2004 World Snooker Championship

Embassy World Snooker Championship

Tournament information
Dates	17 April–3 May 2004
Venue	Crucible Theatre
City	Sheffield
Country	England
Organisation(s)	WPBSA
Format	Ranking event
Total prize fund	£1,378,920
Winner's share	£250,000
Highest break	Joe Perry (145)
Final
Champion	Ronnie O'Sullivan
Runner-up	Graeme Dott
Score	18–8
← 2003 2005 →

The 2004 World Snooker Championship (also referred to as the 2004 Embassy World Snooker Championship for the purposes of sponsorship) was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 17 April and 3 May 2004 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England.

Mark Williams was the defending champion, but he lost in the second round 11–13 against Joe Perry.

Ronnie O'Sullivan won his second world title by defeating Graeme Dott 18–8 in the final, despite Dott having led 5–0. This was the fourth biggest margin in a World final, subsequently equalled by O'Sullivan against Ali Carter in 2008.^[1] The tournament was sponsored by cigarette manufacturer Embassy.

Tournament summary

• Chris Small was forced to retire from his first round match against Alan McManus due to a degenerative spinal disease.^[2] His condition would later force him to retire from the game permanently.^[3]
• Andy Hicks reached the second round by beating Quinten Hann in a match memorable for a near punch-up between the two players at the end, triggered by Hicks pointing out to Hann that he was likely to drop out of the top 16 as a result of the loss.^[4]
• O'Sullivan's 17–4 against Stephen Hendry was the biggest ever semi-final victory, replacing Hendry's 16–4 win over Terry Griffiths in 1992.^[5]

Prize fund

The breakdown of prize money for this year is shown below:^[6][7][8]

Winner: £250,000 Runner-up: £125,000 Semi-final: £63,200 Quarter-final: £31,600 Last 16: £17,600 Last 32: £12,000 Last 48: £9,200 Last 64: £5,720 Last 80: £4,560

Last 96: £3,440 Last 128: £1,000 Stage one highest break: £2,000 Stage two highest break: £17,600 Stage one maximum break: £5,000 Stage two maximum break: £147,000 Total: £1,378,920

Main draw

Shown below are the results for each round. The numbers in parentheses beside some of the players are their seeding ranks (each championship has 16 seeds and 16 qualifiers).^[6][9][10]

First round

Second round

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Best of 19 frames

Best of 25 frames

Best of 25 frames

Best of 33 frames

17 April[11]

Mark Williams (1)

10

22, 23 & 24 April[12]

Dominic Dale

7

Mark Williams (1)

11

18 & 19 April[13]

Joe Perry (16)

13

Joe Perry (16)

10

27 & 28 April[14]

Robert Milkins

7

Joe Perry (16)

10

17 & 18 April[15]

Matthew Stevens (9)

13

Matthew Stevens (9)

10

23 & 24 April[16]

James Wattana

7

Matthew Stevens (9)

13

21 & 22 April[17]

Paul Hunter (8)

12

Paul Hunter (8)

10

29, 30 April & 1 May[18]

John Parrott

7

Matthew Stevens (9)

15

20 April[19]

Graeme Dott (13)

17

Stephen Lee (5)

7

24, 25 & 26 April[20]

Lee Walker

10

Lee Walker

5

21 April[21]

David Gray (12)

13

David Gray (12)

10

27 & 28 April[22]

Ali Carter

7

David Gray (12)

7

19 & 20 April[23]

Graeme Dott (13)

13

Graeme Dott (13)

10

25 & 26 April[24]

Mark King

9

Graeme Dott (13)

13

18 & 19 April[25]

John Higgins (4)

10

John Higgins (4)

10

Ryan Day

9

20 & 21 April[26]

Ronnie O'Sullivan (3)

10

22 & 23 April[27]

Stephen Maguire

6

Ronnie O'Sullivan (3)

13

17 & 18 April[28]

Andy Hicks

11

Quinten Hann (14)

4

27 April[29]

Andy Hicks

10

Ronnie O'Sullivan (3)

13

21 & 22 April[30]

Anthony Hamilton

3

Steve Davis (11)

7

23 & 24 April[31]

