Gerard Greene

Infobox Snooker player
Name = Gerard Greene


Caption = Gerard Greene
Born = Birth date and age|1973|11|12|df=y
Birthplace = Kent
Died =
Deathplace =
Nationality = flagicon|Northern Ireland Northern Irish
Nickname =
Professional = 1993–
High ranking = #26 (03/04)
Current rank = #33
Prize money = GB£392,045
High break = 143 (B&H Masters 2000)
Best finish = Semi-finals:
Grand Prix, 2007.
Ranking wins =
Other wins =
World champ =

Gerard Greene (born 12 November 1973 in Kent, England) is a left-handed Northern Irish professional snooker player, who has represented Northern Ireland in international events (the Nations Cup in 2000 and 2001), as his parents are from Belfast. He lives in Rainham in Kent. He has enjoyed moderate success in his career; 2007-2008 is his second season ranked among the top 32 in the world, and his 6th in the top 48. He has reached one ranking semi-final (the 2007 Grand Prix) and four quarter-finals.

He has qualified for the World Championship three times without winning a match at the Crucible Theatre, although he has twice drawn the defending champion - (John Higgins in 1999 and Peter Ebdon in 2003). The other time he qualified was in 2005 where he lost 10-9 to Steve Davis .

He had an extraordinary match in the 1996 Grand Prix, going in-off on the final black to decide the frame three times (thus losing all 3 frames) in a 5-0 defeat to Davis, who called him "the unluckiest man in the snooker world".

Career

Early career

Greene turned pro and joined the professional ranks in 1993/94 at the age of 20. In 1995/96 he got to the latter stages of three events and was up 38 places to 72nd in the World Rankings. He also managed to win one of the WPBSA Tour non-ranking events, the Polish Masters. In 1997 he got to his first ranking Quarter-final in the UK Snooker Championship by beating Ian Burmby 6-5 in the first round, Steve Davis 6-2 in the second round, Andy Hicks 9-6 in the third round, and Gary Ponting 9-6 in the last 16, taking him to the Quarter-finals where he lost 6-9 to Ronnie O'Sullivan.

2003/04

He started the 2003/04 season in superb form reaching the British Open quarter final and the last 32 of the UK Championship beating Joe Swail 9-4 in the first round, then losing 9-7 to Matthew Stevens. He also reached the last 32 of the LG Cup. He was briefly provisionally in the top 16 but then suffered a mid season slump. Things picked up a little later in the campaign and he was assured of a place in the top 32 for the first time at number 26, and overtook Swail to become the number one player from Northern Ireland.

2004/05

He then had some problems with his cue and his form suffered during the 2004/5 season when he failed in all but two of the ranking events, and despite reaching the Irish Masters quarter final he found himself back down to 38th in the rankings.

2006/07

He returned to the top 32 after 2006/2007, the highlight being a run to the last 16 of the Northern Ireland Trophy.

2007/08

He reached his first ranking semi-final at the 2007 Grand Prix. Greene came through Group B which included Ronnie O'Sullivan, Steve Davis, Dominic Dale and qualifiers Tom Ford and Mark Joyce. He beat Davis and Dale 4-0, Ford 4-3 and Joyce 4-2, his only defeat coming at the hands of Ronnie O'Sullivan, 4-2. He defeated qualifier Ricky Walden 5-0 in the last 16 with breaks of 101 and 91. In his Quarter-Final he faced Joe Perry, who he defeated 5-3 with breaks of 68, 57, 123 and rounding of the match with a 53. Eventual champion Marco Fu edged him out 6-5 in the semi-final. For a while before this tournament, he had no snooker club to practice in. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/7051299.stm BBC SPORT | Other Sport... | Snooker | Higgins angry after defeat by Fu ] ] .

Showing his best form for years, he also reached the Quarter-final of the 2007 Northern Ireland Trophy, beating Liang Wenbo (5-2) in the first round. Then he beat former World Champions Mark J Williams (5-3) and Ken Doherty (5-1) on the way. His run ended in the hands of Mark Allen, who he lost to 5-3. He lost form in 2008 however, failing to qualify for the World Championship after a 2-10 defeat to journeyman Mark Davis.

2008/09

His 2008/09 season got off to an average start having qualified for the Northen Ireland Trophy beating Martin Gould 5-3 in his one qualifining match. Having made the televised stages he played Ken Doherty but lost 5-2.

Best tournament achievements

emi-finals:

*Grand Prix - 2007

Quarter-finals:

*Northern Ireland Trophy - 2007
*British Open - 2003
*LG Cup - 2002
*UK Championship - 1997

Best performances

* Q/Finals - 2007 Northern Ireland Trophy
* S/Finals - 2007 Grand Prix
* Last 16 - 2006 Northern Ireland Trophy
* Last 16 - 2005 Grand Prix
* Last 32 - 2005 Embassy World Championship
* Last 32 - 2003 UK Snooker Championship
* Q/Finals - 2003 British Open
* Last 32 - 2003 Embassy World Championship
* Q/Finals - 2002 LG Cup
* Last 16 - 2000 UK Snooker Championship
* Last 32 - 1999 Embassy World Championship
* Last 32 - 1999 Welsh Open
* Last 32 - 1998 Irish Open
* Q/Finals - 1997 UK Snooker Championship

Other wins

* WPBSA Polish Masters - 1996

References

External links

* [http://www.worldsnooker.com/player_list-8893.htm World Snooker profile]
* [http://www.globalsnookercentre.co.uk/files/Players/Global_Europe/Global_Ireland/ni_gerard_greene.htm Key results up to 2003]