2001 Champions Cup

February 2020 February 2020 2001 Champions Cup 2001 08 11 2001 08 19 y Brighton Centre Brighton England WPBSA Non-ranking event £200,000 £100,000 Peter Ebdon ENG (130) John Higgins SCO Mark Williams WAL 7–4 2000 The 2001 Champions Cup was a professional invitational snooker tournament held at the Brighton Centre in Brighton, England, from 11 to 19 August. It was the seventh and final edition of the eight-player Champions Cup, and was the first of four World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) invitational events of the 2001–02 season following the 2001 World Snooker Championship. It preceded the season's second invitational tournament, the 2001 Scottish Masters. John Higgins, the world number three, won the tournament, defeating two-time Champions Cup runner-up Mark Williams seven frame frames to four (7–4) in the final. It was the first and only Champions Cup success in the career of Higgins. In the semi-finals, Higgins defeated Ken Doherty, the 1997 world champion, 5–2 and Williams won against the 2001 Scottish Open victor Peter Ebdon by the same scoreline. Ebdon made the highest break of 130 in the third frame of his group match over Ronnie O'Sullivan, the 2001 world champion. Background thumb|alt=Brighton Centre | The Brighton Centre, where the tournament was held The tournament was created as the Charity Challenge in 1995 in which players competed for charity and prize monies donated to their respective causes. The charity aspect was discarded after five years and the tournament was re-branded the Champions Cup with a new "winner takes all" format of players who had won major tournaments from the season prior invited to compete.http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/champcup.html Liverpool Victoria Charity Challenge & Champions Cup Chris Turner's Snooker Archive dead https://web.archive.org/web/20100930185848/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/champcup.html 30 September 2010 16 May 2018 dmy-all The 2001 Champions Cup was the first of four World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) invitational events of the 2001–02 season and was held at the Brighton Centre in Brighton, England, from 11 to 19 August 2001. The tournament preceded the 2001 Scottish Masters.http://www.snooker.org/trn/0102/ccup2001_res.shtml Champions Cup 2001 snooker.org 15 January 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20191107160943/http://www.snooker.org/trn/0102/ccup2001_res.shtml 7 November 2019 This was the final year the tournament was played due to a lack of sponsorship and television coverage. The Champions Cup had a prize fund of £200,000,https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/6775413.snooker-doherty-looks-like-a-champ-again/ Snooker: Doherty looks like a champ again 14 August 2001 The Argus 6 February 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200206213201/https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/6775413.snooker-doherty-looks-like-a-champ-again/ 6 February 2020 live with £100,000 going to the winner, and was broadcast in the United Kingdom on ITV. Rules A total of eight players competed in the Champions Cup: five ranking competition winners from the 2000–01 season and three wildcards. The group stage matches played between 11 and 16 August were part of a round-robin format and were best-of-nine frames. They were drawn into two groups of four with a match played against the other three in their group. The winner of both groups was determined by the number of matches won. In the event of a draw, the number of frames won decided the group winner. If this method was ineffective in determining the group winner, a match between the tied players would occur. The winner of each group was drawn to play the runner-up of the opposite group in the semi-finals from 17 to 18 August. The final on 19 August was played to the best-of-13 frames.http://worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/format.asp Format: Champions Cup 2001 World Snooker dead https://web.archive.org/web/20011222072515/http://worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/format.asp 22 December 2001 6 February 2020 Group stages Group A left|thumb|alt=Ronnie Sullivan leaning across a table lining up a shot | Ronnie O'Sullivan (pictured in 2011) was eliminated from the tournament in the group stages. The opening match of the tournament saw Ronnie O'Sullivan, the 2001 world champion, play the world number 11 Jimmy White. O'Sullivan