STEVE Davis has announced his retirement from competitive snooker at the age of 58, after he lost to Fergal O’Brien in the first round of qualifying for this year’s Betfred World Championship.
“That was my last match as a professional,” Davis said. “I’m calling it a day.”
The man who was lampooned as Steve "Interesting" Davis won six World Championships and famously lost another one on the final black of the final frame to Denis Taylor in 1985.
Davis revealed he had told his long-time manager Barry Hearn that this world championship would be his last, and the man who in fact was never as boring as he made himself out to be raised a laugh.
Davis quipped: “I said, ‘Barry, I think it’s time to retire from professional snooker’. And he said, ‘Steve, you retired 10 years ago – we just didn’t have the heart to tell you’.” An emotional Davis took a bow in front of the Crucible crowds with the World Championship trophy yesterday. The death of his father, Bill, in late March came after Davis had reached his decision. Bill Davis had introduced his son to snooker.
Davis said: “It came to my mind that perhaps it was the right time to stop. And my father wasn’t very well. So I entered, for him, this year’s World Championship. He was still alive when I entered, then he passed away so I played the match against Fergal. That was the only match I ever played without him.”
Davis won world titles in 1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988 and 1989, but he rates his last Crucible match victory as his greatest.
He said: “My memory’s not that great so the one five years ago beating John Higgins was the most amazing match I’ve ever played. When you’re not supposed to win, then you do... I walked up from here (the Crucible) to the Winter Gardens to be interviewed and that was one amazing moment.”
He ends his career with 28 ranking titles, including six UK Championships to sit alongside his triumphs in Sheffield. Davis also won the Masters three times.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here