Highest ranked snooker players
Mark Allen is the current world number one.
The sport of
snooker has utilised a
world rankings system since 1975, used to
seed players on the
World Snooker Tour for tournaments. Originally rankings were published once a year, at the culmination of the season, however, since 2010, the rankings have been changed to be updated after every
ranking tournament .
[1] The number one ranking has been held by twelve players;
Ray Reardon was the first to hold the position, and was followed by
Cliff Thorburn ,
Steve Davis ,
Stephen Hendry ,
John Higgins ,
Mark Williams ,
Ronnie O'Sullivan ,
Neil Robertson ,
Mark Selby ,
Judd Trump ,
Ding Junhui and
Mark Allen .
Hendry held the number one position for the longest time under the annual format, holding it for nine years in total. Since it changed to a rolling format in 2010, Selby has held the rank longer than anyone else.
History
Stephen Hendry ended the season ranked at number one on nine occasions; more season finishes in the top spot than any other player.
The sport of professional
snooker first adopted a ranking system for the
1975–76 season , which saw
Ray Reardon ranked in the top position. An Order of Merit was published in the 1975/76 season to determine the
seedings for events, and the first set of official rankings the following year used the same criteria.
[2]
[3] Certain events carried ranking points, and at the end of the season, they were tallied. The
World Snooker Championship originally was the only event to offer ranking points, until the
1982 International Open .
[4] Over the next 22 seasons, five men held the first position; Reardon (
1976/77 to
1980/81 ),
Cliff Thorburn (
1981/82 ), Reardon again for
1982/83
[note 1] ,
Steve Davis (
1983/84 to
1989/90 ) and
Stephen Hendry (
1990/91 to
1997/98 ). From
1998/99 to
2009/10 , the title was shared by
Ronnie O'Sullivan (five seasons),
John Higgins (three seasons) and
Mark Williams (three seasons), while Hendry regained the position for the
2006/07 season. In the first 34 years of the world rankings, only seven players held the number one position.
[2]
For the
2010–11 snooker season , the world rankings were changed to be updated after each tournament carrying ranking points.
[7] This was altered from the
2014–15 snooker season , where ranking points were based entirely on the prize money won from qualifying events.
[8] Since the introduction of the new system, Higgins,
Neil Robertson , Williams,
Mark Selby ,
Judd Trump ,
Ding Junhui , and O'Sullivan have all attained the number one rank.
[3] Selby has also seven seasons ranked in first place, putting him in joint third place overall with Reardon and Davis, O'Sullivan is in second with (eight times) and behind Hendry (nine times).
[3]
[9]
List of players
Hendry holds the record for most seasons at number one under the traditional system, with nine seasons (
1990/1991 –
1997/1998 and again in
2006–07 ). His first spell of eight consecutive seasons in this position is also a record.
[10] Under the rolling ranking format, Mark Selby holds both the total and consecutive records.
[3]
Periods
The snooker players ranked number one in the world are listed below for each period since the introduction of the ranking system.
[11]
[12]
Total time spent at number one
Annual format (1975–2010)
Rolling format (2010–present)
† as of 3 July 2024
Players ranked number one at the start of the season
See also
Notes
^
a
b
Alex Higgins would have been ranked number one in the
1982–83 season , but had ranking points deducted as a result of disciplinary action after assaulting a press officer.
[5]
[6]
References
^
"Rankings FAQ" . World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association .
Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021 .
^
a
b Turner, Chris.
"Historical World Rankings" . Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from
the original on 8 June 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2011 .
^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
"Ranking Records" . World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association .
Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021 .
^ Hayton, Eric. Cuesport Book of Professional Snooker . p. 149.
^ Osley, Richard; Gray, Sadie (25 July 2010).
"Snooker legend Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins is dead" . The Independent .
Archived from the original on 28 July 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2010 .
^
"Alex Higgins: The genius" . The Belfast Telegraph . Independent News & Media. 26 July 2010.
Archived from the original on 20 July 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2010 .
^
"Williams Supports Rankings Overhall" . worldsnooker.com .
World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association . Archived from
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^
Hayton, Eric (2004). The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker . Suffolk: Rose Villa Publications. p. 107.
ISBN
978-0-9548549-0-4 .
^
"2005–6 Main Tour Two Year Rankings" . Global Snooker. Archived from
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^ Årdalen, Hermund.
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Archived from the original on 14 August 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2011 .
^ Turner, Chris.
"World Number Ones" . Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from
the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2010 .
^ Downer, Chris (2012). Crucible Almanac . p. 143.
^
"Reardon Retains Title" . The Canberra Times . 3 May 1975.