took a 3–0 lead in 53 minutes before White won the fourth frame with a clearance to the pink ball when O'Sullivan failed to pot the yellow ball into the bottom right-hand pocket. White came from 56–0 behind in frame five to win it with a 66 clearance and then break breaks of 38 and 47 equalled the score at 3–3. The match ended 5–3 for O'Sullivan with a break of 93 in frame eight.http://worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/articleshow.asp?articleID=271&category=25 Rocket Man Becomes Marathon Man 11 August 2001 World Snooker dead https://web.archive.org/web/20010825110815/http://worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/articleshow.asp?articleID=271&category=25 25 August 2001 6 February 2020 Ken Doherty, the 1997 world champion and two-time ranking winner in the 2000–01 season, compiled breaks of 84 and 50 to defeat the 2001 Scottish Open champion Peter Ebdon, who made a 100 clearance and a 78 break, 5–2.http://worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/articleshow.asp?articleID=274&category=25 Cock-A-Hoop Ken Eyes No 1 Spot 12 August 2001 World Snooker dead https://web.archive.org/web/20010825113042/http://worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/articleshow.asp?articleID=274&category=25 25 August 2001 6 February 2020 He later took the group lead when he compiled a 45 clearance and 30 and 59 breaks in a 5–4 win over O'Sullivan after trailing 3–1 and 4–3.Yates Phil https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A77211111/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=e6aca2a7 Doherty wraps up victory; Snooker 14 August 2001 The Times 7 February 2020 7 Gale Academic OneFile subscription It was O'Sullivan's first defeat since he lost to Mark Davis five months prior.https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A77223950/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=d95be528 Doherty is too hot for O'Sullivan 14 August 2001 Edinburgh Evening News 6 February 2020 32 Gale: OneForce News subscription Ebdon beat White 5–3 to eliminate the latter from the competition. Breaks of 112 and 93 and a fluke on the pink in frame three provided White with a 3–2 advantage. Ebdon took the lead from a 70 break. He won the eighth on the pink and claimed victory on the blue ball blue after White made an error.Yates Phil https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A77240380/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=9a875ed0 White rues failure to take his chances; Snooker 15 August 2001 The Times 7 February 2020 8 Gale Academic OneFile subscription Ebdon made a total clearance of 130 and obtained two snookered snookers to defeat O'Sullivan and eliminate his opponent from the tournament,http://www.110sport.com/snooker/cont/art/na03304.php Ebdon: "I'm Aiming For Top Spot" Hendon David 15 August 2001 110sport dead https://web.archive.org/web/20030510172143/http://www.110sport.com/snooker/cont/art/na03304.php 10 May 2003 7 February 2020 saying afterwards: "On a number of occasions fortune smiled on me, and that's something you need against a top player like Ronnie."Dee John https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A77243287/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=23e9cad0 Ebdon pots O'Sullivan 16 August 2001 The Daily Telegraph 7 February 2020 Gale OneFile: News subscription Breaks of 70, 118, 70 and 74 in 64 minutes allowed Doherty to maintain his 100 per cent win record at the event with a 5–1 victory against White.http://www.110sport.com/snooker/cont/art/na03309.php Doherty Storms into Last Four Hendon David 15 August 2001 110Sport dead https://web.archive.org/web/20030828105031/http://www.110sport.com/snooker/cont/art/na03309.php 28 August 2003 7 February 2020 Group B thumb|right|Mark Williams (pictured in 2015) advanced from Group B to the semi-finals. World number three John Higgins won 5–4 over two-time Champions Cup runner-up Mark Williams. Higgins led 3–0 until Williams tied him 3–3; the former missed a straightforward black for a 5–3 victory. Williams won frame eight on the pink but was unable to convert a 36–0 score into a win. Higgins said the result was possibly due to nervousness.http://worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/articleshow.asp?articleID=272&category=25 Midnight Cowboy Higgins Guns Down Williams 12 August 2001 World Snooker dead https://web.archive.org/web/20010825112509/http://worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/articleshow.asp?articleID=272&category=25 