# 2008–09 snooker season

The 2008–09 snooker season was a series of snooker tournaments played between 4 June 2008 and 10 May 2009. Four players missed the fourth ranking event of the season, the Bahrain Championship, and therefore lost ranking points; this was due to a clash with some Premier League matches whose date had already been approved by the game's governing body.

## New professional players

Countries
* China
* England
* India
* Ireland
* Netherlands
* New Zealand
* Northern Ireland
* Scotland
* Thailand
* Wales
Note: new means in these case, that these players were not on the 2007/2008 professional Main Tour.

## Calendar

The following table outlines the results and dates for all the ranking and major invitational events.

### World Snooker Tour

| Start | Finish | Country | Tournament name | Venue | City | Winner | Runner-up | Score |
| 4 Jun | 8 Jun | CHN | Jiangsu Classic | Nanjing Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium | Nanjing Wuxi | Ding Junhui | Mark Selby | 6–5 |
| 8 Jul | 13 Jul | THA | Six-red Snooker International | Montien Riverside Hotel | Bangkok | Ricky Walden | Stuart Bingham | 8–3 |
| 24 Aug | 31 Aug | NIR | Northern Ireland Trophy | Waterfront Hall | Belfast | Ronnie O'Sullivan | Dave Harold | 9–3 |
| 29 Sep | 5 Oct | CHN | Shanghai Masters | Shanghai Grand Stage | Shanghai | Ricky Walden | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 10–8 |
| 11 Oct | 18 Oct | SCO | Grand Prix | S.E.C.C. | Glasgow | John Higgins | Ryan Day | 9–7 |
| 8 Nov | 15 Nov | BHR | Bahrain Championship | Bahrain International Exhibition Centre | Manama | Neil Robertson | Matthew Stevens | 9–7 |
| 21 Nov | 26 Nov | ENG | Masters Qualifying Event | English Institute of Sport | Sheffield | Judd Trump | Mark Joyce | 6–1 |
| 11 Sep | 7 Dec | ENG | Premier League | Potters Leisure Resort | Hopton-on-Sea | Ronnie O'Sullivan | Mark Selby | 7–2 |
| 13 Dec | 21 Dec | ENG | UK Championship | Telford International Centre | Telford | Shaun Murphy | Marco Fu | 10–9 |
| 11 Jan | 18 Jan | ENG | Masters | Wembley Arena | London | Ronnie O'Sullivan | Mark Selby | 10–8 |
| 16 Feb | 22 Feb | WAL | Welsh Open | Newport Centre | Newport | Ali Carter | Joe Swail | 9–5 |
| 5 Jan | 26 Mar | ENG | Championship League | Crondon Park Golf Club | Stock | Judd Trump | Mark Selby | 3–2 |
| 30 Mar | 5 Apr | CHN | China Open | Beijing University Students' Gymnasium | Beijing | Peter Ebdon | John Higgins | 10–8 |
| 18 Apr | 4 May | ENG | World Snooker Championship | Crucible Theatre | Sheffield | John Higgins | Shaun Murphy | 18–9 |
* Ranking event
* Non-ranking event

### World Ladies Billiards and Snooker Association

| Start | Finish | Country | Tournament name | Venue | City | Winner | Runner-up | Score |
| 13 Sep | 13 Sep | ENG | Wytech Masters | North East Derbyshire Snooker Centre | Chesterfield | Reanne Evans | Katie Henrick | 3–2 |
| 14 Sep | 14 Sep | ENG | UK Ladies Championship | North East Derbyshire Snooker Centre | Chesterfield | Reanne Evans | Maria Catalano | 3–1 |
| 11 Oct | 11 Oct | ENG | East Anglian Championship | Cambridge Snooker Centre | Cambridge | Reanne Evans | Maria Catalano | 3–0 |
| 15 Nov | 15 Nov | ENG | British Open | Newmarket Snooker & Bowl | Newmarket | Emma Bonney | June Banks | 3–1 |
| 7 Feb | 7 Feb | ENG | South Coast Classic | Q Ball Snooker Club | Eastbourne | Reanne Evans | Maria Catalano | 3–0 |
| 7 Mar | 7 Mar | ENG | Connie Gough Memorial | Rileys Snooker Club | Luton | Reanne Evans | Katie Henrick | 3–1 |
| 4 Apr | 8 Apr | ENG | World Ladies Championship | Cambridge Snooker Centre | Cambridge | Reanne Evans | Maria Catalano | 5–2 |

