The Great Paul Hunter – Ronnie O’Sullivan, Jimmy White and John Higgins on snooker’s timeless young Master, 20 years after his death

The Great Paul Hunter – Ronnie O’Sullivan, Jimmy White and John Higgins on snooker’s timeless young Master, 20 years after his death

 

Twenty years after his death, Paul Hunter remains one of snooker’s most enduring figures – not just for what he achieved, but for what he represented. Stylish, fearless and blessed with a rare big-match aura, Hunter’s impact still echoes through the sport, especially among those who shared the table with him at snooker’s highest level.

For Ronnie O’Sullivan, Paul Hunter was always more than a gifted contemporary. He saw a player who belonged on the biggest stages, someone who thrived under pressure and embraced the spotlight rather than shrinking from it. Hunter’s three Masters titles, all won before the age of 25, told their own story. He didn’t just win tournaments – he owned them. O’Sullivan has often spoken of Hunter’s natural confidence and his ability to raise his game when the stakes were highest, a quality only the very best possess.

Jimmy White, a man who understands flair and crowd connection better than most, admired Hunter’s presence as much as his potting. Hunter had a way of making snooker look glamorous. With his sharp suits, blond hair and movie-star looks, he brought a fresh image to the game at the turn of the millennium. But White was always clear that the style was backed up by substance. Hunter could scrap when needed, stay calm when frames tightened, and deliver under brutal pressure – something White knew was essential to win hearts as well as matches.

John Higgins, perhaps the most clinical of the three, respected Hunter for a different reason: his competitiveness. Higgins has spoken of how difficult Hunter was to put away, particularly in big matches. There was a resilience about him, an inner steel that made him dangerous even when he wasn’t playing his best. Hunter’s famous comeback against Ronnie O’Sullivan in the 2004 Masters final, overturning a 9–7 deficit to win 10–9, remains one of the tournament’s defining moments – and a testament to his nerve.

Beyond trophies and highlights, it is Hunter’s courage away from the table that has deepened his legacy. Diagnosed with cancer at just 27, he faced his illness with the same dignity and determination that defined his snooker career. His openness, positivity and refusal to be defined by his condition left a lasting impression on the entire sporting world.

Two decades on, Paul Hunter is still spoken of in the present tense. He is remembered not as a “what if”, but as a champion who burned brightly, changed perceptions and left the game richer for his presence. For O’Sullivan, White and Higgins – three giants of the sport – Hunter was one of their own: a rival, a friend, and above all, a great player.

Paul Hunter didn’t just win titles. He won respect. And that, in snooker, lasts forever.