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Player Profile: Joe Swail
| Category: |
Professional |
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| First Name: |
Joe |
| Last Name: |
Swail |
| Town / Country: |
Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| DoB: |
29/08/1968 |
| Club: |
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| High Break: |
141 (2000 Embassy World Championship) |
| Ranking: |
10th (2001/02) |
| Turned Pro: |
1991 |
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| Biography: |
Joe Swail first came to the attention of the snooker world at
large when he reached the last 32 of the 1987 world amateur
championship losing out to former winner, Paul Mifsud of Malta.
He won the British under-19 championship in 1988 and started
winning big prizes in pro- am events both sides of the Irish
Sea. In 1989/90 he won the English amateur championship beating
Alan McManus to take the title. He then suffered the
disappointment of losing in the professional ticket qualifying
series. He did however reach the semi-finals of the 1990 world
amateur championship in Sri Lanka. When the WPBSA opened up the
game to all who paid the entrance fee for the 1991/2 season, Joe
joined the professional ranks.
With numerous qualifying rounds to be played for each event it
was very difficult for any of the new professionals to reach the
final stages but Joe was more successful than most and made it
right through to the semi-finals of one event, the Asian Open
and to the last 32 of another. He ended his debut season with a
ranking of 53, the third best of all the 300 or so rookies. He
also won the Irish Professional title. In the next season he
reached another semi-final, Regal Welsh, and two quarter-finals
in full ranking events as well as collecting his first major
professional title in the Strachan Challenge. This was one of
four 'minor' ranking events held that season. He also made it to
the Crucible for the first time. All this helped to put him in
the top 32 at number 25 after just two seasons.
Although 1993/4 was disappointing in terms of results - two
quarter-finals and four opening round exits - his results from
the previous season took him into the elite top 16 at 12th. The
following season was little better although he did make it to
the Grand Prix semi final and won his first round at Sheffield
in the world championships but it was not enough to hold on to
his top 16 spot and he fell to 19th. 1995/96 saw a similar
mixture of early exits combined with one semi and two
quarter-finals and the season after his best was one last 16
place.
In 1997/8 Joe lost his opening match in all but two of the
ranking events and dropped out of the top 32 to number 36. The
death of his mother seemed somehow to give him the spur he
needed to restart his career. In 1998/9, now having to qualify
for all events, he reached the semi-final of the Regal Welsh,
the first time he had made it even to last eight of an event for
three years. Other promising results got him back into the top
32 and things began to look much better, more like the Joe of a
few years before.
The 1999/2000 season began with a semi-final in the British Open
and his other results were consistent if not spectacular. He was
beating those ranked below him and losing to those above. He
managed to win his world championship qualifier and put out Paul
Hunter in his opening round at the Crucible and then won the
hearts of the spectators by coming from 8-12 down to beat John
Parrott 13-12. He went on to reach the semi-finals where he lost
to Matthew Stevens but had ensured himself of a return to the
top 16, the first player to do so after dropping out of the top
32.
It all seemed to have turned sour again at the start of the new
season when he lost his opening match in the first four events
and his top 16 spot was again in dire jeopardy. As captain he
took Northern Ireland to the Nations Cup semi finals and that
seemed to kick-start his season. Quarter finals in two of the
last three events before the world championships meant that a
reasonable performance at the Crucible would ensure his place in
the elite for another season. A final frame victory in his
opener was followed by another come back to beat reigning
champion, Mark Williams 13-12 in the second round. The crowd
were once again behind him and he managed to squeeze through his
quarter-final against lifelong friend, Patrick Wallace 13-11.
Even though he lost his semi to Ronnie O'Sullivan he was ensured
of his best ever ranking of 10th and his biggest cheque, £93,000
that included the top break prize. Although he began the next
season well, reaching the semi-finals of the LG Cup, he did not
do so well for the rest of the season and only just maintained
his top-16 place.
2002/03 was something of a disaster. He did not win a match in
the first half of the season and even after the New Year he only
won four matches in the remaining five events with just one
quarter final and his ranking plummeted to 27th.
Known as 'The Outlaw,' Joe is severely deaf but endears himself
to the public with his ready smile and generally cheerful
outlook to the game. He admits that he plays better under
pressure especially when coming from behind. Therein lies the
problem as, with most of the tour matches being best of nine, he
cannot afford to drop two or three frames down but he needs to
find some consistent form throughout the season to maintain his
place amongst the top players and to add to his total of just
over £800,000 in prize money.
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Achievements:
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World Professional Championship semi-finalist - 2000, 2001
Irish Professional champion - 1992
Strachan Challenge -Ist Leg winner - 1992
Asian Open semi-finalist -1992
Regal Welsh Open semi-finalist - 1993, 1999
Grand Prix semi-finalist - 1994
European Open semi-finalist - 1996
British Open semi-finalist - 1999
English Amateur champion - 1990
IBSF World Amateur Championship semi-finalist - 1990
British Under-19 champion -1988
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Chris Turner
June 2003
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