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Ray Reardon

Male; Wales (Wales); Born: 8 Oct 1932 (92 years) Died: 19 Jul 2024 (0 years)
Status: Amateur; First season as pro: 1967; Last season as pro: 1990; Ranking wins: 5; Best performance: World Champion '70, '73, '74, '75, '76, '78

Other sources: CueTracker
Other: The first player to be ranked 'world number one' when world rankings were introduced during the 1976-77 season, he held the position for the next five years. He regained the top-ranking position in 1982, after which his form declined and he dropped out of the elite top-16 ranked players after the 1986-87 season. He remained one of snooker's top players into his 50s, setting several records. In 1978, Reardon became the oldest world snooker champion, aged 45 years and 203 days, a record that lasted until 2022 when Ronnie O'Sullivan won his seventh world title at the age of 46 years and 148 days. Reardon remains the oldest player to win a ranking event, which he accomplished in 1982, aged 50 years and 14 days. He retired from professional competition in 1991, aged 58. He never achieved a maximum break in tournament play; his highest break in competition was 146.

1990/1991
World Championship Qual (22 Mar - 1 Apr 1991)
Q Rd 2 Northern Ireland Jason Prince (a) 10-5 Wales Ray Reardon (a)  
1988/1989
Classic (1-15 Jan 1989)
Rd 2 Scotland Stephen Hendry (a) 5-4 Wales Ray Reardon (a)  
Rd 1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-1 Australia Eddie Charlton (a) Head to head
Grand Prix (10-23 Oct 1988)
Q Rd 2 Canada Mario Morra (a) 5-4 Wales Ray Reardon (a)  
1987/1988
Classic (1-10 Jan 1988)
Rd 1 Canada Cliff Thorburn (a) 5-3 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
Grand Prix (17-25 Oct 1987)
Rd 1 Northern Ireland Dennis Taylor (a) 5-1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
1986/1987
World Championship (18 Apr - 4 May 1987)
Rd 2 England Steve Davis (a) 13-4 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
Rd 1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 10-5 England Barry West (a)  
Masters (25 Jan - 1 Feb 1987)
Rd 1 England Joe Johnson (a) 5-2 Wales Ray Reardon (a)  
Grand Prix (18-26 Oct 1986)
Rd 1 Canada Bob Chaperon (a) 5-3 Wales Ray Reardon (a)  
1985/1986
World Championship (19 Apr - 5 May 1986)
Rd 1 Australia John Campbell (a) 10-8 Wales Ray Reardon (a)  
Masters (26 Jan - 2 Feb 1986)
Rd 1 England Willie Thorne (a) 5-4 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
Grand Prix (19-27 Oct 1985)
Rd 1 England George Scott (a) 5-4 Wales Ray Reardon (a)  
1984/1985
World Championship (12-28 Apr 1985)
SF England Steve Davis (a) 16-5 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
QF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 13-12 England John Parrott (a)  
Rd 2 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 13-9 Ireland Patsy Fagan (a) Head to head
Rd 1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 10-9 Ireland Eugene Hughes (a) Head to head
Masters (27 Jan - 3 Feb 1985)
QF Canada Cliff Thorburn (a) 5-0 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
Rd 1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-1 England David Taylor (a) Head to head
Classic (4-13 Jan 1985)
QF England Daniel Stevenson (a) 5-1 Wales Ray Reardon (a)  
Rd 1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-1 Ireland Eugene Hughes (a) Head to head
Grand Prix (20-28 Oct 1984)
Rd 3 Northern Ireland Dennis Taylor (a) 5-3 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
Rd 2 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-4 Wales Cliff Wilson (a)  
Rd 1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-1 Wales Colin Roscoe (a)  
1983/1984
World Championship (21 Apr - 7 May 1984)
QF Canada Kirk Stevens (a) 13-2 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
Rd 2 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 13-8 South Africa Silvino Francisco (a) Head to head
Rd 1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 10-7 Canada Jim Wych (a)  
Masters (22-29 Jan 1984)
QF England Jimmy White (a) 5-3 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
Rd 1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-3 England John Virgo (a) Head to head
Professional Players Tournament (10-21 Oct 1983)
Rd 3 England Willie Thorne (a) 5-3 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
Rd 2 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-2 England Steve Duggan (a)  
Rd 1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-4 Australia George Ganim (a)  
1982/1983
World Championship (16 Apr - 2 May 1983)
Rd 2 England Tony Knowles (a) 13-12 Wales Ray Reardon (a)  
Rd 1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 10-7 Ireland Eugene Hughes (a) Head to head
Masters (23-30 Jan 1983)
Final Canada Cliff Thorburn (a) 9-7 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head

