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Defending a Major

Postby N_Castle07

As I’m very board and unmotivated at work I’ve decided to take a look at the players who have successfully defended majors. Only 4 players have achieved this and they are Steve Davis, Cliff Thorburn, Stephen Hendry and Paul Hunter as shown below. Hendry is the only player to successfully defend a major in all three majors.

The World Championship

1977 John Spencer
1978 Ray Reardon
1979 Terry Griffiths
1980 Cliff Thorburn
1981 Steve Davis
1982 Alex Higgins
1983 Steve Davis
1984 Steve Davis
1985 Dennis Taylor
1986 Joe Johnson
1987 Steve Davis
1988 Steve Davis
1989 Steve Davis
1990 Stephen Hendry
1991 John Parrott
1992 Stephen Hendry
1993 Stephen Hendry
1994 Stephen Hendry
1995 Stephen Hendry
1996 Stephen Hendry
1997 Ken Doherty
1998 John Higgins
1999 Stephen Hendry
2000 Mark Williams
2001 Ronnie O’Sullivan
2002 Peter Ebdon
2003 Mark Williams
2004 Ronnie O’Sullivan
2005 Shaun Murphy
2006 Graeme Dott
2007 John Higgins
2008 Ronnie O’Sullivan
2009 John Higgins
2010 Neil Robertson


The Masters

1975 John Spencer
1976 Ray Reardon
1977 Doug Mountjoy
1978 Alex Higgins
1979 Perrie Mans
1980 Terry Griffiths
1981 Alex Higgins
1982 Steve Davis
1983 Cliff Thorburn
1984 Jimmy White
1985 Cliff Thorburn
1986 Cliff Thorburn
1987 Dennis Taylor
1988 Steve Davis
1989 Stephen Hendry
1990 Stephen Hendry
1991Stephen Hendry
1992Stephen Hendry
1993 Stephen Hendry
1994 Alan McManus
1995 Ronnie O’Sullivan
1996 Stephen Hendry
1997 Steve Davis
1998 Mark Williams
1999 John higgins
2000 Matthew Stevens
2001 Paul Hunter
2002 Paul Hunter
2003 Mark Williams
2004 Paul Hunter
2005 Ronnie O’Sullivan
2006 John Higgins
2007 Ronnie O’Sullivan
2008 Mark Selby
2009 Ronnie O’Sullivan
2010 Mark Selby

The UK Championship

1977 Patsy Fagan
1978 Doug Mountjoy
1979 John Virgo
1980 Steve Davis
1981 Steve Davis
1982 Terry Griffiths
1983 Alex Higgins
1984 Steve Davis
1985 Steve Davis
1986 Steve Davis
1987 Steve Davis
1988 Doug Mountjoy
1989 Stephen Hendry
1990 Stephen Hendry
1991 John Parrott
1992 Jimmy White
1993 Ronnie O’Sullivan
1994 Stephen Hendry
1995 Stephen Hendry
1996 Stephen Hendry
1997 Ronnie O’Sullivan
1998 John Higgins
1999 Mark Williams
2000 John Higgins
2001 Ronnie O’Sullivan
2002 Mark Williams
2003 Matthew Stevens
2004 Stephen Maguire
2005 Ding Junhui
2006 Peter Ebdon
2007 Ronnie O’Sullivan
2008 Shaun Murphy
2009 Ding Junhui

This is obviously a massive achievement and many players have came close to this feat. Who do you think will be the next player to achieve this?

Ronnie O’Sullivan – Ronnie has come close to this feat but has never achieved it. Many felt that his last chance to do this was the 2010 Masters when he was one frame away before Selby made a stunning comeback. Ronnie is approaching his last prime years and many feel his game is in decline. His chance for a successful major you would feel is doubtful now but you never know with Ronnie.

John Higgins – John is also the same age as Ronnie and currently doesn’t hold any of the majors so it is doubtful he will achieve this now. We also don’t know the outcome of the News of the World sting. Higgins last chance was at this years Worlds but he didn’t really turn up and was beat in the second round.

Ding Junhui – Ding statistically is the next player who could achieve this. He is currently the UK Champion and could successfully defend his title in December. Ding has already won the UK Championship twice and his game is looking stronger and stronger (apart from when he is in the Crucible)

Mark Selby – Mark has already won 2 Masters titles but not year after year. He currently is the Masters Champion so he could achieve this if he wins the Masters in January 2011. The Masters is well suited to Selby he has only lost one match there.

Neil Robertson – If Ding and Selby fail to successfully defend there titles then the current World Champion could become the first player to successfully defend a World title since Hendry in the 90’s. Robertson has more success than Ding and Selby in ranking events however he would have to overcome the dreaded Crucible Curse. Unlikely I feel.

If Ding, Selby and Robertson don’t reclaim there titles then it could be a further 2 years before a player successfully defends a major.

Re: Defending a Major

Postby Roland

I think Selby will defend the Masters.

Nice concept. I've not spent much time looking into defending titles and as I've never won one, I've never understood the thought that being a defending champion adds more pressure in anything other than the Worlds and only that because you have to finish your first match on day 1 before anyone else starts. I must be missing something.