Archived from the original on 14 April 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2013 .
^
"2010 World Open results" . Global Snooker. Archived from
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^
"Neil Robertson beats Ronnie O'Sullivan in World Open" . BBC Sport . 26 September 2010.
Archived from the original on 8 April 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2011 .
^
"12Bet.com UK Championship 2010" . Global Snooker. Archived from
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^ Hirschowitz, Ivan (14 December 2010).
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^
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^
"Chinese Cracker Into Semis" . worldsnooker.com . World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 27 April 2011. Archived from
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^
"Shanghai Masters (2011)" . Snooker.org.
Archived from the original on 20 August 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2011 .
^
"Mark Selby beats Mark Williams to win Shanghai Masters" . BBC Sport . 11 September 2011.
Archived from the original on 28 April 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2011 .
^
"International Championship (2012)" . Snooker.org.
Archived from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2012 .
^
"Trump Hammers Ebdon To Become No 1" . worldsnooker.com . World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 2 November 2012. Archived from
the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2012 .
^
"williamhill.com UK Championship (2012)" . Snooker.org.
Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2011 .
^ Hafez, Shamoon (8 December 2012).
"UK Snooker Championship 2012: Mark Selby beats Mark Davis" . BBC Sport .
Archived from the original on 10 December 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2012 .
^
"BetVictor Welsh Open (2013)" . Snooker.org.
Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2013 .
^
"Updated Rankings – Trump Back On Top" . worldsnooker.com . World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 19 February 2013.
Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2013 .
^
"Bank of Beijing China Open (2013)" . Snooker.org.
Archived from the original on 25 October 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2013 .
^
"Official world rankings issued after the China Open 2013" (PDF) . worldsnooker.com . World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Archived from
the original (PDF) on 18 April 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2013 .
^
"European Tour Event One (2013)" . Snooker.org.
Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2013 .
^
"Issued after the Bulgarian Open 2013 (ET1)" (PDF) . worldsnooker.com . World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 12 June 2013. Archived from
the original (PDF) on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013 .
^
"Dafabet World Championship (2014)" . Snooker.org.
Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2014 .
^ Skilbeck, John (5 May 2014).
"Mark Selby dedicates first world title to late father" . London Evening Standard .
Archived from the original on 7 August 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2014 .
^
"Australian Goldfields Open (2014)" . Snooker.org.
Archived from the original on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014 .
^
"World Rankings after the 2014 Australian Goldfields Open" (PDF) . worldsnooker.com . World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 7 July 2014. Archived from
the original (PDF) on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2014 .
^
"European Tour Event One (2014)" . Snooker.org.
Archived from the original on 25 November 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2014 .
^
"World Rankings after the Riga Open 2014 (ET1)" (PDF) . worldsnooker.com . World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 11 August 2014.
Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014 .
^
"Coral UK Championship (2014)" . Snooker.org.
Archived from the original on 7 December 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014 .
^
"World Rankings after the Coral UK Championship 2014" (PDF) . worldsnooker.com . World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 8 December 2014. Archived from
the original (PDF) on 14 December 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014 .
^
"Kreativ Dental European Tour Event Five (2014)" . Snooker.org.
Archived from the original on 25 November 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2014 .
^
"China's Ding To Top Rankings" . worldsnooker.com . World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 3 December 2014.
Archived from the original on 9 December 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2014 .
^
"World Rankings after the Kreativ Dental Lisbon Open 2014 (ET5)" (PDF) . worldsnooker.com . World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 15 December 2014. Archived from
the original (PDF) on 30 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014 .
^
"Asian Tour Event Three (2015)" . Snooker.org.
Archived from the original on 28 March 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2015 .
^
"World Rankings after the Xuzhou Open 2015 (AT3)" (PDF) . worldsnooker.com . World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 27 January 2015. Archived from
the original (PDF) on 30 January 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2015 .
^
"Kreativ Dental German Masters (2015)" . Snooker.org.
Archived from the original on 19 March 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2015 .
^
"World Rankings after the German Masters 2015" (PDF) . worldsnooker.com . World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 8 February 2015. Archived from
the original (PDF) on 10 February 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2015 .
^ Caulfield, David (19 October 2021).
"Judd Trump Returns to World Number One Spot" . SnookerHQ .
Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2022 .
^
"Rankings update thunder storms to third" . wst.tv . 8 November 2021. Archived from
the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021 .
^
"Rankings update: O'Sullivan hits top spot" . wst.tv . 4 April 2022. Archived from
the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022 .
External links
Current number one is marked in italic.
World rankings Ranking points