@Matthias Vandekerkhove 27 he was, my age. Like you say, way too young to be taken, and such a WASTE of talent. I remember watching this before school the next day and didn't want it to end. What an exciting player he was, and the matches these 2 players had was a joy to watch 👍
@@heliumtrophy I still can't watch snooker games for me there will always be that gap of the Legend that Paul Hunter was, growing up as a little kid I use to watch him play on TV.
Didn't really care who won cause they were both my favourite players at the time. RIP Paul Hunter, DEFINITELY gone too soon. He would have easily won a world championship if he was still alive. Such a humble guy. Had one of the best temperament as well.
The Beckham of the Baize. Absolutely tragic how this guy was robbed of his life and talent while in the prime of his career. So unfair. RIP, legend! ❤️
I always remember the vignettes they did on him one year at the World's...snooker's glamour boy! He was wearing sandals and only him and Beckham could get away with that! Wonderful player.
It still brings me to tears watching Paul, we shared a birthday though I am 10 years younger. Also from Yorkshire as well. He was my favourite player. Such a wonderful young man, exceptionally talented, kind, good-looking, funny. There is no justice in this world.
O'Sullivan potted 4/5 great shots under pressure at the beginning of the frame but Hunter played great snooker that day because he was 6-2 down and made 5 centuries on his way back.This was his 3rd major at age 25.He had won 7 tournaments in all but back then there was only 6/7 tournaments a season.
Can only echo other comments here. Absolute travesty what befell, Paul. He was undoubtedly a future World Champion in the making because not only did he have the all round game, he had the mental strength and bottle needed when under pressure, as demonstrated with these successive Masters’ final frame deciders he won. He was some player and had the looks to go with it, too.
Snooker, the indie-rock years. Teary eyed as always watching Paul in his pomp. Such a tragic shame he was robbed of a great life. He would have easily been a mulitple world champ
That's one title Ronnie will always look back on and think in his mind "I don't mind losing, it meant so much more sharing a final with a good friend rip Paul you was brilliant in that tournament" 🌹❤🌹
What a classic and yes its such a shame that the great Paul is sadly passed away wish you was still about playing just like the young Beckham of snooker rip buddy❤❤❤
He was an absolute Ronnie's cryptonite, even more accurate, relaxed and well-rounded, yet as good as Ronnie at positional play. Like an improved version of Stephen Hendry mixed with Ronnie or something. What a player...
you are spot on and how you have described him shows you how good he was , I remember that time being in my teens there was a real buzz around snooker because of him.
His passing was extremely sad and much too soon but let's not eulogize him into something he wasn't just because he got the better of O'Sullivan here. Your comment hints that he was equal or better than O'Sullivan ("even more accurate" and "as good as Ronnie at positional play"), and outright states that he was better than Hendry ("an improved version of Stephen Hendry"). O'Sullivan was ahead in their head-to-head 7-6, Hendry was ahead in their head-to-head 6-4. You might argue that O'Sullivan was at his peak in those years while Hunter was still young, but on the other hand you could also argue that Hendry was declining in those years. By the time of his passing aged 27, Hunter had won three lesser ranking events (Welsh Open and British Open), three masters, and held a highest world ranking of 4. Hendry at the around same age (we'll take a year off to consider Hunter's illness) in 1995 had already won 5 world championships, 3 UK championships, 5 masters, 37 other trophies, and been world number 1 for five years. O'Sullivan at around the same age (again we'll take an additional year off to consider Hunter's illness) in 2001 had been world champion, two UK championships, a masters. 18 other trophies, and a ranking high of three. I think it's fair to say that Hunter might have won a world championship or two. Players inferior to Hunter have won it (Ebdon, Dott, Bingham). But I think his success would have been closer to a Robertson/Murphy/Ding, possibly Williams, and at an absolute maximum push Selby. Not in the top tier which over the past 30 years has been O'Sullivan, Hendry, John Higgins.
If Hunter had lived on I truly believe he'd have won a least 1/2 world championships and another 1/2 Masters and maybe 1/2 uks,he was too good not to.Rip Paul Hunter and God bless your beautiful daughter and wife and your mother and father.
Lol, back then when everyone done that David Beckham hairstyles when he moved to Real madrid. What a good player Paul was. R.i.p. I hope his family is doing well.
"I can't shake him off so I'm going to have to beat him off with a big stick." How Virgo manages to say that without pissing himself laughing is amazing.