### Pontin's International Open Series

| Start | Finish | Country | Tournament name | Venue | City | Winner | Runner-up | Score |
| 23 Jun | 27 Jun | WAL | PIOS I | Pontin's | Prestatyn | Bjorn Haneveer | Andrew Atkinson | 6–2 |
| 3 Aug | 8 Aug | WAL | PIOS II | Pontin's | Prestatyn | Xiao Guodong | Noppadol Sangnil | 6–5 |
| 25 Aug | 29 Aug | WAL | PIOS III | Pontin's | Prestatyn | Shokat Ali | Michael White | 6–3 |
| 19 Oct | 24 Oct | WAL | PIOS IV | Pontin's | Prestatyn | Craig Steadman | Mike Hallett | 6–1 |
| 9 Nov | 14 Nov | WAL | PIOS V | Pontin's | Prestatyn | Chris Norbury | Alfie Burden | 6–2 |
| 27 Feb | 4 Mar | WAL | PIOS VI | Pontin's | Prestatyn | Xiao Guodong | Jack Lisowski | 6–0 |
| 25 Mar | 29 Mar | WAL | PIOS VII | Pontin's | Prestatyn | Thepchaiya Un-Nooh | Lee Page | 6–3 |
| 5 May | 9 May | WAL | PIOS VIII | Pontin's | Prestatyn | Joe Jogia | Ben Woollaston | 6–5 |

### Other events

| Start | Finish | Country | Tournament name | Venue | City | Winner | Runner-up | Score |
| 21 Jun | 22 Jun | JEY | World Series of Snooker Jersey | Fort Regent | Saint Helier | John Higgins | Mark Selby | 6–3 |
| 12 Jul | 13 Jul | GER | World Series of Snooker Berlin | Tempodrom | Berlin | Graeme Dott | Shaun Murphy | 6–1 |
| 27 Jul | 3 Aug | ENG | Paul Hunter English Open | Northern Snooker Centre | Leeds | Xiao Guodong | Ben Woollaston | 6–2 |
| 2 Aug | 3 Aug | IRL | Irish Classic | Celbridge Snooker Club | Kildare | Ken Doherty | Fergal O'Brien | 5–2 |
| 28 Aug | 31 Aug | GER | Paul Hunter Classic | Stadthall | Fürth | Shaun Murphy | Mark Selby | 4–0 |
| 19 Sep | 21 Sep | BEL | Belgian Open | Sportcentrum De Pollepel | Duffel | Ricky Walden | Graeme Dott | 4–0 |
| 23 Oct | 26 Oct | AUT | Austrian Open | BRP-Rotax-Halle | Wels | Ryan Day | Jamie Cope | 6–3 |
| 25 Oct | 26 Oct | POL | World Series of Snooker Warsaw | EXPO XXI | Warsaw | Ding Junhui | Ken Doherty | 6–4 |
| 22 Nov | 23 Nov | RUS | World Series of Snooker Moscow | Krilya Sovetov Sports Arena | Moscow | John Higgins | Ding Junhui | 5–0 |
| 20 Dec | 21 Dec | NED | Dutch Open | De Dieze | 's-Hertogenbosch | Stuart Bingham | Joe Swail | 6–3 |
| 9 Jan | 10 Jan | WAL | Pontin's Pro Am Series | Pontin's | Prestatyn | Jamie Cope | Craig Steadman | 4–1 |
| 8 May | 10 May | POR | World Series of Snooker Grand Final | Pavilhão Arena | Portimão | Shaun Murphy | John Higgins | 6–2 |

## Official rankings

The top 16 of the world rankings, these players automatically played in the final rounds of the world ranking events and were invited for the Masters.
| No. | Player | Points 2006/07 | Points 2007/08 | Total |
| 1 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 20750 | 29700 | 50450 |
| 2 | Stephen Maguire | 19550 | 25975 | 45525 |
| 3 | Shaun Murphy | 21350 | 23700 | 45050 |
| 4 | Mark Selby | 18275 | 20050 | 38325 |
| 5 | John Higgins | 23100 | 14825 | 37925 |
| 6 | Stephen Hendry | 17375 | 16900 | 34275 |
| 7 | Ali Carter | 15750 | 18425 | 34175 |
| 8 | Ryan Day | 14450 | 19425 | 33875 |
| 9 | Peter Ebdon | 18000 | 14975 | 32975 |
| 10 | Neil Robertson | 20550 | 12400 | 32950 |
| 11 | Ding Junhui | 16325 | 15869 | 32194 |
| 12 | Joe Perry | 12175 | 18250 | 30425 |
| 13 | Graeme Dott | 18675 | 8469 | 27144 |
| 14 | Marco Fu | 8925 | 18075 | 27000 |
| 15 | Mark King | 12325 | 13675 | 26000 |
| 16 | Mark Allen | 10650 | 15075 | 25725 |

