# 2001 European Open (snooker)

The 2001 European Open was a professional snooker tournament and the third of nine WPBSA ranking events in the 2001/2002 season, following the LG Cup and preceding the UK Championship. It was held from 23 November to 1 December 2001 at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta, Malta – the same place as the 1997 edition of the tournament. Stephen Hendry captured his 33rd ranking title by defeating Joe Perry 9–2 in the final. This was Hendry's third European Open title, equaling John Parrott as the most successful player in the history of the tournament. Perry reached his first ranking final, but he would have to wait another 13 years for a second which would come at the 2014 Wuxi Classic.

## Tournament summary

World Champion Ronnie O'Sullivan was the number 1 seed. The remaining places were allocated to players based on the world rankings.

## Main draw

Players in bold denote match winners.
| Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | | Semi-finals Best of 11 frames | Semi-finals Best of 11 frames | Semi-finals Best of 11 frames | | Final Best of 17 frames | Final Best of 17 frames | Final Best of 17 frames |
| 1 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Stephen Maguire | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Stephen Maguire | 3 | 1 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | James Wattana | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Dave Harold | 4 | | James Wattana | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | James Wattana | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | James Wattana | 5 | | | | 1 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 5 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Graeme Dott | 5 | | | | | | | 5 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | | |
| | Robert Milkins | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Robert Milkins | 0 | 14 | Graeme Dott | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 5 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | 5 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Ian McCulloch | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Ian McCulloch | 1 | | | | | | | | 5 | Stephen Hendry | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Ken Doherty | 4 | | | | |
| 8 | Stephen Lee | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Ken Doherty | 4 | | | |
| | Alfie Burden | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Alfie Burden | 4 | 8 | Stephen Lee | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Michael Judge | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Mark King | 4 | | Michael Judge | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Michael Judge | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Michael Judge | 5 | | | | 8 | Stephen Lee | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 4 | Ken Doherty | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Alan McManus | 5 | | | | | | | 4 | Ken Doherty | 5 | | | | | | | |
| | Craig Butler | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Craig Butler | 0 | 12 | Alan McManus | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Ken Doherty | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Ken Doherty | 5 | 4 | Ken Doherty | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Quinten Hann | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Quinten Hann | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Stephen Hendry | 9 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Joe Perry | 2 |
| 3 | John Higgins | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Joe Perry | 2 |
| | Jamie Burnett | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jamie Burnett | 1 | 3 | John Higgins | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 11 | Jimmy White | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Jimmy White | 5 | 11 | Jimmy White | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | David Gray | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | David Gray | 1 | | | | 11 | Jimmy White | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Joe Perry | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Joe Swail | 3 | | | | | | | | Joe Perry | 5 | | | | | | | |
| | Joe Perry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Joe Perry | 5 | | Joe Perry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 6 | Matthew Stevens | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Matthew Stevens | 5 | 6 | Matthew Stevens | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Anthony Davies | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Anthony Davies | 3 | | | | | | | | | Joe Perry | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Mark Williams | 2 | | | | |
| 7 | Peter Ebdon | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Mark Williams | 2 | | | |
| | Billy Snaddon | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Billy Snaddon | 5 | Billy Snaddon | Billy Snaddon | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Nigel Bond | Nigel Bond | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Paul Hunter | 2 | Nigel Bond | Nigel Bond | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Nigel Bond | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Nigel Bond | 5 | | | | | Billy Snaddon | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2 | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Fergal O'Brien | 5 | | | | | | | 2 | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Davis | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Davis | 2 | 16 | Fergal O'Brien | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Mark Williams | 5 | 2 | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Dominic Dale | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Final

Final: Best of 17 frames. Referee: Michael Montalto. Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta, Malta, 1 December 2001. :
| Stephen Hendry (5) Scotland | 9–2 | Joe Perry England |
| Afternoon: 124–4 (124), 5–118 (118), 93–1 (88), 117–0 (73), 28–84, 130–8 (130), 81–0 (53), 90–30 (50) Evening: 69–22, 86–33 (82), 66–27 |||
| 130 | Highest break | 118 |
| 2 | Century breaks | 1 |
| 7 | 50+ breaks | 1 |