg Duncan Bezzina1-5
Runner-up34.2023Malta Ranking 4 Flag of Malta.svg Chris Peplow1-5
Winner35.2023Ranking Event 1 Flag of Malta.svg Aaron Busuttil5-3
Winner36.2023Six Reds Snooker for Parkinson's Flag of Malta.svg Manuel Mallia5-4
Winner37.2024Masters Snooker Champion Flag of Malta.svg Philip CiantarUndiscovered

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Doherty</span> Irish professional snooker player, 1997 world champion

Ken Doherty is an Irish professional snooker player who was World Snooker Champion in 1997. In addition to his ongoing playing career, he works as a regular commentator and pundit on televised snooker broadcasts. A director since 2012 of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, he has also served as inaugural chairman of the WPBSA Players organisation since 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Drago</span> Maltese snooker and pool player

Tony Drago is a Maltese former professional snooker and pool player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Swail</span> Northern Irish snooker player

Joe Swail is a Northern Irish former professional snooker player from Belfast. He retired in May 2019 after being relegated from the tour. He has reached ten major ranking semi-finals, including the 2000 and 2001 World Championships but only one final. Swail is renowned for playing well at the Crucible Theatre, having reached the last 16 on four further occasions. He is also a former English amateur champion and Northern Ireland amateur runner-up, and has captained Northern Ireland internationally. He was Irish champion in 1992 and 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fergal O'Brien</span> Irish snooker player

Fergal O'Brien is an Irish retired professional snooker player who competed on the World Snooker Tour from 1991 to 2024. He won one ranking title during his career, defeating Anthony Hamilton 9–7 in the final of the 1999 British Open. He was runner-up at the 2001 Masters, where he lost the final 9–10 to Paul Hunter. His best performance at the World Snooker Championship was reaching the quarter-finals of the 2000 event, where he lost 5–13 to eventual champion Mark Williams. He reached his highest world ranking of ninth in the 2000–01 season, but spent only three seasons of his 33-year career ranked inside the top 16. He retired from professional competition at the end of the 2023–24 season, intending to remain active in the sport as a coach and a commentator for Eurosport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Wattana</span> Thai former professional snooker player

James Wattana is a Thai former professional snooker player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barry Pinches</span> English snooker player

Barry Pinches is an English former professional snooker player, recognisable for his bright and flamboyant waistcoats, which usually feature the yellow and green colours of Norwich City F.C. He is a former top 32 player and ranking-event quarter-finalist. He has compiled over 100 century breaks in his career. He has also made one maximum break.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robin Hull</span> Finnish snooker player

Robin Hull is a Finnish former professional snooker player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominic Dale</span> Welsh snooker player

Dominic Dale is a Welsh professional snooker player, as well as snooker commentator and presenter for the BBC and Eurosport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Hicks</span> English snooker player

Andrew Hicks is an English professional snooker player. Nicknamed "The Cream of Devon", Hicks was a semi-finalist at both the World Snooker Championship and UK Championship in 1995, and the same stage at four other ranking tournaments. A Masters semi-finalist in 1996, he was ranked within the world's top 32 players between 1995 and 2000, and again from 2005 to 2007, but was relegated from the main tour in 2013. He regained a two-year tour card in 2019.

Michael Judge is a former professional snooker player from the Republic of Ireland. His best performance in a ranking event came in the 2004 Grand Prix, where he reached the semi-finals, and he reached his highest ranking, 24th, for the 2002–03 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcus Campbell</span> Scottish snooker player

Marcus Campbell is a Scottish former professional snooker player. He was ranked within the world's top 64 for 15 consecutive seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rod Lawler</span> English snooker player

Rod Lawler is a former English professional snooker player. He is noted for his slow playing style which gave rise to his nickname, "Rod the Plod".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Dunn (snooker player)</span> English snooker player

Mike Dunn is an English retired professional snooker player who lives in Redcar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Walker</span> Welsh snooker player and coach

Lee Walker is a Welsh former professional snooker player and former World Seniors Champion. He is an official WPBSA coach and is the long term coach to Mark Williams MBE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfie Burden</span> English professional snooker player

Alfred Burden is an English professional snooker player from London.

Jamie O'Neill is an English former professional snooker player who lives in Wellingborough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ian Preece</span> Welsh snooker player

Ian Preece is a Welsh former professional snooker player, from the city of Newport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Mifsud</span>

Steve Mifsud is a Maltese Australian professional snooker player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Lines</span> English snooker player

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Cundy</span> English snooker player

Jeff Cundy is an English amateur snooker player, who spent a number of seasons as a professional between 1991 and 2007.

References

  1. "Alex Borg".
  2. "Q School Event Three Winners". World Snooker. 4 June 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  3. "Ranking History". Snooker.org. Retrieved 6 February 2011.