85-21 (60), 88-30, 1-77, 74-24 (59), 29-63, 57-25, 50-61, 72-44, 97-31, 66-28, 58-69, 74-68 (CT 69, RR 54), 34-88 (65), 4-113 (113), 39-76, 77-19 (56)

Referee: John Smyth
SF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 6-3 Wales Doug Mountjoy (a) Head to head
QF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-2 England Jimmy White (a) Head to head
Rd 1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-1 England Dean Reynolds (a)  
Classic (9-16 Jan 1983)
Rd 1 England John Spencer (a) 5-3 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
Professional Players Tournament (11-22 Oct 1982)
Final Wales Ray Reardon (a) 10-5 England Jimmy White (a) Head to head

50-66; 46-59; 90-28 (53); 74-60 (White 56); 133-0 (132); 9-80; 80-15 (72); 66-7; 29-91 (62); 90-0 (53); 57-66; 69-2; 76-23; 93-17; 60-52

Reardon became the oldest winner of a ranking event at the age of 50 years and 14 days. As of 2024, he remains as the oldest winner of a ranking event.

SF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 10-7 Australia Eddie Charlton (a) Head to head
QF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-3 Canada Bill Werbeniuk (a) Head to head
Rd 3 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-2 Scotland Murdo MacLeod (a)  
Rd 2 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-2 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head
Rd 1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-0 Northern Ireland Tommy Murphy (a)  
1981/1982
World Championship (30 Apr - 16 May 1982)
Final Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 18-15 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
Reardon, a six-time champion, had never lost in the world championship final. It was Higgins's fourth world final following his win in 1972 and his losing appearances in the 1976 and 1980 finals.

Session 1:
61-41, 31-64, 47-84 (64), 121-0 (118), 53-64, 30-77, 55-65, 87-28

Session 2:
89-8, 8-76, 56-47, 91-22 (51), 29-69, 96-4 (66), 71-36 (58), 94-14, 73-13

Session 3:
22-122 (95), 13-81, 77-38, 78-31, 40-69, 36-79, 71-31, 37-52

Session 4:
115-14, 70-61 (54), 49-84 (53), 36-69, 58-60, 79-0, 112-9 (73), 139-0 (135)

Referee: John Smyth.
SF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 16-11 Australia Eddie Charlton (a) Head to head
QF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 13-8 South Africa Silvino Francisco (a) Head to head
Rd 2 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 13-8 England John Virgo (a) Head to head
Rd 1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 10-5 Scotland Jim Donnelly (a)  
Masters (26-31 Jan 1982)
QF Wales Terry Griffiths (a) 5-3 Wales Ray Reardon (a)  
Rd 1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-3 Northern Ireland Dennis Taylor (a) Head to head
Classic (10-13 Jan 1982)
SF England Steve Davis (a) 5-4 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
QF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-1 England David Taylor (a) Head to head
1980/1981
World Championship (7-20 Apr 1981)
SF Wales Doug Mountjoy (a) 16-10 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
QF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 13-10 Canada Bill Werbeniuk (a) Head to head
Rd 2 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 13-11 England John Spencer (a) Head to head
Masters (2-8 Feb 1981)
QF England John Spencer (a) 5-1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
Classic (1-2 Dec 1980)
SF Northern Ireland Dennis Taylor (a) 2-0 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
QF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 2-0 England John Spencer (a) Head to head
Champion of Champions Group B (2-11 Oct 1980)
Grp Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-4 Northern Ireland Dennis Taylor (a) Head to head
Grp Wales Ray Reardon (a) 7-2 Canada Kirk Stevens (a) Head to head
Grp England John Virgo (a) 5-4 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
Grp England Steve Davis (a) 5-4 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
1979/1980
World Championship (22-5 May 1980)
QF England David Taylor (a) 13-11 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
Rd 2 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 13-6 Canada Bill Werbeniuk (a) Head to head
Masters (6-10 Feb 1980)
SF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 5-2 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
QF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-3 Northern Ireland Dennis Taylor (a) Head to head
1978/1979
World Championship (16-28 Apr 1979)
QF Northern Ireland Dennis Taylor (a) 13-8 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
Rd 1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 13-8 England Graham Miles (a) Head to head
Masters (22-26 Jan 1979)
SF South Africa Perrie Mans (a) 5-3 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
QF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-2 England David Taylor (a) Head to head
Champion of Champions (2-3 Nov 1978)
Final Wales Ray Reardon (a) 11-9 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head

