2002 World Snooker Championship 2002 World Snooker Championship The 2002 World Snooker Championship (also referred to as the 2002 Embassy World Snooker Championship for the purposes of sponsorship) was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 20 April and 6 May 2002 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England. Ronnie O'Sullivan was the defending champion, but he lost in the semi-finals 13 frames to 17 against Stephen Hendry and became another first time champion who fell to the Crucible curse and could not defend his first World title. Peter Ebdon won his only world title by defeating seven-time World Champion Hendry 18–17
1972 World Snooker Championship 1972 World Snooker Championship The 1972 World Snooker Championship (also known as 1972 Park Drive World Snooker Championship for sponsorship reasons) was a professional snooker tournament that took place between March 1971 and 26 February 1972. In a preliminary competition the eight qualifiers were reduced to two, and they joined the eight other entrants in the competition proper. Those in the qualifying section included Alex Higgins, who became the first champion who played qualifying matches, and four former amateur champions, Ron Gross, Maurice Parkin, Pat Houlihan and Geoff Thompson. This was the first time the event was sponsored by Park