snapej
10th October 2006, 08:01 PM
Snooker champion Paul Hunter has died of cancer at the age of 27.
He died at 8.20pm on Monday at Kirkwood Hospice in Huddersfield, five days before his 28th birthday.
Hunter was a three-time Masters champion and was widely expected to add the World Championship to his list of titles until illness took hold.
Former world champion Ken Doherty paid tribute to one of snooker's "greatest characters.''
He said: "It's a very sad day, not only for snooker but also for the sporting world. We've lost a great character and champion and a great friend. It's a shocking loss.
"Everybody was dumbfounded when he was diagnosed with the disease. In someone so young we all thought he would come through it after chemotherapy.
"Words can't explain what his family must be going through and they are all in our minds and our prayers.''
Seven-times world champion Stephen Hendry said Hunter would be sorely missed.
"Paul was just a really nice guy and a great player,'' Hendry said.
"When he first emerged on the scene, he had the ability you always thought would eventually result in him becoming a world champion.
"Sadly he never got the chance to fulfil that goal. But his record, especially in the Masters at Wembley, spoke for itself.''
Hunter was diagnosed with dozens of neuro endocrine tumours of the lining of his stomach in March 2005.
Despite chemotherapy treatment, Hunter continued to compete professionally but won only one match last season and fell from fifth to 34th in the rankings.
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.
The Leeds player also won the Welsh 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.
Hunter would have been 28 on Saturday. He leaves a wife, Lindsey, and a daughter, Evie Rose, who was born on Boxing Day of last year.
r.i.p. paul hunter
He died at 8.20pm on Monday at Kirkwood Hospice in Huddersfield, five days before his 28th birthday.
Hunter was a three-time Masters champion and was widely expected to add the World Championship to his list of titles until illness took hold.
Former world champion Ken Doherty paid tribute to one of snooker's "greatest characters.''
He said: "It's a very sad day, not only for snooker but also for the sporting world. We've lost a great character and champion and a great friend. It's a shocking loss.
"Everybody was dumbfounded when he was diagnosed with the disease. In someone so young we all thought he would come through it after chemotherapy.
"Words can't explain what his family must be going through and they are all in our minds and our prayers.''
Seven-times world champion Stephen Hendry said Hunter would be sorely missed.
"Paul was just a really nice guy and a great player,'' Hendry said.
"When he first emerged on the scene, he had the ability you always thought would eventually result in him becoming a world champion.
"Sadly he never got the chance to fulfil that goal. But his record, especially in the Masters at Wembley, spoke for itself.''
Hunter was diagnosed with dozens of neuro endocrine tumours of the lining of his stomach in March 2005.
Despite chemotherapy treatment, Hunter continued to compete professionally but won only one match last season and fell from fifth to 34th in the rankings.
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.
The Leeds player also won the Welsh 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.
Hunter would have been 28 on Saturday. He leaves a wife, Lindsey, and a daughter, Evie Rose, who was born on Boxing Day of last year.
r.i.p. paul hunter