So sad he was taken so young. 3 masters in 4 years all 10-9 having being behind the entire match. Incredible. R.I.P Paul you’re still remembered fondly till this day
Paul Hunter & Jimmy White are the only players that didn't bother me when they beat O'Sullivan. Such a great character rip Mr Hunter you're truly missed by many. ❤🙏xXx🙏❤
They both share almost similar kind of play, when they are after a ball they are fully committed and aggressive as well.Moreover, pressure situations brings the best of Paul Hunter❤.
Not many players (if any) have received as much crowd support when playing Ronnie. The were evenly matched n the fan stakes. Would have been great competitors into their 50s - such a shame we lost Paul.
Both players sporting lovely long locks of hair back in 2004. A real shame we'd lose Paul two years later to the dreaded cancer. A wonderful three-time Masters champion in the early 2000s and should've won many more big titles this century.
Yeah I would've much preferred O'Sullivan winning this title but Hunter surviving the cancer he would get a year after. I remember wanting O'Sullivan to win here but Hunter's death just over 2 and a half year's later definitely had an effect on me.
Sad to see him. God knows gow good he could of been loved watching him. Life is not fair.. Outstanding player 6.1 agsinst ronnie dnt think thats ever been done
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
Rip Paul. What a player he was.
He was only 25 years old when he passed away...
@@matthiasvandekerkhove3594 1 day younger than me. He was born 14-10-1978.
@@Richardrich170 I was a little mistaken. He was 27 or 28 years when he passed away. Still way too young though.
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@Matthias Vandekerkhove
27 he was, my age. Like you say, way too young to be taken, and such a WASTE of talent. I remember watching this before school the next day and didn't want it to end. What an exciting player he was, and the matches these 2 players had was a joy to watch 👍
Great to watch this again. I wish Paul and Ronnie could of had many more finals.
I have to agree. I couldn't watch snooker for a while after he passed away. It just didn't feel right (as silly as that sounds).
@@heliumtrophy I still can't watch snooker games for me there will always be that gap of the Legend that Paul Hunter was, growing up as a little kid I use to watch him play on TV.
I remember watching all of his masters comebacks. An absolute gent and an unbelievable snooker player.. Never take life for granted.. RIP legend
What a frame! Paul Hunter will never be forgotten. A very nice guy and a great player.
Truly one of only a few players Ronnie truly respected and had admiration for... brilliant tournament and what a final...an absolute classic 😊
Didn't really care who won cause they were both my favourite players at the time.
RIP Paul Hunter, DEFINITELY gone too soon.
He would have easily won a world championship if he was still alive.
Such a humble guy. Had one of the best temperament as well.
RIP Paul A fantastic player who sadly left us way too soon👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
The Beckham of the Baize.
Absolutely tragic how this guy was robbed of his life and talent while in the prime of his career. So unfair. RIP, legend! ❤️
I always remember the vignettes they did on him one year at the World's...snooker's glamour boy! He was wearing sandals and only him and Beckham could get away with that! Wonderful player.
Loss to us all,bit boring snooker nowadays, reckon paul would of been dominate nowadays
You can't mention a self-serving cunt like Beckham in the same breath as Hunter, there's no comparison, at all.
Great memories. Paul will never be forgotten
Remembering Paul Hunter on this day! What joy you gave us! Taken far too early. Never forgotten, thank you Paul!
Hunter is a Champion material. Rip fella 😢
RIP Paul. You will be always remembered whenever I watch snooker.
The best ones are taken early from us. Rip champ! Always in our hearts.
@Storm Woods Trying to be a heartless troll ..... and succeeding .....
RIP Paul. Thanks for the years of entertainment and the legacy you left.
Gone way too early, but never forgotten
It still brings me to tears watching Paul, we shared a birthday though I am 10 years younger. Also from Yorkshire as well. He was my favourite player. Such a wonderful young man, exceptionally talented, kind, good-looking, funny. There is no justice in this world.
@@andrewbennett2582 So sad isn't it. I went to school with Paul in Leeds, top guy.
He was so good under the pressure such a great talent gone too early RIP Paul ❤
Nothing to do while being quarantine at home. I guess I’ll watch this again. What a good match
Well u should u be privileged to watch Paul Hunter a genius and a gentleman so watch ur mouth
@@hawk23100 no need for that insult is there ? He said nothing wrong. We all expect to be treated as we treat others.
O'Sullivan potted 4/5 great shots under pressure at the beginning of the frame but Hunter played great snooker that day because he was 6-2 down and made 5 centuries on his way back.This was his 3rd major at age 25.He had won 7 tournaments in all but back then there was only 6/7 tournaments a season.