Session 1:
125:8 (52), 90:43 (90), 75:46, 28:108, 60:43, 20:114 (83), 13:101 (76), 104:19 (70), 1:140 (61,62), 84:22

Session 2:
78:36, 101:18 (67), 12:100, 73:48 (61), 41:90, 51:60, 23:83 (51), 30:72, 78:46 (77), 94:12

SF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 6-1 Ireland Patsy Fagan (a) Head to head
1977/1978
World Championship (17-29 Apr 1978)
Final Wales Ray Reardon (a) 25-18 South Africa Perrie Mans (a) Head to head
In between, Reardon led only 18-17. He became the oldest ever World Champion at the age of 45 years and 203 days, a record that lasted until 2022 when Ronnie O'Sullivan won the title aged 46 years and 148 days.

74-49 (62), 32-80, 58-17, 62-68, 106-8, 80-60, 112-14 (71), 34-83 (67), 32-96, 9-54, 71-24, 122-6 (87), 15-85 (65), 94-14, 34-84, 8-75, 51-74, 68-56, 50-70 (65), 78-29, 67-40, 87-26, 16-83, 96-28 (64), 75-33, 67-33 (66), 71-76 (RR 62), 76-48, 82-28, 44-60, 42-68, 84-39, 54-80 (RR 54), 42-64, 31-82, 107-12 (100), 86-26, 89-15, 16-64, 92-50 (53), 82-43 (81), 75-44, 60-49

Referee: John Williams
SF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 18-14 Australia Eddie Charlton (a) Head to head
QF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 13-6 Canada Bill Werbeniuk (a) Head to head
Rd 1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 13-9 Wales Doug Mountjoy (a) Head to head
Masters (6-10 Feb 1978)
SF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 5-1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
QF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 4-1 England Graham Miles (a) Head to head
1976/1977
World Championship (18-30 Apr 1977)
QF England John Spencer (a) 13-6 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
Rd 1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) 13-7 Ireland Patsy Fagan (a) Head to head
Masters (7-11 Feb 1977)
Final Wales Doug Mountjoy (a) 7-6 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head

57-74, 21-97 (51), 74-60 (54), 49-62, 99-6 (70), 96-32 (78), 61-29, 46-73, 6-120 (56), 95-28 (88), 59-75 (75), 76-25 (76), 55-41

Referee: John Street
SF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-2 England Graham Miles (a) Head to head
QF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 4-1 England Rex Williams (a) Head to head
1975/1976
Masters (26-30 Jan 1976)
Final Wales Ray Reardon (a) 7-3 England Graham Miles (a) Head to head

79-34, 88-11, 63-1 (57), 42-68, 73-18 (70), 61-22, 41-95, 104-17 (90), 11-85, 57-16

Referee: Gus Lillygreen
SF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-4 Australia Eddie Charlton (a) Head to head
QF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 4-1 England John Pulman (a)  
1974/1975
Masters (13-17 Jan 1975)
Final England John Spencer (a) 9-8 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head

Session 1:
13-121 (92), 81-52, 37-63, 68-59 (JS 57), 51-67, 77-22, 22-82 (70), 96-16

Session 2:
63-46, 20-68, 72-50, 40-68, 63-57, 82-22, 3-53, 25-64, 58-65

Referee: Gus Lillygreen
SF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-4 England Rex Williams (a) Head to head
QF Wales Ray Reardon (a) 5-3 England Graham Miles (a) Head to head
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