Re: Defending a Major

Postby N_Castle07

Sonny wrote:I think Selby will defend the Masters.

Nice concept. I've not spent much time looking into defending titles and as I've never won one, I've never understood the thought that being a defending champion adds more pressure in anything other than the Worlds and only that because you have to finish your first match on day 1 before anyone else starts. I must be missing something.


I consider it a great feat in all sports and the fact that it hasn’t been achieved by many players adds to the prestige I feel. Higgins identified it before he started his campaign at the Worlds and now snooker hasn’t seen this achieved in a long time now. As the old saying goes in all sports it takes a great player to win the World Championship but it takes a true great to successfully defend there title.

Re: Defending a Major

Postby N_Castle07

Sonny wrote:I think Selby will defend the Masters.

Nice concept. I've not spent much time looking into defending titles and as I've never won one, I've never understood the thought that being a defending champion adds more pressure in anything other than the Worlds and only that because you have to finish your first match on day 1 before anyone else starts. I must be missing something.


i think Selby is a good call he clearly loves the Masters and seems to perform his best snooker at Wembley. I can’t see Robbo winning the Worlds and you never know what Ding is going to turn up. So I’d say Selby is a good prediction.

Re: Defending a Major

Postby Roland

I think it's fairly long odds against the other two

Re: Defending a Major

Postby KrazeeEyezKilla

I surprised O'Sullivan never did back to back Masters. I'm not sure why it took him ten years to win a second one.

Re: Defending a Major

Postby N_Castle07

KrazeeEyezKilla wrote:I surprised O'Sullivan never did back to back Masters. I'm not sure why it took him ten years to win a second one.


But he does hold one of the longest ranges of majors which is impressive, winning his first in 1993 and his last in 2009 that’s 16 years. Davis holds the record with 17 years winning his first in 1980 and his last in 1997.

Re: Defending a Major

Postby Wildey

2005 Ronnie O’Sullivan
2006 John Higgins
2007 Ronnie O’Sullivan
2008 Mark Selby
2009 Ronnie O’Sullivan
2010 Mark Selby
2011 ?????????????

whats the odds of a Ronnie Pattern in 2011 ;)

Re: Defending a Major

Postby paperbackwriter

Sonny wrote:I think Selby will defend the Masters.

Nice concept. I've not spent much time looking into defending titles and as I've never won one, I've never understood the thought that being a defending champion adds more pressure in anything other than the Worlds and only that because you have to finish your first match on day 1 before anyone else starts. I must be missing something.

I've never really considered extra pressure as the main factor here. In my opinion it's more about general standards of the game, there're "many" players who are potentially good enough to win a major and often details decide, hard to have them all on your side time after time.

Re: Defending a Major

Postby Wildey

this is not having a go at Ronnie but as defending champion he has definitly felt pressure.

in 1994 as defending UK Champion he threatened to quit after doherty beat him in the quarters.....

then as defending World Champion in 2005 again he self destructed against ebdon and unraveled in front of us.....

those are high profile but im sure theres other instances he found defending hard.

Re: Defending a Major

Postby Bourne

Still can't understand how Ronnie didn't win the final at Wembley in January :hmm:

Re: Defending a Major

Postby Wildey

StalinESQ wrote:
Bourne wrote:Still can't understand how Ronnie didn't win the final at Wembley in January :hmm:


he missed a tricky GREEN cut-back :wave:


Green cut back is 1 shot

the wheels fell off because of that green cut back or Selby showed his class and bottle under pressure ?

Re: Defending a Major

Postby Smart

Personally think people make too much of a big deal about defending a title, much the same as I think people are too obsessed with rankings.................

Taking the subject of defending titles - in other sports it is not such a big deal. To use a tennis analogy. Can Nadal defend RG - yes it is a big deal cos he owns that surface (if he did not defend it then he would be seen to be in decline) ....... can Nadal defend Wimbledon - less of a big deal cos its not his ideal surface and that opens it out to more competitors. Can Nadal win in US ....... well the odds are against, but who knows.

In snooker the variables are the length of matches and in some tournies perhaps a random draw. The table remains the same, the balls remain the same.

Defending a title not really a big deal to me. That is my thinking. <ok> :wave:

Re: Defending a Major

Postby Roland

Ray Reardon won 4 consecutive Worlds just prior to the Crucible years.

I guess it shows dominance if you win the same event 3 or 4 times on the spin, but I've never really considered a title defence as anything worth following as in "Can he do it again?" and follow last years winner particularly closely just because he's the defending champion.

I suppose if you're the player you will have special memories of the venue from 12 months ago plus the trophy sitting at home so you'll want to keep it. Stands to reason really.

Re: Defending a Major

Postby paperbackwriter

wildJONESEYE wrote:this is not having a go at Ronnie but as defending champion he has definitly felt pressure.

in 1994 as defending UK Champion he threatened to quit after doherty beat him in the quarters.....

then as defending World Champion in 2005 again he self destructed against ebdon and unraveled in front of us.....

those are high profile but im sure theres other instances he found defending hard.