## World ranking points

| No. | Ch | Player | Points 07/08 | NIT | SM | GP | BC | UK | WO | CO | WSC | Points 08/09 | Total |
| 1 | | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 29700 | 5000 | 4000 | 3125 | 700 | 2850 | 1900 | 2500 | 3800 | 23875 | 53575 |
| 2 | | Stephen Maguire | 25975 | 2500 | 3200 | 875 | 2500 | 4800 | 2500 | 700 | 5000 | 22075 | 48050 |
| 3 | | Shaun Murphy | 23700 | 700 | 700 | 875 | 700 | 7500 | 2500 | 2500 | 8000 | 23475 | 47175 |
| 4 | 1 | John Higgins | 14825 | 3200 | 1900 | 6250 | 0 | 3750 | 1900 | 4000 | 10000 | 31000 | 45825 |
| 5 | 2 | Ali Carter | 18425 | 3200 | 700 | 4000 | 700 | 4800 | 5000 | 1900 | 3800 | 24100 | 42525 |
| 6 | 2 | Ryan Day | 19425 | 1900 | 2500 | 5000 | 1900 | 1050 | 700 | 3200 | 5000 | 21250 | 40675 |
| 7 | 3 | Mark Selby | 20050 | 1900 | 3200 | 2375 | 0 | 1050 | 2500 | 1900 | 5000 | 17925 | 37975 |
| 8 | 6 | Marco Fu | 18075 | 700 | 2500 | 2375 | 700 | 6000 | 2500 | 700 | 3800 | 19275 | 37350 |
| 9 | 1 | Neil Robertson | 12400 | 700 | 1900 | 875 | 5000 | 2850 | 3200 | 1900 | 6400 | 22825 | 35225 |
| 10 | 4 | Stephen Hendry | 16900 | 700 | 700 | 2375 | 3200 | 1050 | 700 | 2500 | 5000 | 16225 | 33125 |
| 11 | 5 | Mark Allen | 15075 | 2500 | 575 | 875 | 3200 | 2850 | 700 | 700 | 6400 | 17800 | 32875 |
| 12 | | Joe Perry | 18250 | 1900 | 1900 | 2375 | 1900 | 3750 | 700 | 700 | 1400 | 14625 | 32875 |
| 13 | 2 | Ding Junhui | 15869 | 700 | 700 | 3125 | 0 | 2850 | 1900 | 700 | 3800 | 13775 | 29644 |
| 14 | 5 | Peter Ebdon | 14975 | 700 | 700 | 2375 | 700 | 2850 | 700 | 5000 | 1400 | 14425 | 29400 |
| 15 | 7 | Mark Williams | 15100 | 1900 | 2500 | 719 | 575 | 3750 | 575 | 1400 | 2800 | 14219 | 29319 |
| 16 | 1 | Mark King | 13675 | 700 | 1900 | 875 | 700 | 2850 | 1900 | 1900 | 3800 | 14625 | 28300 |

## Points distribution

2008/2009 Points distribution for world ranking events:
| Tournament | Round → | L96 | L80 | L64 | L48 | L32 | L16 | QF | SF | F | W |
| Northern Ireland Trophy | Unseeded loser | 400 | 650 | 900 | 1150 | 1400 | 1900 | 2500 | 3200 | 4000 | 5000 |
| Northern Ireland Trophy | Seeded loser | 200 | 325 | 450 | 575 | 700 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Shanghai Masters | Unseeded loser | 400 | 650 | 900 | 1150 | 1400 | 1900 | 2500 | 3200 | 4000 | 5000 |
| Shanghai Masters | Seeded loser | 200 | 325 | 450 | 575 | 700 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Grand Prix | Unseeded loser | 500 | 813 | 1125 | 1438 | 1750 | 2375 | 3125 | 4000 | 5000 | 6250 |
| Grand Prix | Seeded loser | 250 | 407 | 563 | 719 | 875 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Bahrain Championship | Unseeded loser | 400 | 650 | 900 | 1150 | 1400 | 1900 | 2500 | 3200 | 4000 | 5000 |
| Bahrain Championship | Seeded loser | 200 | 325 | 450 | 575 | 700 | – | – | – | – | – |
| UK Championship | Unseeded loser | 600 | 975 | 1350 | 1725 | 2100 | 2850 | 3750 | 4800 | 6000 | 7500 |
| UK Championship | Seeded loser | 300 | 488 | 675 | 863 | 1050 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Welsh Open | Unseeded loser | 400 | 650 | 900 | 1150 | 1400 | 1900 | 2500 | 3200 | 4000 | 5000 |
| Welsh Open | Seeded loser | 200 | 325 | 450 | 575 | 700 | – | – | – | – | – |
| China Open | Unseeded loser | 400 | 650 | 900 | 1150 | 1400 | 1900 | 2500 | 3200 | 4000 | 5000 |
| China Open | Seeded loser | 200 | 325 | 450 | 575 | 700 | – | – | – | – | – |
| World Championship | Unseeded loser | 800 | 1300 | 1800 | 2300 | 2800 | 3800 | 5000 | 6400 | 8000 | 10000 |
| World Championship | Seeded loser | 400 | 650 | 900 | 1150 | 1400 | – | – | – | – | – |