# 2001 Welsh Open (snooker)

The 2001 Welsh Open (officially the 2001 Regal Welsh Open) was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 24 and 28 January 2001 at the Cardiff International Arena in Cardiff, Wales.
John Higgins was the defending champion, but he lost his quarter-final match against Stephen Lee.
Ken Doherty defeated Paul Hunter 9–2 in the final to win his fourth ranking title.

## Prize fund

The breakdown of prize money for this year is shown below:
* Winner: £62,000
* Runner-up: £33,000
* Semi-finalists: £16,500
* Quarter-finalists: £9,400
* Last 16: £4,800
* Last 32: £3,900
* Last 48: £3,100
* Last 64: £2,400
* Last 96: £1,550
* Last 128: £950
* Highest break (televised): £5,000
* Highest break (untelevised): £1,000
* Total: £440,200

## Tournament summary

Defending champion John Higgins was the number 1 seed with World Champion Mark Williams seeded 2. The remaining places were allocated to players based on the world rankings.

## Main draw

| Round 1 Best of 9 frames | Round 1 Best of 9 frames | Round 1 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Quarter Final Best of 9 frames | Quarter Final Best of 9 frames | Quarter Final Best of 9 frames | | Semi Final Best of 11 frames | Semi Final Best of 11 frames | Semi Final Best of 11 frames | | Final Best of 17 frames | Final Best of 17 frames | Final Best of 17 frames |
| 1 | John Higgins | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 21 | Chris Small | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 21 | Chris Small | 1 | 1 | John Higgins | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 12 | Peter Ebdon | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Peter Ebdon | 5 | 12 | Peter Ebdon | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Noppadon Noppachorn | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Noppadon Noppachorn | 1 | | | | 1 | John Higgins | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 5 | Stephen Lee | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Fergal O'Brien | 5 | | | | | | | 5 | Stephen Lee | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 53 | Gary Ponting | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 53 | Gary Ponting | 4 | 9 | Fergal O'Brien | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 5 | Stephen Lee | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Stephen Lee | 5 | 5 | Stephen Lee | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 40 | Anthony Davies | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 40 | Anthony Davies | 3 | | | | | | | | 5 | Stephen Lee | 3 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 14 | Paul Hunter | 6 | | | | |
| 6 | Matthew Stevens | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 14 | Paul Hunter | 6 | | | | |
| 31 | Joe Perry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 31 | Joe Perry | 5 | 31 | Joe Perry | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 14 | Paul Hunter | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Paul Hunter | 5 | 14 | Paul Hunter | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Nick Walker | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Nick Walker | 0 | | | | 14 | Paul Hunter | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 16 | Joe Swail | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Joe Swail | 5 | | | | | | | 16 | Joe Swail | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| 33 | Jamie Burnett | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 33 | Jamie Burnett | 3 | 16 | Joe Swail | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 5 | 4 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 19 | Graeme Dott | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 19 | Graeme Dott | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | 14 | Paul Hunter | 2 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Ken Doherty | 9 |
| 3 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Ken Doherty | 9 |
| 52 | David Gray | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 52 | David Gray | 3 | 3 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 15 | Marco Fu | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Marco Fu | 5 | 15 | Marco Fu | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Wayne Brown | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Wayne Brown | 1 | | | | 3 | Stephen Hendry | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 7 | Ken Doherty | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Anthony Hamilton | 3 | | | | | | | 7 | Ken Doherty | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 32 | Quinten Hann | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 32 | Quinten Hann | 5 | 32 | Quinten Hann | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 7 | Ken Doherty | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Ken Doherty | 5 | 7 | Ken Doherty | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 20 | Dominic Dale | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 20 | Dominic Dale | 3 | | | | | | | | 7 | Ken Doherty | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Mark Williams | 3 | | | | |
| 8 | Alan McManus | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Mark Williams | 3 | | | | |
| 62 | Michael Holt | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 62 | Michael Holt | 0 | 8 | Alan McManus | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 29 | Drew Henry | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | John Parrott | 3 | 29 | Drew Henry | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 29 | Drew Henry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 29 | Drew Henry | 5 | | | | 8 | Alan McManus | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2 | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Dave Harold | 3 | | | | | | | 2 | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 22 | Mark King | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 22 | Mark King | 5 | 22 | Mark King | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Mark Williams | 5 | 2 | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 23 | Nigel Bond | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Final

Final: Best of 17 frames. Referee: Graham Harding. Cardiff International Arena, Cardiff, Wales, 28 January 2001. :
| Paul Hunter (14) England | 2–9 | Ken Doherty (7) Ireland |
| Afternoon: 1–63, 76–1 (68), 23–77 (71), 59–0, 56–62 (52), 5–57, 51–73, 13–129 (125) Evening: 44–72, 8–99 (56), 36–85 (69) |||
| 68 | Highest break | 125 |
| 0 | Century breaks | 1 |
| 1 | 50+ breaks | 5 |