EXT DOOR, an army of The stage is set for seven days of was seen snapping his cue at a petrol workers in hard hats is dramatic competition. The cast list reads station, but $500,000 for winning last hammering away at like a who’s who of world snooker. There’s year’s world title was enough to buy the finishing touches to the reigning Masters champion and No. 1 some superglue. Often criticised for $2 billion of spanking new seed, John Higgins, who’s dressed to kill his sluggish, tactical play, Dott won that Wembley Stadium – capacity and licensed to thrill in a black bow-tie and world crown in an epic performance 90,000 raucous football fans. But here waistcoat. The sharp-shooting Scot looks which dragged on past midnight. It CUE ACTION at Wembley Arena, in the shadow of its as slick as James Bond, but uses a cue was a bit like a Shakespearian tragedy. new neighbour, 2000 far more sedate rather than a Walther PPK to hunt down Maybe that’s why they hold the World spectators are huddled together in his target, a maximum break of 147 – Championship at Sheffield’s Crucible BY CHRIS HARRISON darkness around a snooker table fixed although the effects on his adversaries Theatre, in the north of England. PHOTOS BY JULIAN FINNEY / GETTY IMAGES in a spotlight. As winter rages outside are just as deadly. Also treading the boards is Stephen and icy winds lash London, the world’s Co-star and second favourite is Graeme Hendry MBE, the suave Zen master of top 16 players are turning up the heat at Dott, another Scot. Two years ago, sick of snooker who, when not hypnotising his PRO SNOOKER IS A GAME FOR CANNON-FIRE STICKMEN AND BAD BOYS. NEIL ROBERTSON IS THE the 2007 Snooker Masters. his sport, the pint-sized “Pocket Dynamo” opponents at the table, sits coolly in his LATEST HOT-SHOT FROM DOWN UNDER TO JOIN ITS RANKS. 090 091 Why? He missed a red. Just the one … but He has blond hair and Robertson, dubbed “The one was enough. “Anyone who knows me Melbourne Machine”, is knows I’m a perfectionist,” said O’Sullivan, spins the ball to his whim. explaining the cricket equivalent of Glenn No, not Warney, but part of snooker’s new McGrath bowling a wide during his first over elite and has already and turning his back on an entire series. another Victorian, Neil It wasn’t the first time “The Rocket” had Robertson – our very own won $500,000. Who says blasted off. His virtuoso performances, both hanging around pool on and off the table, have kept him in the snooker superstar. headlines. A sufferer of clinical depression halls leads nowhere? (compounded by the fact his old man’s in the slammer for murder), snooker’s most Snooker’s best has gathered at Wembley, controversial character has found it tough to but the star of the show will be rough-spoken stay focused on a sport that demands mental O’Sullivan … if he turns up. Provoking yet rather than physical fitness. Taking Pot Black another scandal in a career of dramatic highs literally, he was stripped of the Irish Masters and desperate lows, during his previous crown after testing positive for cannabis, and tournament (the UK Championship), he was dealt a two-year suspended sentence for abandoned his quarter-final while 4-1 down assaulting a snooker official. Yet fans adore in a 19-frame best-of encounter with Hendry, the prodigious ambidextrous potter who once his archrival. decided to play a match left-handed and still TOP TO BOTTOM Budding pilot Ali Carter’s game didn’t take off at The Masters; Steve Davis, not looking very interested; Stephen Lee, trying to tell the brown from the reds. corner sipping water like it’s vodka. He likely to play more than just a cameo role. Robertson, an aggressive left-hander, became dominated snooker throughout the 1990s, The Jackie Chan fan is tipped by experts the first Aussie to win a world ranking event. when tobacco sponsorship was yet to be to become a multiple world champion, Maybe that’s why he looks like Warney – he extinguished and the prize money was and has already made off with some loot too is showing the Poms how to play a sport smokin’. With seven world titles and 700 by blasting a maximum in the Masters’ they invented. However, despite his historic century breaks to his name, Hendry’s the opening round, pocketing all the balls win at his first pro-tour final (over a Brit called most prolific winner in the history of the sport, and $60,000 – not bad for 15 minutes’ work. Jamie Cope, who obviously couldn’t), and