But hasn't he acted similarly even when he wasn't a defending champion? He's been under extra pressure anyway, he's either expected to defend a title or prove that he still has it in him despite last year's "failure".
It all depends on a player and his situation of course, I can see Selby feeling a bit more pressure at Masters, but not exactly because he's a defending champion, more because he's expected to do well in this particular tournament (and it would have been the same had he lost to Ronnie). But I don't think that Ding will be under considerably bigger pressure than other top players at UK Championship, seems a bit silly even.

Re: Defending a Major

Postby Smart

The TV and media love it cos its extra column inches "defending champion thoughts", "defending champion exits", "defending champion in great form"....... the only one I take any notice of is probably the world champs where it is nice to see how the champ goes - cos of the curse. But seeing how the Masters champ goes the following year ..... does it do anything for me, not really to be honest.

<ok>

Re: Defending a Major

Postby Wildey

yes but how would you feel if a thief was coming after you wanting to take what you got ?

its always worst being in possession than coming after it.

Re: Defending a Major

Postby N_Castle07

Bit surprised at people views on this. I class it as a massive achievement in snooker and the players and commentators mention the feat a lot. Most recently Higgins at last seasons Worlds so it obviously plays on the minds of the players who are trying to reclaim the major.

Re: Defending a Major

Postby Wildey

im with you.

successfully defending a Major is the hardest thing in sport to do....its half because of media Hype and half because you want to experience what you experienced year before but either way its tough.

Re: Defending a Major

Postby Tubberlad

wildJONESEYE wrote:im with you.

successfully defending a Major is the hardest thing in sport to do....its half because of media Hype and half because you want to experience what you experienced year before but either way its tough.

I think it's more to do with motivation than anything else. Overcoming complacency, getting that hunger back. Hendry & Davis were hungry for success, we all know that, O'Sullivan, Williams & Higgins had a tougher time motivating themselves. You've done it the year before, you've got nothing to prove. Motivation is key to defending a title.

Re: Defending a Major

Postby Wildey

yes i get that with dominating etc going from Grand Prix to UK to masters playing to win totally motivated with 1 goal in mind however Winning a tournament Last Year theres twelve months between them so suerly motivation of winning something you have in your possession shouldn't be a problem.

Re: Defending a Major

Postby paperbackwriter

I still only get why after winning a major there's extra pressure and/or extra motivation to maintain player's position, live to the hype, keep achieving more and more, things like that. But it isn't directly connected with defending the title- if, for example, Ding wins Masters and Selby wins UK Championship, they'll prove themselves just as well as by repeating last season's achievements. Of course some good memories, not wanting to pass the trophy to other player etc. can play some role- but I only mean that all these feelings which come with being a defending champion aren't strong enough to be the main reason why majors are defended so rarely.

Re: Defending a Major

Postby Casey

My position?

Well it is undoubtedly more difficult in any individual sport to defend titles. This is why it is usually only the greats that do it, federer, Nadal, Sampras, Woods, Nicholas, Taylor, Davis, Hendry.

Re: Defending a Major

Postby SnookerFan

I am surprised that Ronnie didn't win The Masters twice in a row, but if you look, he was probably losing finalist in most of the recent finals. If you take out Mark Selby vs Stephen Lee, when was the last time he didn't contest the final? I bet it's been a while.

Re: Defending a Major

Postby Wildey

SnookerFan wrote:I am surprised that Ronnie didn't win The Masters twice in a row, but if you look, he was probably losing finalist in most of the recent finals. If you take out Mark Selby vs Stephen Lee, when was the last time he didn't contest the final? I bet it's been a while.


in the Last 7 years Ronnie has played in 6 masters finals.

Re: Defending a Major

Postby Smart

SnookerFan wrote:I am surprised that Ronnie didn't win The Masters twice in a row, but if you look, he was probably losing finalist in most of the recent finals. If you take out Mark Selby vs Stephen Lee, when was the last time he didn't contest the final? I bet it's been a while.


6 years out of 7 (86%). :redneck:

Re: Defending a Major

Postby SnookerFan

StalinESQ wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:I am surprised that Ronnie didn't win The Masters twice in a row, but if you look, he was probably losing finalist in most of the recent finals. If you take out Mark Selby vs Stephen Lee, when was the last time he didn't contest the final? I bet it's been a while.


6 years out of 7 (86%). :redneck:


Top achievement. <ok>

Re: Defending a Major

Postby PLtheRef

Shows you that at the big events you generally need to catch Ronnie very early on. The only time he's not made the final since the Williams v Hendry final (10-4 in 2003) is the 6-5 first round loss to Maguire

Re: Defending a Major

Postby Witz78

PLtheRef wrote:Shows you that at the big events you generally need to catch Ronnie very early on. The only time he's not made the final since the Williams v Hendry final (10-4 in 2003) is the 6-5 first round loss to Maguire


and from memory he shoulda won that match. Wasnt he in with a chance to clear up and win the decider before a ridiculously shocking miss?