Anthony Hamilton

10

Anthony Hamilton

13

17 & 18 April[32]

Joe Swail

11

Ken Doherty (6)

5

29, 30 April & 1 May[33]

Joe Swail

10

Ronnie O'Sullivan (3)

17

19 April[34]

Stephen Hendry (2)

4

Peter Ebdon (7)

8

25 & 26 April[35]

Ian McCulloch

10

Ian McCulloch

13

17 & 18 April[2]

Alan McManus (10)

6

Alan McManus (10)

10

27 & 28 April[36]

Chris Small

1

Ian McCulloch

3

19 & 20 April[37]

Stephen Hendry (2)

13

Jimmy White (15)

8

24, 25 & 26 April[38]

Barry Pinches

10

Barry Pinches

12

20 & 21 April[39]

Stephen Hendry (2)

13

Stephen Hendry (2)

10

Stuart Pettman

2

Final (Best of 35 frames) Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, 2 & 3 May 2004.[40] Referee: Paul Collier[41]
Graeme Dott (13)  Scotland	8–18	Ronnie O'Sullivan (3)  England
71–34, 77–9, 108–0, 97–0, 61–0, 0–100, 17–63, 0–87, 0–87, 59–0, 47–64, 0–78, 87–0, 48–68, 1–68, 0–69, 1–71, 0–85, 119–2, 30–76, 43–85, 8–69, 44–91, 13–72, 8–92, 16–88	Century breaks: 2 (O'Sullivan 1, Dott 1). Highest break by Dott: 106 Highest break by O'Sullivan: 100	71–34, 77–9, 108–0, 97–0, 61–0, 0–100, 17–63, 0–87, 0–87, 59–0, 47–64, 0–78, 87–0, 48–68, 1–68, 0–69, 1–71, 0–85, 119–2, 30–76, 43–85, 8–69, 44–91, 13–72, 8–92, 16–88
Ronnie O'Sullivan wins the 2004 Embassy World Snooker Championship

Qualifying

The matches were played at Pontin's, Prestatyn Sands in between 10–20 February 2004.^[42]

1st Round (Best of 19 frames)

Brian Salmon 10–9 Chris Melling Ian Preece 10–8 Justin Astley Mike Hallett 10–6 James Leadbetter Mehmet Husnu 10–2 Craig MacGillivray

Joe Delaney 10–6 Rodney Goggins Adrian Rosa 10–6 Steve James Adam Davies 10–8 David Hall

2nd Round (Best of 19 frames)

Tom Ford 10–8 Martin Gould Craig Butler 10–9 Brian Salmon Luke Simmonds 10–8 Matthew Couch Ian Preece 10–0 Joe Johnson Lee Walker 10–6 Mike Hallett Gary Thomson 10–2 Luke Fisher Peter Lines 10–4 Ian Brumby David Gilbert 10–6 Michael Wild Rory McLeod 10–7 Mehmet Husnu Jason Prince 10–6 Darryn Walker Joe Delaney 10–4 Andrew Higginson Neil Robertson 10–8 Martin Dziewialtowski Simon Bedford 10–5 Ian Sargeant Liu Song 10–5 Wayne Brown Leo Fernandez 10–9 Paul Sweeny Michael Rhodes 10–9 Terry Murphy

Kwan Poomjang 10–9 Philip Williams Garry Hardiman 10–6 Billy Snaddon Munraj Pal 10–0 Andy Neck Colm Gilcreest 10–7 Steven Bennie Ryan Day 10–7 Adrian Rosa Tony Jones 10–3 Adam Davies Jason Ferguson 10–9 Carlo Giagnacovo Ricky Walden 10–0 Stephen Croft Joe Meara 10–8 Andrew Norman Adrian Gunnell 10–5 Steve Mifsud Ding Junhui 10–6 Atthasit Mahitthi Paul Davies 10–4 Alain Robidoux Supoj Saenla 10–8 Bradley Jones Paul Wykes 10–4 Kurt Maflin Stuart Mann 10–8 Jamie Cope Scott MacKenzie 10–3 Johl Younger