This was the first snooker match which I've ever seen live. Since then my favourite player is Ronnie :P
This final I still remember. However my favorite player is Paul Hunter RIP! 😍
I saw it live on TV back then... It was a pleasure and will always be. ❤️🙏
Can only echo other comments here.
Absolute travesty what befell, Paul. He was undoubtedly a future World Champion in the making because not only did he have the all round game, he had the mental strength and bottle needed when under pressure, as demonstrated with these successive Masters’ final frame deciders he won.
He was some player and had the looks to go with it, too.
That Sunday Night 8th February 2004...Magic...RIP Paul
Nearly twenty years hard to believe. RIP Paul you were a legend.
Hunter was such a gutsy player under pressure to take those pots on. He was something else! Rip Paul!
Rest in peace Paul Hunter an absolute legend always remembered never forgotten one brillant snooker payer
I remember this clearly when I used to play at northern snooker in Leeds. Greeted by a legend from Bradford.
RIP Paul
Snooker, the indie-rock years. Teary eyed as always watching Paul in his pomp. Such a tragic shame he was robbed of a great life. He would have easily been a mulitple world champ
That's one title Ronnie will always look back on and think in his mind "I don't mind losing, it meant so much more sharing a final with a good friend rip Paul you was brilliant in that tournament" 🌹❤🌹
Ronnie looks small with paul in the frame, what a star, what a charisma he had, what a game, absolutely fantastic, thanks again for this video!
Still get a lump in my throat watching Paul play. RIP
O Sullivan looks great in that hair
they both do. like two rockstars playing snooker (and in some sense they actually are)
@gimmick2509
And Paul joined the 27 club.
Such a great player, just starting to reap the rewards of his chosen profession. Such a sad loss. R.I.P. Paul.
Great match two great players, would have been world champion had he lived rip Paul hunter god bless.
RIP Paul
RIP Willie
Life is just cruel. Paul was a great player, father, son and a great friend. RIP Paul you are missed loads.
Definitely was going to be one of the greatest players ever. RIP Paul.
Very hard to watch. This was snooker in its glamorous peak. The game was all the better for Paul Hunter. Thanks Paul.
I remember the news when Paul Hunter passed away and I was like ****! Such a gifted player. I will always remember him.
What a brilliant player and a smashing lad, gone way too soon RIP Paul
It’s so crazy Xbox at one time sponsored the masters. I hope to see again that level of sponsorship. Snooker deserves it.
What a classic and yes its such a shame that the great Paul is sadly passed away wish you was still about playing just like the young Beckham of snooker rip buddy❤❤❤
It was nice of Neil Foulds to mention Paul in a recent discussion about the best player ever.
He was an absolute Ronnie's cryptonite, even more accurate, relaxed and well-rounded, yet as good as Ronnie at positional play. Like an improved version of Stephen Hendry mixed with Ronnie or something. What a player...
you are spot on and how you have described him shows you how good he was , I remember that time being in my teens there was a real buzz around snooker because of him.
His passing was extremely sad and much too soon but let's not eulogize him into something he wasn't just because he got the better of O'Sullivan here. Your comment hints that he was equal or better than O'Sullivan ("even more accurate" and "as good as Ronnie at positional play"), and outright states that he was better than Hendry ("an improved version of Stephen Hendry").
O'Sullivan was ahead in their head-to-head 7-6, Hendry was ahead in their head-to-head 6-4. You might argue that O'Sullivan was at his peak in those years while Hunter was still young, but on the other hand you could also argue that Hendry was declining in those years.
By the time of his passing aged 27, Hunter had won three lesser ranking events (Welsh Open and British Open), three masters, and held a highest world ranking of 4.
Hendry at the around same age (we'll take a year off to consider Hunter's illness) in 1995 had already won 5 world championships, 3 UK championships, 5 masters, 37 other trophies, and been world number 1 for five years.
O'Sullivan at around the same age (again we'll take an additional year off to consider Hunter's illness) in 2001 had been world champion, two UK championships, a masters. 18 other trophies, and a ranking high of three.
I think it's fair to say that Hunter might have won a world championship or two. Players inferior to Hunter have won it (Ebdon, Dott, Bingham). But I think his success would have been closer to a Robertson/Murphy/Ding, possibly Williams, and at an absolute maximum push Selby. Not in the top tier which over the past 30 years has been O'Sullivan, Hendry, John Higgins.
