Ben Hancorn

{{Infobox snooker player

| name = Ben Hancorn

| image =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1982|5|24}}

| birth_place = Bristol, England

| Sport country = {{ENG}}

| Professional = 2020–2022

| High ranking = 84 (August 2021)

| Official maximums =

| Best finish = Quarter-finals (2022 Gibraltar Open)

| World champ =

}}

Ben Hancorn (born 24 May 1982) is an English former professional snooker player. He played on the World Snooker Tour from 2020 to 2022. In 2023, he was a semi-finalist of the World Seniors Snooker Championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.eurosport.co.uk/snooker/ben-hancorn_prs526924/person.shtml|title=Ben Hancorn - Player Profile - Snooker|website=Eurosport UK|access-date=2020-08-09|archive-date=2021-12-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211213182516/https://www.eurosport.com/geoblocking.shtml|url-status=live}}

Career

In 2008, Hancorn was the runner up in the English Amateur Championship, losing the final to David Grace.{{cite web|url=https://wpbsa.com/hancorn-wins-100th-english-amateur-snooker-championship/|title=Hancorn Wins 100th English Amateur Snooker Championship|date=February 8, 2020|access-date=August 9, 2020|archive-date=August 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811214304/https://wpbsa.com/hancorn-wins-100th-english-amateur-snooker-championship/|url-status=live}} Following this defeat Hancorn stopped playing snooker for a near 10-year hiatus before taking part again in the Challenge Tour.{{cite web|url=https://www.northsomersettimes.co.uk/sport/ben-enjoys-success-at-snooker-tournament-1-5710438|title=Tournament success for Ben|first=Dave|last=Bickell|website=North Somerset Times|access-date=2020-08-09|archive-date=2021-12-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211213182527/https://www.northsomersettimes.co.uk/sport/ben-enjoys-success-at-snooker-tournament-4533176|url-status=live}}

In February 2020, Hancorn overcame Rory McLeod 5–3 in the final of the English Amateur Championship at the Centaur Arena in Cheltenham.{{cite web|url=https://www.northsomersettimes.co.uk/sport/hancorn-crowned-snooker-s-english-amateur-champion-1-6512094|title=Hancorn pots way to 100th English Amateur Championship crown|website=North Somerset Times|access-date=2020-08-09|archive-date=2020-09-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919183017/https://www.northsomersettimes.co.uk/sport/hancorn-crowned-snooker-s-english-amateur-champion-1-6512094|url-status=live}}

At the second event of the 2020 Q School at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield, Hancorn beat the likes of Dean Reynolds and Chen Feilong, before seeing off Kuldesh Johal in the final round. With these wins Hancorn clinched a two-year Tour Card for the 2020–21 and 2021–22 snooker seasons.{{cite web|url=http://www.snooker.org/res/index.asp?event=1027|title=Q School 2 (2020) - snooker.org|website=www.snooker.org|access-date=2020-08-09|archive-date=2020-09-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918085349/http://www.snooker.org/res/index.asp?event=1027|url-status=live}}

In October 2020 Hancorn beat both Sean Maddocks and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh at the English Open to clinch his first 2 professional victories, before losing against Welshman Jak Jones in the round of 32.{{Cite web |url=https://www.northsomersettimes.co.uk/news/portishead-snooker-player-wins-first-two-professional-matches-6183170 |title=Portishead snooker player Ben Hancorn wins first two professional matches | North Somerset Times |access-date=2021-12-13 |archive-date=2021-12-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211213182528/https://www.northsomersettimes.co.uk/news/portishead-snooker-player-wins-first-two-professional-matches-6183170 |url-status=live }} Hancorn was a surprise package at the 2021 WST Pro Series round robin first round with 6 consecutive victories, including a win against Ronnie O'Sullivan.{{cite web|url=https://www.eurosport.co.uk/snooker/wst-pro-series-2021/2021/wst-pro-series-snooker-beating-ronnie-key-to-glory-world-number-120-hancorn-stuns-o-sullivan_sto8178928/story-amp.shtml |title=WST Pro Series snooker: 'Beating Ronnie key to glory' – World number 120 Hancorn stuns O'Sullivan |publisher=Eurosport |date= 15 March 2021|access-date=2021-12-13}} He reached the last-32 of the 2021 Snooker Shoot Out where he lost to eventual tournament winner Ryan Day.{{cite web|url= https://www.tntsports.co.uk/snooker/shoot-out/2020-2021/snooker-shoot-out-2021-live-updates-mark-williams-mark-selby-and-mark-allen-in-action_sto8104711/story.shtml?welcome=eurosport|website=tntsports|accessdate=10 April 2025|title= Snooker Shoot Out 2021 LIVE updates - Ryan Day fights back to beat Mark Selby in final|date=7 February 2021|first=Mike|last=Gibbons}} He defeated former top-16 player Joe Perry on his way to the last-32 of the 2021 British Open.{{cite web|url= https://www.tntsports.co.uk/snooker/british-open/2004-2005/british-open-snooker-2021-results-draw-order-of-play_sto8493712/story.shtml|website=tntsports|accessdate=9 April 2025|title= British Open snooker 2021: Results, draw, order of play|date=22 August 2021}} He also reached the last-32 of the 2021 Scottish Open, with a 4-1 defeat of Si Jiahui.{{cite web|url= https://www.tntsports.co.uk/snooker/scottish-open/2021-2022/live-si-jiahui-ben-hancorn_mtc1324863/live.shtml|website=tntsports|accessdate=9 April 2025|title= J. Si vs B. Hancorn - BetVictor Scottish Open|date=7 December 2021}} He was a quarter-finalist at the 2022 Gibraltar Open, where his run was ended by Robert Milkins.{{cite web|url= https://www.tntsports.co.uk/snooker/gibraltar-open/2021-2022/gibraltar-open-ricky-walden-follows-judd-trump-victory-by-overcoming-jones-to-reach-semi-finals_sto8861704/story.shtml|website=tntsports|accessdate=9 April 2025|title= Gibraltar Open – Ricky Walden follows Judd Trump victory by overcoming Jones to reach semi-finals|date=26 March 2022}}

