Ranking: The Top 10 Greatest Players of All-time(Radio Times).

A surefire way to get any sports fan excited is by presenting a top 10 list of the best players, and snooker is no exception. No matter how well thought out the criteria, personal preferences will always influence opinions on who should be included and in what order.

While the number of World Championship victories is a significant measure in snooker, it isn’t the only factor.

Joe Davis was a trailblazer in the sport, winning the first 15 World Championships around the time of World War II, while Ray Reardon claimed six world titles during the 1970s.

Alex Higgins then brought snooker into the modern era with his flamboyant style, leaving an undeniable legacy.

However, their greatest achievements took place in different eras when top-level competition was more limited.

It’s debatable whether they could compete with today’s snooker stars, who are often considered the toughest due to their overall skill level.

Other important factors include the number of professional titles won, highest ranking positions, and sustained success at the top of the game.

RadioTimes.com has ranked the 10 greatest snooker players of all time.

10. Jimmy White

In a close contest, Jimmy White narrowly surpasses Chinese legend Ding Junhui. White, a six-time World Championship runner-up, would likely rank higher had a few of those finals in Sheffield gone his way. Throughout his rollercoaster career, he became arguably the most popular player in the sport. The former world number two secured 10 ranking titles and numerous invitational events, including the Masters in 1984 and the World Matchplay twice.

9. Shaun Murphy

What sets Shaun Murphy apart from Jimmy White and Ding Junhui is his World Championship victory in 2005. Beyond that, “The Magician” has secured nearly all of the sport’s most prestigious titles. He has triumphed in the Masters, the UK Championship, the Champion of Champions, and most recently, the 2023 Tour Championship, where he arguably played his best snooker ever.

8. Neil Robertson

For nearly two decades, Neil Robertson has been one of the most consistent and successful players on the main tour. It’s puzzling to many that he has only claimed the World Championship trophy once. Nonetheless, the Australian has won the UK Championship three times, the Masters and Champion of Champions twice, and, as a former world number one, has amassed over 20 ranking titles in his career.

7. Judd Trump

In 2023, Judd Trump became only the fifth player in snooker history to win three ranking titles consecutively. By the end of his career, he is likely to challenge the all-time record for career ranking victories. Hyped since childhood, Trump’s achievements have been remarkable, and he dominated the sport as the world number one from 2019 to 2021. However, to climb higher on this list, the Bristol potter will need to add to his World Championship tally, which, like Murphy and Robertson, currently stands at just one.

6. Mark Williams

Mark Williams might downplay his own success, but the Welshman’s accomplishments in snooker are undeniable. As a three-time world champion, Williams has secured seven Triple Crown titles, which include the World Championship, UK Championship, and the prestigious Masters. In the early 2000s, he was virtually unbeatable in the major events. Still performing at a high level, he won the British Open in 2023 at the age of 48.

5. Mark Selby

Between 2014 and 2021, Mark Selby won four of the eight World Championships held at the Crucible Theatre. Known for his mastery of brinkmanship, the Leicester player has built a reputation as one of the toughest competitors to beat. Sustained dominance in snooker has been rare in recent decades, but Selby’s achievement of finishing seven consecutive seasons as the world number one during one of the sport’s most competitive eras in the 2010s speaks volumes.

4. John Higgins

Many would rank John Higgins even higher, but he takes fourth place in this top 10 best snooker players of all time list. The Scot has competed in eight World Championship finals, winning four. Even as he approaches his 50s, Higgins remains a formidable player, renowned for having arguably the greatest all-round game. A former world number one with nine Triple Crown titles, he has accumulated an impressive total of 31 ranking trophies.

3. Steve Davis

During the peak of snooker’s popularity in the United Kingdom in the 1980s, Davis reigned supreme with six World Championship victories. Holding the top spot for the majority of the decade, he amassed over 80 professional titles throughout his illustrious career, which included six UK Championships and three Masters titles.

2. Stephen Hendry

While Davis asserted his dominance in the 1980s, Hendry elevated the game to new levels throughout the 1990s. Known as the King of the Crucible, he appeared in nearly every World Championship final from 1990 to 1999, clinching an unprecedented seven titles in Sheffield. Hendry also showcased his prowess at the Masters, a competition reserved for the top 16 ranked players, by securing victory in his first five appearances. Not content with merely winning, Hendry aimed to utterly dismantle his adversaries.

1. Ronnie O’Sullivan

Any lingering uncertainty dissipated when the Rocket equaled Hendry’s seven world titles in 2022. With the highest number of Triple Crown trophies, ranking titles, century breaks, and undoubtedly the most exceptional natural talent witnessed in the sport, Ronnie O’Sullivan stands as the ultimate snooker player of all time. His enduring career has seen him claim major titles across four decades, and even in 2023, he retained the top spot as the world’s number one snooker player.

GET MORE FROM HERE