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Snooker lost one of its brightest young stars on Monday night as Leeds player Paul Hunter died after losing his battle with cancer.
Hunter was a three-times Masters champion and was widely expected to add the World Championship to his list of titles until illness took hold.
He died at 8.20pm at Kirkwood Hospice in Huddersfield, five days before his 28th birthday.
He leaves a wife, Lindsey, and a daughter, Evie Rose, who was born on Boxing Day of last year.
Hunter was diagnosed with neuro-endocrine tumours of the lining of his stomach in March 2005.
He appeared to be beating the disease when he returned to competition, however, his condition deteriorated and he was taken into the Kirkwood Hospice in Huddersfield last Friday.
Despite chemotherapy treatment, Hunter remained committed to resuming his career, but he won only one match last season and fell from fifth to 34th in the rankings.
World Snooker chairman Sir Rodney Walker said: "I'm sure that everyone who met Paul, as well as his millions of fans and the sporting public as a whole, will join me in sending most sincere sympathies to Lindsey, Paul's parents, his family and friends.
"Paul was a man who had everything going for him - an outstanding talent, good looks, fame, riches, charm and a beautiful wife. This shows us just how quickly life can change.
"It's a bitter blow for snooker but most importantly for his family and our thoughts are with them."
So popular was Hunter with audiences, particularly those at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre, in his native Yorkshire, he gained the nickname 'Beckham of the baize'."
Former world champion John Parrott said: "It's a great loss to the sport but more importantly than that it's a great loss to his family.
"Paul played the game with a smile on his face. He was a bright and bubbly character and I never heard him complain. He was always such a happy person. We're all going to miss him."
Stephen Hendry, the seven-times world champion, also paid tribute to Hunter.
"I'm absolutely devastated by the news," said Hendry.
"He's got a young family and he had a fantastic future in front of him. It's everyone's worst nightmare and puts everything into perspective."
An instinctively attacking player, Hunter turned professional at the age of 16 in 1995 and won his first major title, the 1998 Welsh Open, at the age of 19.
He also won the Welsh Open title in 2002 and picked up the British Open trophy the same year.
But he will be best remembered for his exploits at the Wembley Masters.
Hunter recovered from 7-3 down to beat Fergal O'Brien 10-9 in the 2001 final and fought from 5-0 adrift to beat Mark Williams 10-9 in the final a year later.
He completed a hat-trick of Masters victories in 2004 when he came from 7-2 down to beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-9.
Hunter's best World Championship performance was reaching the semi-finals in 2003, where he led Ken Doherty 15-9 before the Irishman stormed back to win 17-16.
He reached number four in the world rankings during the 2004-05 season and was given the go-ahead in July this year to take a year out of the game.
His fellow professionals backed plans to allow his official world ranking to be frozen at number 34 for a season.
A Premier League spokesman confirmed there would be a minute's silence before this week's matches in Preston on Thursday.
Willie Thorne, a former top 10 player who now commentates on the game, had been aware of Hunter's deteriorating health.
Thorne told Sky Sports News: "He was suffering a little bit at the end so it's very, very sad."
Thorne added: "Deep down I think we all thought he was going to beat the disease.
"Two or three months ago we realised it was probably a lot more serious than we thought and I understand he was taken to a hospice and that's really the end, it's very near, when that happens.
"He was one of the best-looking snooker players we ever had, one of the most successful snooker players we've ever had. He had a heart like a lion.
"He'll be sadly, sadly missed. He lit up the stage when he played. (He was) a very flamboyant player, a very attacking player, and there will be a big hole in everybody's hearts for the next year or so."
Thorne believes Hunter would have certainly won the World Championship if cancer had not struck.
"Anyone who wins the Masters back-to-back is a great player," said Thorne.
"I think Paul Hunter was a great player and I'm sure that he would have been a future world champion, without a doubt.
"It's such a sad loss to our game and his family."
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Source: Sporting Life |
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