Date of Birth

6 March 1976

Home Town

Gloucester

Club

High Match Break

143 (1996 British Open)

Turned Pro

1995

2005 World Championship Last 32

2005 China Open Last 32

2005 Irish Masters Semi Final

2005 Malta Cup Last 32

2004 British Open Last 32

2004 World Championship Last 32

2002 UK Championship Quarter Final

2002 Embassy World Championship Last 16

2000-1 British Open Last 16

2000-1 Grand Prix Last 16

2000 Rothmans Malta Grand Prix Last 16

1997-98 UK Tour Finalist (8th Order of Merit)
 

Biography

Joining the Main Tour in 1996/96 Robert had a mediocre first season but in the next he reached the last 32 of both the UK Championship and the European Open with another last 64 finish in the British Open and that saw his ranking leap up an incredible 140 places to 91st. Unfortunately it was then that the WSA decided to reduce the number of players on the tour with only the top 64 automatically qualifying and the rest having to play in four qualifying events for the remaining places. Robert missed out and so had to play on the secondary UK Tour in 1997/98. He was runner up in one of the events and reached the quarter finals of another to safely ensure a return to the Main Tour for 1998/99.
That first season back was a mixed one with a couple of last 64 finishes mixed with some opening match defeats and he remained down in 99th position. The next season saw a slight improvement with his first last 16 in the Malta Grand Prix and a rise of 23 places followed while two more last 16s in 2000/01 moved him up another 22 placed to 54th.
In 2001/02 he reached the last 48 at least five times including qualifying for the Crucible for the first time where he beat Fergal O'Brien to reach the second round. He just failed to make it to the top 32 finishing 33rd but had a good base from which to make that significant step in the following season.
His results in 2002/03 were consistent rather than spectacular but they included a first quarter final, in the UK Championship. He was already sure of his top 32 place but getting to the Crucible for the second year in a row, even though he did not win there, moved him up to 21st.
If he can put some good results together in the coming season he has a great chance of taking the next leap and moving into the top 16 but to do so one feels he will at least have to add to his total of just one quarter final.

Chris Turner - May 2003