World Snooker Championship successive title. There were 48 century breaks during the final stages, a new record. In the first round of 1997 championship Ronnie O'Sullivan made the fastest maximum break in snooker history, taking just 5 minutes and 20 seconds. The final was between Stephen Hendry and Irishman Ken Doherty. Doherty led 15–7 before Hendry won 5 frames in a row. Doherty then won the next three frames to win 18–12, ending Hendry's winning run of 29 consecutive matches. Stephen Hendry lost to Jimmy White in the first round of the 1998 championship. Doherty reached the final again meeting 22-year-old John Higgins.
2012 World Snooker Championship 2012 World Snooker Championship The 2012 World Snooker Championship (also referred to as the 2012 Betfred.com World Snooker Championship for the purposes of sponsorship) was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place from 21 April to 7 May 2012 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England. It was the 36th consecutive year that the World Snooker Championship had been held at the Crucible and the last ranking event of the 2011/2012 season. Ronnie O'Sullivan won his fourth world title by defeating Ali Carter 18–11 in the final. Aged 36, and just 55 days older than Dennis Taylor when winning