25 August 2001 6 February 2020 Tournament debutant Paul Hunter won 5–4 over the 1999 Champions Cup winner Stephen Hendry to requite a loss to Hendry at the 2001 world championship. Hendry failed to take a 3–2 lead because he missed the black while 66–0 in front and Hunter took frame five with a 70 clearance. Hunter claimed two of the next three frames to win.https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A77132070/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=5e37961f Hendry frets over future as losing run continues McHenry Bruce 13 August 2001 The Scotsman 6 February 2020 7 Gale OneFile: News subscription After breaks of 53, 52 and 72, Hendry lost for the second time in a row when match-long leader Williams defeated him 5–3 from two half-centuries. The result required Hendry to win his game against fellow Scot Higgins to qualify for the semi-finals.https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A77171243/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=0bf78f16 Snooker: Hendry in trouble following Williams setback Burnside Colin 14 August 2001 The Independent 6 February 2020 21 Gale General OneFile subscription Higgins qualified for the semi-finals with a 5–3 win over Hunter.Dee John https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A77219773/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=e89315c6 Higgins finds form 15 August 2001 The Daily Telegraph 7 February 2020 Gale OneFile: News subscription A 97 break won Hunter frame one before Higgins took the next two with breaks of 68 and 71 to accumulate 189 points without reply. Higgins took a 4–2 lead from breaks of 64 and 50, to which Hunter made a 95 break before Higgins sealed the win on a 74–43 scoreline.https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A77221950/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=40f908fe Snooker Higgins breezes past Hunter into last four 15 August 2001 The Birmingham Post 7 February 2020 27 Gale OneFile: News subscription Williams defeated Hunter for the sixth straight time by 5–2. The first two frames were shared before Williams took the next two. Hunter took frame six with a 33 clearance and Williams the next two to advance to the semi-finals.http://worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/articleshow.asp?articleID=283&category=25 Williams Hits Hunter For Six 16 August 2001 World Snooker dead https://web.archive.org/web/20020208055602/http://worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/articleshow.asp?articleID=283&category=25 8 February 2002 7 February 2020 Breaks of 92, 79, 98 and 56 allowed Hendry to defeat Higgins 5–4 and avoid finishing last in Group B. Higgins said he would attempt to play "110 per cent harder next time out" and was relieved to play Doherty the following day.Yates Phil https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A77294765/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=9d3f2ba5 Defeated Higgins vows to try harder next time; Snooker 17 August 2001 The Times 7 February 2020 9 Gale Academic OneFile subscription Knockout stages Semi-finals Both of the semi-finals were held to the best-of-nine frames on 17 to 18 August.http://www.worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/draw.asp?categoryID=25 Match Schedule: Champions Cup 2001 World Snooker dead https://web.archive.org/web/20010825122320/http://worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/draw.asp?categoryID=25 25 August 2001 7 February 2020 The first semi-final saw Higgins play Doherty. Higgins won the first frame with an 80 break; he was unable to complete a maximum break after he failed to pot the black into a centre pocket. A reply break of 54 from Doherty in frame two was followed by breaks of 56 and 57 from Higgins in the next frame.http://worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/articleshow.asp?articleID=285&category=25 Higgins Books Weekend in Brighton 17 August 2001 World Snooker dead https://web.archive.org/web/20020208062123/http://worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/articleshow.asp?articleID=285&category=25 8 February 2002 7 February 2020 Higgins won the fourth frame with a 59 clearance after coming from a 32–9 deficit.Yates Phil https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A77302220/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=fa9a8799 Higgins confirms early promise; Snooker 18 August 2001 The Times 7 February 2020 37 Gale Academic OneFile subscription He opened up a 4–1 