2002–03 snooker season

The 2002–03 snooker season was a series of snooker tournaments played between 27 August 2002 and 22 May 2003. Due to a legal ban, this was the final season to have events sponsored by tobacco companies (apart from Embassy, who would continue to sponsor the World Championship for another two years). The following table outlines the results for the ranking events and the invitational events. Mark Williams won all three triple crown events (UK Championship, Masters, World Championship) - the last player to do so in a single season.

2002–03 snooker season
Details
Duration27 August 2002 – 22 May 2003 (2002-08-27 – 2003-05-22)
Tournaments19 (8 ranking events)
Triple Crown winners
UK ChampionshipWales Mark Williams
MastersWales Mark Williams
World ChampionshipWales Mark Williams

Calendar

World Snooker Tour

StartFinishCountryTournament nameVenueCityWinnerRunner-upScoreRef.
24 Sep29 Sep  SCOScottish MastersThistle HotelsGlasgow Ronnie O'Sullivan John Higgins9–4[1]
5 Oct13 Oct  ENGLG CupGuild HallPreston Chris Small Alan McManus9–5[2]
21 Oct31 Oct  ENGBenson & Hedges ChampionshipTowers Snooker ClubMansfield Mark Davis Mehmet Husnu9–6[3]
9 Nov17 Nov  ENGBritish OpenTelford International CentreTelford Paul Hunter Ian McCulloch9–4[4]
2 Dec15 Dec  ENGUK ChampionshipBarbican CentreYork Mark Williams Ken Doherty10–9[5]
22 Jan26 Jan  WALWelsh OpenCardiff International ArenaCardiff Stephen Hendry Mark Williams9–5[6]
2 Feb9 Feb  ENGMastersWembley Conference CentreLondon Mark Williams Stephen Hendry10–4[7][8]
11 Mar16 Mar  ENGEuropean OpenPalace HotelTorquay Ronnie O'Sullivan Stephen Hendry9–6[9][10]
25 Mar30 Mar  IRLIrish MastersCitywest HotelDublin Ronnie O'Sullivan John Higgins10–9[11]
5 Apr13 Apr  SCOScottish OpenRoyal Highland CentreEdinburgh David Gray Mark Selby9–7[12][13]
19 Apr5 May  ENGWorld Snooker ChampionshipCrucible TheatreSheffield Mark Williams Ken Doherty18–16[14]
11 Jan11 May  ENGPremier LeagueCrowtree Leisure CentreSunderland Marco Fu Mark Williams9–5[15]
Ranking event
Non-ranking event

Challenge Tour

StartFinishCountryTournament nameVenueCityWinnerRunner-upScoreRef.
2 Nov7 Nov  WALChallenge Tour 1Towers Snooker ClubMansfield Chris Melling Tom Ford6–2[16]
15 Feb20 Feb  ENGChallenge Tour 2Jesters Snooker ClubSwindon Adrian Rosa Stuart Mann6–5[17]
15 Mar20 Mar  WALChallenge Tour 3Jesters Snooker ClubSwindon Michael Rhodes Luke Simmonds6–5[18]
16 May22 May  WALChallenge Tour 4Pontin'sPrestatyn Kurt Maflin James Leadbetter6–2[19]

Other events

StartFinishCountryTournament nameVenueCityWinnerRunner-upScoreRef.
1 Oct8 Oct  KORAsian GamesDongju College GymnasiumBusan Ding Junhui Supoj Saenla3–1[20]
20 Feb22 Feb  NIRIrish OpenMillennium ForumDerry Joe Swail Fergal O'Brien10–3[21]
19 Feb23 Feb  THAThailand MastersRajamangala National StadiumBangkok Noppadon Noppachorn Rom Surin5–4[22][23]

Official rankings

The top 16 of the world rankings, these players automatically played in the final rounds of the world ranking events and were invited for the Masters.[24][25][26][27]

No.PlayerPoints 2000/01Points 2001/02Total
1 Ronnie O'Sullivan253992462550024
2 Mark Williams217352505046785
3 Peter Ebdon207772387544652
4 John Higgins220342230044334
5 Ken Doherty220792140043479
6 Stephen Hendry174782465042128
7 Stephen Lee139442572539669
8 Matthew Stevens148791800032879
9 Paul Hunter158091550031309
10 Jimmy White120091692528934
11 Mark King118951553727432
12 Graeme Dott113971576227159
13 Joe Perry92691770026969
14 Quinten Hann113951483726232
15 Alan McManus121901355025740
16 Joe Swail121171276224879

Notes

References