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.
2018 World Snooker Championship 2018 World Snooker Championship The 2018 World Snooker Championship (also referred to as the 2018 Betfred World Snooker Championship for the purposes of sponsorship) was a professional snooker tournament, held from 21 April to 7 May 2018 at in Sheffield, England. It was the 42nd consecutive year that the World Snooker Championship had been held at the Crucible and was the twentieth and final ranking event of the 2017/2018 season. The tournament was broadcast in Europe by the BBC and Eurosport. Mark Williams won his third world title and 21st ranking title by beating John Higgins 18–16 in the final.