advantage without making any major errors, before Doherty took frame six after Higgins missed the pink into the top left-hand pocket. Doherty made a 43 break in the eighth frame before he potted an incorrect ball and allowed Higgins to produce a 48 clearance to the brown ball for a 5–2 win. Higgins said he was happy to reach the final; Doherty said he was not too unsatisfied in defeat because of his form during the competition. The other semi-final was between Williams and Ebdon. Breaks of 61 and 104 in 43 minutes gave Williams a 3–0 lead;http://worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/articleshow.asp?articleID=287&category=25 Williams Worries About Final Countdown 18 August 2001 World Snooker dead https://web.archive.org/web/20020207234345/http://worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/articleshow.asp?articleID=287&category=25 7 February 2002 7 February 2020 Ebdon was required to concede the third frame with one red on the table.Everton Clive https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A77305451/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=3402c04d Snooker: Williams battles into the final frame 19 August 2001 The Independent on Sunday 7 February 2020 17 Gale General OneFile subscription Ebdon avoided a whitewash by winning the fourth frame on a re-spotted black to the top right-hand pocket.http://www.embassysnooker.com/news/557.htm Williams Through To Third Champions Final Dee John 18 August 2001 Embassy Snooker dead https://web.archive.org/web/20010905230158/http://www.embassysnooker.com/news/557.htm 5 September 2001 7 February 2002 Two breaks of 30 won Ebdon frame five before Williams took a 5–2 victory from breaks of 52 and 63. It was the third consecutive year that Williams had made the final of the Champions Cup and his 14th in any tournament in the last 25 months. Williams said he would like to win the tournament and was aware of his record in the finals: "I'm a bit cheesed off by it all. However as long as I play OK, I'm happy with that." Ebdon praised Williams' form and said he had not taken chances: "Winning the fourth frame on the black gave me a chance but it proved academic in the end." Final thumb|right|upright|alt=John Higgins facing the photographer | John Higgins (pictured in 2008) won his first and only Champions Cup. The best-of-13 frames final between Higgins and Williams was played on 19 August. A century break of 100 and a clearance of 41 to the blue gave Williams a 2–0 lead after Higgins missed a safety shot.http://worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/articleshow.asp?articleID=288&category=25 Great Scot Higgins Shows Champion Class 19 August 2001 World Snooker dead https://web.archive.org/web/20020207234058/http://worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/articleshow.asp?articleID=288&category=25 7 February 2002 7 February 2020 After Williams missed the black in frame three, Higgins made a 75 break and won the fourth when Williams went in-off on the last red and the yellow while on a break of 56. Williams then restored a two-frame lead in the sixth after breaks of 124 and 34.Dee John Champions Title For Higgins http://www.embassysnooker.com/news/558.htm Embassy Snooker 19 August 2001 7 February 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20010821105329/http://www.embassysnooker.com/news/558.htm 21 August 2001 deadhttp://www.worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/analysismatch.asp?matchno=15 Match By Match Statistical Analysis: Match Number 15 World Snooker dead https://web.archive.org/web/20011105071141/http://www.worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/analysismatch.asp?matchno=15 5 November 2001 7 February 2020 Midway in frame seven, Williams failed to pot the black from its position and Higgins was able to claim the frame.Yates Phil Higgins fights back to deflate Williams; Snooker https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A77340337/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=83d9d7d7 The Times 20 August 2001 7 February 2020 7 Gale Academic OneFile subscription Clearances of 109 in frame eight and a 67 to the pink in the ninth gave Higgins the lead. In the tenth frame, a 69 break from Williams ended with five reds left on the table. Higgins required a snooker and obtained it to achieve a 35 clearance from the final red to the pink to go two frames ahead.Everton Clive https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A77318050/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=6e9e8a4d