Rounds 3–6

Round 3 (Best of 19 Frames)	Round 4 (Best of 19 Frames)	Round 5 (Best of 19 Frames)	Round 6 (Best of 19 Frames)
Craig Butler 10–4 Tom Ford	Darren Morgan 10–8 Craig Butler	James Wattana 10–1 Darren Morgan	James Wattana 10–8 Dave Harold
Ian Preece 10–5 Luke Simmonds	Dave Finbow 10–9 Ian Preece	Brian Morgan 10–9 Dave Finbow	Joe Swail 10–3 Brian Morgan
Lee Walker 10–6 Gary Thomson	Lee Walker 10–7 Alfie Burden	Lee Walker 10–8 Barry Hawkins	Lee Walker 10–2 Mark Selby
Peter Lines 10–6 David Gilbert	Peter Lines 10–4 Nick Walker	Nigel Bond 10–6 Peter Lines	Ian McCulloch 10–7 Nigel Bond
Rory McLeod 10–3 Jason Prince	Rory McLeod 10–5 Bjorn Haneveer	Rory McLeod 10–6 Stuart Bingham	Robert Milkins 10–1 Rory McLeod
Neil Robertson 10–2 Joe Delaney	Neil Robertson 10–4 Rod Lawler	Stephen Maguire 10–6 Neil Robertson	Stephen Maguire w-o Robin Hull
Simon Bedford 10–6 Liu Song	Andy Hicks 10–7 Simon Bedford	Andy Hicks 10–4 Jamie Burnett	Andy Hicks 10–8 Anthony Davies
Leo Fernandez 10–5 Michael Rhodes	Leo Fernandez 10–8 Sean Storey	Leo Fernandez 10–9 Gerard Greene	Dominic Dale 10–8 Leo Fernandez
Garry Hardiman 10–7 Kwan Poomjang	Shokat Ali 10–4 Garry Hardiman	Michael Holt 10–6 Shokat Ali	Anthony Hamilton 10–9 Michael Holt
Munraj Pal 10- 5 Colm Gilcreest	Nick Dyson 10–9 Munraj Pal	Nick Dyson 10–4 Gary Wilkinson	Allister Carter 10–6 Nick Dyson
Ryan Day 10–0 Tony Jones	Ryan Day 10–7 Mike Dunn	Ryan Day 10–6 Mark Davis	Ryan Day 10–7 Drew Henry
Ricky Walden 10–4 Jason Ferguson	David Roe 10–5 Ricky Walden	Michael Judge 10–9 David Roe	John Parrott 10–9 Michael Judge
Adrian Gunnell 10–5 Joe Meara	Adrian Gunnell 10–5 Jimmy Michie	Adrian Gunnell 10–7 Fergal O'Brien	Mark King 10–8 Adrian Gunnell
Ding Junhui 10–5 Paul Davies	Ding Junhui 10–3 Marcus Campbell	Barry Pinches 10–7 Ding Junhui	Barry Pinches 10–2 Tony Drago
Paul Wykes 10–8 Supoj Saenla	Patrick Wallace 10–4 Paul Wykes	Patrick Wallace 10–5 Jonathan Birch	Chris Small 10–7 Patrick Wallace
Stuart Mann 10–2 Scott MacKenzie	Shaun Murphy 10–5 Stuart Mann	Stuart Pettman 10–7 Shaun Murphy	Stuart Pettman 10–7 Marco Fu

Century breaks

There were 55 centuries in this year's championship. The highest break of the tournament was 145 made by Joe Perry.^[7][43][44]

145, 100 Joe Perry 132, 125, 102 Paul Hunter 131, 130 John Higgins 131, 127, 127, 125, 123, 121, 117, 109, 109, 106, 106, 101, 100 Ronnie O'Sullivan 128, 125, 122, 115, 113, 111, 109, 104 Matthew Stevens 128, 112, 111 Ryan Day 127, 119 Steve Davis 127, 110 Joe Swail 121, 112 Stephen Maguire 120 Jimmy White

117, 113, 108, 106 Ian McCulloch 117, 110, 103 Stephen Hendry 117, 106 Graeme Dott 116 Andy Hicks 115, 111 Barry Pinches 109 James Wattana 108, 105 Mark Williams 103 Alan McManus 100 David Gray

References

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