Paul Hunter loses fight against cancer

[ONO]

Paul Hunter has died at the age of 27 after a battle with cancer.

The Leeds player was taken into the Kirkwood Hospice in Huddersfield last Friday and died on Monday evening.

The three-time Masters champion was diagnosed with dozens of neuro endocrine tumours on the lining of his stomach in March 2005.

Despite chemotherapy treatment, Hunter continued to compete professionally but won only one match last season and fell from fifth to 34th in the rankings.

Hunter turned professional at the age of 16 in 1995 and won his first major title, the 1998 Welsh Open, at the age of 19.

He also won the Welsh title in 2002 and picked up the British Open trophy the same year.

But he will be best remembered for his exploits at Wembley.

Hunter recovered from 7-3 down to beat Fergal O'Brien 10-9 in the 2001 final and fought back from 5-0 down to beat Mark Williams 10-9 in the final a year later.

He completed a hat-trick of Masters victories in 2004 when he came from 7-2 down to beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-9.

Hunter's best World Championship performance was reaching the semi-finals in 2003, where he led Ken Doherty 15-9 before the Irishman stormed back to win 17-16.

Hunter would have been 28 on Saturday. He leaves a wife, Lindsey, and a daughter, Evie Rose, who was born on Boxing Day of last year.

[Iain76er]

That is awful. I liked him.

RIP Paul Hunter.

Edited October 9, 2006 by Iain76er

[Liam]

That is.....just terrible news.

I'm really sad about that....shit.

RIP Paul Hunter

[NobBe Nobbs]

Fuck, that's awful. He was so young as well, and he had a baby daughter. Rest in peace.

[Gareth7]

He seemed like a nice genuine guy in interviews I saw with him, thoughts go out to his family R.I.P

[The Kraig]

What the fuck? I never even knew he had cancer. He was the only snooker player I actually liked.

This fucking sucks.

[AntPaulseno]

Fuck, this is terrible. He was making good progress earlier in the year aswell.

RIP Paul, you shall be missed...

[ONO]

How many people can say they sat beside Paul Hunter during a snooker match? Sure, it was only an exhibition. That makes me smile. He had no qualms whatsoever with it, others would have told me to fuck off.

It's incredibly unfair. A 27 year old man, with a wife and daughter, everything going for him, and we have cunts like Ian Huntley sitting in prison cells listening to audio tapes of children being abused. Fucking hell.

Sad thing is I actually thought he had beat it.

Edited October 9, 2006 by Lost Soul

[Adam]

R.I.P Paul Hunter

Its a really, really big shame, i liked him, i didnt know he had cancer, and to die so, so young, such a damn shame

[figos]

RIP Paul

[Scott McFly]

Jeez man, I didn't even know he had cancer! This is shit. 27 years old? Fucking hell. This is really just shit.

RIP Paul.

[LK.]

I'm shocked. I thought he was on the mend. Condolences go out to his family and friends.

This is terrible.

RIP Paul.

[Sir Alan LCSugar]

I saw him play twice, once before it struck him and once after, the change was incredible. However, as many others, I thought he'd beaten it and was over the worst. A great player and a great man. R.I.P, Paul, you will be missed.

[LexChaney]

Wow that's pretty sad i thought he was actualy getting a little better.

My Condolences to his family and friends as well as fan's.

Rip Paul Hunter

[DFF]

RIP man. That's all I have to say.