Sport in brief: Snooker 20 August 2001 The Guardian 7 February 2020 28 Clive Everton Gale General OneFile subscription Williams could not get out of a snooker from behind the yellow during frame 11. This allowed Higgins to make a clearance from the yellow to the pink and claim a 7–4 victory for the tournament. It was Higgins' first Champions Cup title, and his 21st in professional play. The result meant Williams had lost in the final of the tournament for the third year in a row; he had lost 7–5 to Hendry in the 1999 final and by the same scoreline to O'Sullivan one year later. Higgins earned £100,000 for winning the tournament. He said of his victory: "It was a cracking match and it's a great way to start the season. I'm delighted with the way I played and even when I was bang under pressure I managed to hold myself together really well." He added that he was able to win due to his clearance, and had the opinion there were several high-quality players who could challenge over time. Williams said he was disappointed with the result: "I tried my guts out to win and blew it. This is the most sick I've felt after losing a match for five or six years." He noted that he had a potential 5–2 lead and praised Higgins' play: "It was meant to be his day." Results The players highlighted in bold text in the table indicate who progressed to the semi-finals. Players in bold to the right of the tables denote match winners.Layton Eric Cuesport Book of Professional Snooker 1802001 Champions Cup http://www.worldofsnooker.co.uk/invitational/champcup01.htm World of Snooker 13 November 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20020623132807/http://www.worldofsnooker.co.uk/invitational/champcup01.htm 23 June 2002 dead Group A +Group A final tableSE SeedPOS Final positionPlayerMP Matches playedMW Matches wonFW Frames wonFL Frames lostFD Frame deficitPTS Points41{{flagathlete|Ken Doherty|IRL}} 33157+8352{{flagathlete|Peter Ebdon|ENG}} 32129+3213Ronnie O'Sullivan ENG 311013−3184Jimmy White ENG 30715−80 IRL Ken Doherty 5–2 Peter Ebdon ENG ENG Ronnie O'Sullivan 5–3 Jimmy White ENG ENG Peter Ebdon 5–3 Jimmy White ENG IRL Ken Doherty 5–4 Ronnie O'Sullivan ENG IRL Ken Doherty 5–1 Jimmy White ENG ENG Peter Ebdon 5–1 Ronnie O'Sullivan ENG Group B +Group B final tableSE SeedPOS Final positionPlayerMP Matches playedMW Matches wonFW Frames wonFL Frames lostFD Frame deficitPTS Points21Mark Williams snooker player WAL 321410+4232John Higgins SCO 321412+2263Stephen Hendry SCO311114−3174Paul Hunter ENG311013−31 WAL Mark Williams 5–2 Paul Hunter ENG SCO Stephen Hendry 5–4 John Higgins SCO ENG Paul Hunter 5–3 Stephen Hendry SCO SCO John Higgins 5–4 Mark Williams WAL SCO John Higgins 5–3 Paul Hunter ENG WAL Mark Williams 5–3 Stephen Hendry SCO Knockout draw Numbers to the left of the players' name are the tournament seedings. Players in bold indicate match winners. Semi-finalsBest of 9 frames FinalBest of 13 frames 4 IRL Ken Doherty 2 3 SCO John Higgins 5 2 WAL Mark Williams 5 5 ENG Peter Ebdon 2 3 SCO John Higgins 7 2 WAL Mark Williams 4 Final Scores in bold denote each of the winning frame scores and the winning player. Breaks over 50 are displayed in brackets. Final: Best of 13 framesBrighton Centre, Brighton, England, 19 August 20012001 Champions Cup http://www.azbilliards.com/snooker/2001-02/01championscup.html dead https://web.archive.org/web/20030517091519/http://www.azbilliards.com/snooker/2001-02/01championscup.html 17 May 2003 11 October 2020 AZBilliardsJohn Higgins (3) 7–4Mark Williams (2)0–100 (100), 22–71 (41), 75–5 (75), 65–33, 0–124 (124), 55–72 (34, 40), 80–47 (47), 127–0 (109), 71–56 (67), 70–69 (69, 35), 65–37109 Highest break1241 Century breaks23 50+ breaks4 Century breaks The 2001 Champions Cup featured a total of eight century breaks. The highest break of 130 was recorded by Peter Ebdon in the third frame of his Group A match against Ronnie O'Sullivan,http://worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/news.asp?categoryID=25 Latest Results World Snooker dead https://web.archive.org/web/20011215151635/http://worldsnooker.com/snooker_media_centre/champions/news.asp?categoryID=25 15 December 2001 7 February 2020 which earned him £5,000 prize money. 130, 100 Peter Ebdon 124, 104, 100 Mark Williams 118 Ken Doherty 112 Jimmy White 109 John Higgins References 30em Category:Champions Cup (snooker) Category:2001 in snooker Category:2001 in English sport Category:August 2001 sports events in the United Kingdom