Here is The Statman's annual preview of some milestone stats that could occur this year. If you have any other bizarre requests for facts and figures, post them here and I'll try to answer them!
MATCHES
Steve Davis will play his 80th Crucible match in the first round; Stephen Hendry needs to reach the semis to match this. Of this year's field, Ronnie O'Sullivan is next on 47 currently.
Hendry is top of matches won, currently on 61 – Davis could leapfrog him if he wins the title; he's on 58 at the moment. O'Sullivan is next on 33, out of this year's bunch.
FRAMES
Davis will clock up 1600 Crucible frames unless he loses 10-0 in the first round. Hendry needs to play 19 this year to make 1600. O'Sullivan could leapfrog Terry Griffiths's total of 999 if he reaches the final and scores at least 12 frames in it.
Hendry needs to reach the final and win 9 frames in it to win his 1000th Crucible frame. Next is Davis, who would reach 999 if he wins the title.
Steve Davis could win his 1000th World Championship frame (including non-Crucible) if he wins 12 this year. He would join Fred Davis (1877), John Pulman (1179), Walter Donaldson (1111), O'Sullivan (currently 1073), Hendry (currently 1018) and Peter Ebdon (currently 1003). Ken Doherty needs 35 frames to achieve the same feat.
PRIZE MONEY
Stephen Hendry needs to reach the quarter-finals (first round loss would be sufficient if he claimed the highesst break) to make £2million at the Crucible alone.
Mark Williams will become the third player (after Hendry and O'Sullivan) to make a Crucible million; the first-round losers' prize of £10,600 guarantees this. Others in with a shout are John Higgins (needs to reach semis, or quarters with high break), Davis and Ebdon (both need to win the title, or make the final and a 147), Ken Doherty (needs title and high break) and Matthew Stevens (needs title and 147).
AGE
The three men from China have a chance to be youngest world champion. It is the last chance for Ding Junhui and Liang Wenbo – Ding would be 21 years 34 days if he lifts the trophy on 5 May, which would beat Hendry's record by 72 days; while Liang is seven days older than Ding. Liu Chuang would have three further opportunities.
Liu Chuang becomes the 4th 17-year-old to appear at the Crucible (after Hendry, O'Sullivan and Judd Trump). He and Ding Junhui could become the youngest ever semi-finalist, currently held by Jimmy White who was 20 years 9 days on the first day of his 1982 semi.
If O'Sullivan were to win the title, he would be the oldest since Joe Johnson 22 years ago. Others, of course, could also do this.
Steve Davis is the eleventh 50-or-over to appear, but if he were to win a match he would be only the sixth fiftysomething to prevail in a Crucible match (after Fred Davis, Eddie Charlton, Ray Reardon, Pulman and Doug Mountjoy.
POINTS
Hendry could become the first player to clock up 100,000 points at the Crucible, but, currently on 93,147, he will almost certaily need to reach the final and probably have many close matches and close frames.
BREAKS
If O'Sullivan claims the highest break, he will equal Steve Davis's record of 4 highest-break prizes (including where shared).
If John Higgins could break the record of 16 centuries in the tournament, he would become the second player (after Hendry on 111) to make 100 Crucible centuries.
In 2007, only two matches didn't contain a century – can that be beaten? Aslo, 23 different players made a century in each of 2005 and 2007 – a record that could certainly be under threat.
Steve Davis could become the second player to make 1000 30+ breaks at the Crucible. He's currently on 987 while Hendry is on 1102.
CRUCIBLE CURSE
The curse is safe from being broken this year, since we do not have a first-time winner defending the title.
MATCHES
Steve Davis will play his 80th Crucible match in the first round; Stephen Hendry needs to reach the semis to match this. Of this year's field, Ronnie O'Sullivan is next on 47 currently.
Hendry is top of matches won, currently on 61 – Davis could leapfrog him if he wins the title; he's on 58 at the moment. O'Sullivan is next on 33, out of this year's bunch.
FRAMES
Davis will clock up 1600 Crucible frames unless he loses 10-0 in the first round. Hendry needs to play 19 this year to make 1600. O'Sullivan could leapfrog Terry Griffiths's total of 999 if he reaches the final and scores at least 12 frames in it.
Hendry needs to reach the final and win 9 frames in it to win his 1000th Crucible frame. Next is Davis, who would reach 999 if he wins the title.
Steve Davis could win his 1000th World Championship frame (including non-Crucible) if he wins 12 this year. He would join Fred Davis (1877), John Pulman (1179), Walter Donaldson (1111), O'Sullivan (currently 1073), Hendry (currently 1018) and Peter Ebdon (currently 1003). Ken Doherty needs 35 frames to achieve the same feat.
PRIZE MONEY
Stephen Hendry needs to reach the quarter-finals (first round loss would be sufficient if he claimed the highesst break) to make £2million at the Crucible alone.
Mark Williams will become the third player (after Hendry and O'Sullivan) to make a Crucible million; the first-round losers' prize of £10,600 guarantees this. Others in with a shout are John Higgins (needs to reach semis, or quarters with high break), Davis and Ebdon (both need to win the title, or make the final and a 147), Ken Doherty (needs title and high break) and Matthew Stevens (needs title and 147).
AGE
The three men from China have a chance to be youngest world champion. It is the last chance for Ding Junhui and Liang Wenbo – Ding would be 21 years 34 days if he lifts the trophy on 5 May, which would beat Hendry's record by 72 days; while Liang is seven days older than Ding. Liu Chuang would have three further opportunities.
Liu Chuang becomes the 4th 17-year-old to appear at the Crucible (after Hendry, O'Sullivan and Judd Trump). He and Ding Junhui could become the youngest ever semi-finalist, currently held by Jimmy White who was 20 years 9 days on the first day of his 1982 semi.
If O'Sullivan were to win the title, he would be the oldest since Joe Johnson 22 years ago. Others, of course, could also do this.
Steve Davis is the eleventh 50-or-over to appear, but if he were to win a match he would be only the sixth fiftysomething to prevail in a Crucible match (after Fred Davis, Eddie Charlton, Ray Reardon, Pulman and Doug Mountjoy.
POINTS
Hendry could become the first player to clock up 100,000 points at the Crucible, but, currently on 93,147, he will almost certaily need to reach the final and probably have many close matches and close frames.
BREAKS
If O'Sullivan claims the highest break, he will equal Steve Davis's record of 4 highest-break prizes (including where shared).
If John Higgins could break the record of 16 centuries in the tournament, he would become the second player (after Hendry on 111) to make 100 Crucible centuries.
In 2007, only two matches didn't contain a century – can that be beaten? Aslo, 23 different players made a century in each of 2005 and 2007 – a record that could certainly be under threat.
Steve Davis could become the second player to make 1000 30+ breaks at the Crucible. He's currently on 987 while Hendry is on 1102.
CRUCIBLE CURSE
The curse is safe from being broken this year, since we do not have a first-time winner defending the title.
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