In May 2023 Hancorn beat Peter Lines and Gerard Greene to reach the semi-final of the World Seniors Snooker Championship held at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield. He was beaten at the semi-final stage by Alfie Burden.{{Cite web|title=World Seniors Snooker Championship 2023: Stephen Hendry, Jimmy White & Ken Doherty among players|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/65442335|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=May 7, 2023}}

Performance and rankings timeline

class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%;"

! Tournament

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Ranking{{cite web|title=Ranking History|url=http://www.snooker.org/rnk/history.asp|publisher=Snooker.org|access-date=6 February 2011|archive-date=14 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514065952/http://www.snooker.org/rnk/history.asp|url-status=live}}It shows the ranking at the beginning of the season.

|align="center"|He was an amateur

|align="center"|

|align="center"|New players on the Main Tour don't have a ranking

|align="center"|84

|align="center"|

colspan="10"|Ranking tournaments

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Championship League

|align="center" colspan="3" style="color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NR

|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|RR

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|European MastersThe event was called the European Open (2002/2003-2003/2004) and the Malta Cup (2004/2005)

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|British Open

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

|align="center" colspan="2" style="color:#555555;"|Not Held

|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|3R

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Northern Ireland Open

|align="center" colspan="3" style="color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|UK Championship

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Scottish OpenThe event was called the Players Championship (2003/2004)

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NH

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R

|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|3R

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|English Open

|align="center" colspan="3" style="color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|3R

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|World Grand Prix

|align="center" colspan="3" style="color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Shoot Out

|align="center" colspan="3" style="color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held

|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R

|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|3R

|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|German Masters

|align="center" colspan="3" style="color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Welsh Open

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Players Championship

|align="center" colspan="3" style="color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Tour Championship

|align="center" colspan="3" style="color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|World Championship

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

colspan="10"|Former ranking tournaments

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Indian Open

|align="center" colspan="3" style="color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ

|align="center" colspan="3" style="color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|WST Pro Series

|align="center" colspan="4" style="color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held

|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R

|align="center" colspan="2" style="color:#555555;"|Not Held

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Turkish Masters

|align="center" colspan="5" style="color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NH

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Gibraltar Open

|align="center" colspan="3" style="color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R

|align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NH

colspan="10"|Former non-ranking tournaments

style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Merseyside Professional Championship

|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A

|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R

|align="center" colspan="10" style="color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held

class="wikitable" style="font-size:78%;"

bgcolor="#efefef"

! colspan="6"|Performance Table Legend

align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|LQ

| lost in the qualifying draw

| align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|#R

| lost in the early rounds of the tournament
(WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin)

| align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| lost in the quarter-finals

align="center" style="background:yellow;"|SF

| lost in the semi-finals

| align="center" style="background:#D8BFD8;"|F

| lost in the final

| align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|W

| won the tournament

align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|DNQ

| did not qualify for the tournament

| align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|A

| did not participate in the tournament

| align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|WD

| withdrew from the tournament

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"
style="text-align:center; color:#555;" colspan="4"\|NH / Not Held	means an event was not held.
style="text-align:center; color:#555;" colspan="4"\|NR / Non-Ranking Event	means an event is/was no longer a ranking event.
style="text-align:center; color:#555;" colspan="4"\|R / Ranking Event	means an event is/was a ranking event.
style="text-align:center; color:#555;" colspan="4"\|MR / Minor-Ranking Event	means an event is/was a minor-ranking event.