has amassed $20 million in prize money. He’s only the second player in the history Robertson’s most memorable victory to date Six-time world champion Steve “Interesting” of the tournament to achieve the holy grail took place in the quarter-final of the same Davis is also top of the bill at snooker’s richest of break building: 15 reds, 15 blacks and event, when he composed the demise of invitational event, which marks the half-way then all the colours. Ronnie “The Rocket” O’Sullivan – a two-time point in a season running from August to May. Get the impression the sport is dominated world champ and the best natural talent to A living legend of the sport who has won over by Brits? Wrong. There’s a new kid on the ever grace the baize. 70 tournaments, he’s still wielding his magic block. From Down Under no less. With wand aged 49 … and still looking like a painstakingly preened bleached blond hair, Ding Junhui, the “Star of schoolboy truant. he can spin, swerve and slide the ball to his the East”, couldn’t outshine Supporting actors include the ’05 world whim. No, not Warney, but another Victorian, Ronnie O’Sullivan (RIGHT) during The Masters final. champ, Shaun Murphy, whose mascot is a Neil Robertson – our very own snooker teddy bear in a Superman costume. Is it a superstar cueing up to become world champ. bird? Is it a plane? No, it was a Christmas Not since the days of Eddie Charlton (Mr present from his wife. Waiting in the wings Snooker to you) has Australia had a genuine are Peter Ebdon and Ken Doherty, both world crown contender. But they played a former world champs and both in with a shot different game back in Steady Eddie’s era. of snaring the silverware. Among the Same rules, of course, but conservative safety understudies are Glasgow’s rough-and-ready is now the approach of also-rans. Robertson, Stephen Maguire, who keeps baby sharks in 24, dubbed “The Melbourne Machine”, is part his bedroom, and Ali Carter, who’s training to of snooker’s exciting new elite – players who fly 747s in case 147s prove hard to come by. smite length-of-the-table drives the likes of Lesser lights include Anthony Hamilton, aka which Charlton would’ve never attempted. “The Sheriff of Pottingham”, and the colour- The high school drop-out and former under-21 blind world No. 10, Stephen Lee. Apparently, world champ has already amassed around only the reds and the brown pose a problem. $500,000 in prize money. Who says hanging Though only a wildcard for the event, around pool halls leads nowhere? teenage Chinese sensation Ding Junhui looks At the ’06 British Grand Prix in Scotland, 092 093 “My name is Higgins, “Robertson’s got the game for the modern O’Sullivan was too stubborn to follow trends. Alex “Hurricane” Higgins. Before snooker lost John Higgins” – the ’06 age,” says Clive Everton, the soft voice of Raising yet another stir, he’s been refusing its pub-sport profile, the womanising world Masters winner. BELOW Junhui looking shaken snooker on the BBC. “It’s become more of an to fulfil his media obligations in protest against champ used to drink and smoke between and stirred during the aggressive potting game, and if you’ve got what he believes to be his unfair treatment shots like he was at a mate’s barbie. But just ’07 final. that you can learn the rest.” by the press over his walkout at the UK like O’Sullivan, he was pure box office. He Steve Davis agrees: “Years ago, you erred Championship. Instead, he’s been letting his once head-butted a tournament official when on the side of caution, but you can’t do that cue do the talking, breezing through his first- asked to provide a urine sample, threatened now and win. Robertson has an air of round bout against Carter – who might need to have his World Cup team-mate Dennis assuredness when he’s at the table. The thrill that flying job after all. He then dispatched Taylor shot and punched a tournament of competition is clearly entertaining him.” Dubliner Ken Doherty, who suffered a case of director in the face. The same cannot be said for Williams – the Murphy’s Law in the penultimate frame when veteran being taught a lesson by snooker’s a routine red kicked and forgot the password Back at Wembley Arena and Robertson is sparkling new star. Robertson’s thirst for to the pocket. After that, O’Sullivan went preferring to maul his opponents on rather taking on improbable pots is leaving the ballistic, firing off an effortless century break than off the table.