Crucible Question

[Mr Snooker]

This question came up on social media the other day, Who do you think is best player not to make the one table set up (Semi Finals) at the Crucible Theatre. Also who do you think is the best professional snooker player that as never qualified for the final TV stages of the World Championships.

[Odrl]

Almost everyone who has been a top player at some point has reached the SF of the World Championship. I guess it would be between Mike Hallett and Willie Thorne. Hallett was a top10 player for four seasons in a row in the late 80s and early 90s, while Thorne had a period of 13 years where he was ranked between 7th and 18th in the world, without ever getting to the one-table setup at the Crucible.

More recently we have players like Day, Hamilton, Dale, Liang, Gould, Brecel, and others, but I don't think any of them have had the kind of career Hallett and Thorne had all those years ago.

As for getting to the TV stages, I don't think you will find any notable player who has not done that at some point. Perhaps someone from the very early days of the Crucible era, when there were still fewer players involved in the TV stage?

[itsnoteasy]

Did Foulds ever reach the one table set up ? Pretty sure he was in the top five at one point.
Did Stephen lee make it ? I half remember him but not sure.

[Odrl]

Did Foulds ever reach the one table set up ? Pretty sure he was in the top five at one point.
Did Stephen lee make it ? I half remember him but not sure.

Yes to both. Foulds lost to Johnson in the SF in 1987, Lee lost to Williams at the same stage in 2003.

[itsnoteasy]

Yes to both. Foulds lost to Johnson in the SF in 1987, Lee lost to Williams at the same stage in 2003.

Haha, and that's why I was hopeless at the quizzes.

[JimMalone]

Probably Willie Thorne.
He was in the Top 16 of the World for 12 seasons, three of them being in the top 10. He had one ranking title and two more finals (one at the UK Championship, where he also made the semifinal once more).

The only two other options I see are Mike Hallett (4 seasons in the top 10, but only 5 in the top 16; one title, one final) and Ryan Day (five seasons in the Top 16, two of them in the top 8 in a time, where you can argue it was more difficult than in the 80s; no proper ranking title, but three finals, four if you include the 2017 World Grand Prix).

[oliverhen]

Interesting question! For those who haven't reached the Crucible semis, Jimmy White stands out with his incredible talent and near-misses. As for players never reaching the final TV stages, Anthony Hamilton's skill deserves recognition despite not making those appearances. Both are legends in their own right.