Great player, great charisma - a world champ he would have been
Two of the one of the greatest players ever. Rip Paul 🕊
If Hunter had lived on I truly believe he'd have won a least 1/2 world championships and another 1/2 Masters and maybe 1/2 uks,he was too good not to.Rip Paul Hunter and God bless your beautiful daughter and wife and your mother and father.
Gone but never forgotten
What a player Paul hunter 😇
Such fantastic stuff. You're missed Paul.
Lol, back then when everyone done that David Beckham hairstyles when he moved to Real madrid. What a good player Paul was. R.i.p. I hope his family is doing well.
Great to see this back!
my last hug with him..RIP uncle H
Paul Hunter would still be playing strong if he was around today.
Missed, i reckon hed be domatiing if he was still around, only starting to appreciate him now😢😢😢
Мы помним тебя Пол Хантер!
What a player he was.......amazing
Heart breaking when you watch Paul because of how young he was✌
Ronnie actually looked accepting of the loss. Respect.
This should have been a lifelong rivalry
With all due respect, it was.
Watched a lot of snooker of YT and have only played a handful of times (more into bank pool/one pocket) but this was a great match by a young player.
Gone way too soon, Paul was a world champion in the making
"I can't shake him off so I'm going to have to beat him off with a big stick." How Virgo manages to say that without pissing himself laughing is amazing.
Can you imagine the battles that Ronnie and Paul would have had? wow!
Now they got a tournament under his name.... 👍💪Good player
You will be remembered always champ
So sad he was taken so young. 3 masters in 4 years all 10-9 having being behind the entire match. Incredible. R.I.P Paul you’re still remembered fondly till this day
R.I.P. Paul 20 years has gone fast.
Paul Hunter & Jimmy White are the only players that didn't bother me when they beat O'Sullivan.
Such a great character rip Mr Hunter you're truly missed by many.
❤🙏xXx🙏❤
They both share almost similar kind of play, when they are after a ball they are fully committed and aggressive as well.Moreover, pressure situations brings the best of Paul Hunter❤.
Thanks - any chance of the rest of the match in this quality ?
Not many players (if any) have received as much crowd support when playing Ronnie. The were evenly matched n the fan stakes. Would have been great competitors into their 50s - such a shame we lost Paul.
RIP. Amazing legendary player
Ah... so sad he left us so soon. What a phenomenal player.
Both players sporting lovely long locks of hair back in 2004.
A real shame we'd lose Paul two years later to the dreaded cancer.
A wonderful three-time Masters champion in the early 2000s and should've won many more big titles this century.
Love you Paul missed you so much💔 RIP legend
I still can't believe Paul's not with us anymore... no justice in this sad vale of tears
RONNIE O'SULLIVAN 🔥💥
PAUL HUNTER 🔥💥
SO AMAZING FROM MALAYSIAN ❤
God Bless you Paul, may you rest in Peace.
True genious of the game kicked ass of "the greatest". What a great performance!
Rip Paul, snooker lost a great champion, a great talent, life's cruel!
Yeah I would've much preferred O'Sullivan winning this title but Hunter surviving the cancer he would get a year after.
I remember wanting O'Sullivan to win here but Hunter's death just over 2 and a half year's later definitely had an effect on me.
Rip.Paul Hunter was a fantastic player!
His run at the masters was really quite incredible, probably something which will we never see again.
Certainly not in the manner he won.
Awesome effort by both players.
I wish he was still with us, the snooker landscape would be very different in my opinion and the question of who is the goat would be up for debate.
RIP brother fellow Yorkshire man
R.I.P PAUL HUNTER THE BEST 🙏
RIP Mr Hunter , what a talent.
He made 5 centuries in this match according to the stats, incredible.
17 years ago ! RIP Paul 😢
World's no.1 best player is roni, love you 👍😎
RIP The Master of the Masters.
Rip Paul. Very sad. To young.
Rip paul gone but not forgotten
Paul hunter was a gentleman and a talented player. Rip
What a shame about Paul hunter. Such a great player was and still is a massive loss for snooker. RIP Paul
The only player that may of won more tournaments then Ronnie today! It sad that he left to soon. RIP Paul 🙏
Miss u Paul !!!!!
I love 4ever
Wish I'd got into snooker younger, was only 24 here and had no interest, now 44 and love it!
Sad to see him. God knows gow good he could of been loved watching him. Life is not fair.. Outstanding player 6.1 agsinst ronnie dnt think thats ever been done
Think how many tournaments Ronnie might have not won had Paul not sadly died…! Mega talent
Ronnie's long pot was straight fire back then, he has declined in that aspect tbh
Most glamorous decider ever