By Elliott West
“I just want to get my teeth into it. I am under no illusions. I know it is going to be tough. However, at my age I do have experience on my side. I think I can adapt quickly. I have played these guys before and I know how good they are. Of course, under match conditions things change. You either love it or hate it. I think I will love it, but that is up to me to prove now. I don’t want to just get on the tour, I want to stay on it. My biggest goal is to match it with the big boys and stay there.”
Ben Hancorn
Introduction
Ben Hancorn is one of a number of players, chasing their dream and attempting to get through the intense process of the World Championship qualifiers this month. A player who had an impressive career as an amateur, reaching the final of the 2008 English Amateur Championship, losing to David Grace 7-9. However in 2020, he defeated Rory McLeod 5-3 to win the prestigious title at the Centaur Arena in Cheltenham.
Career
After Ben’s appearance at the 2008 English Amateur Championship, Hancorn had a ten year hiatus, putting down his cue for the period. He next appeared in the Challenge Tour but following his English Amateur Championship win in 2020, this acted as a springboard and propelled him onto the Professional Tour via the Q School in his first attempt. Vital wins over the likes of Dean Reynolds, Chen Feilong and Kuldesh Johal in the final round, secured him a two year tour card for the 2020-2021 and the 2021-2022 seasons.
Hancorn, who is the brother-in-law of former professional snooker player, Andrew Norman, now works with the Peak Performance Mind Coach, Noel Flannery, to fine tune his game and mind in preparation for the labyrinth of snooker that is entailed at the World Championship qualifiers. Ben’s first qualifying match involves a meeting with Austria’s Florian Nüßle, an impressive 21 year old and who is already Austria’s youngest ever national snooker champion.
Ben clearly has the pedigree and it impressive that he managed to become a professional so soon after winning the English Amateur Championship. Bristol has produced some produced some great players with Judd Trump, a practice partner of Ben’s, currently breaking all the records, Hancorn is one of the latest to seek their fame and fortune from there. Ben seems to thrive on being the underdog and pulls off shock victories off the back of this.
Hancorn is an exciting player and someone who has a great chance of doing well in the qualifiers. He has already tackled the multiple match situation of the Q School and so this puts him in good stead for the cubicle matches that await him in Sheffield. He has the fire in his belly and the hunger for success, two qualities that can enable him to grace the Crucible stage.
