“Just breathe!”
Igor Figueiredo
Introduction
Igor Figueiredo is from a country where snooker isn’t even played. Instead they play Sinuca Brasileira, a game played on a smaller sized snooker table, 10-foot to be precise, using one red ball instead of fifteen and normal six colours. The game is exclusive to Brazil and is far removed from the standard game of snooker.
Despite the chasm between the two types of games, Igor has learnt how to play snooker and is now very close to being able to compete in the first round of the World Championship. Impressive play in the World Championships, has led to many to start taking notice of this impressive player. He scored heavily and has a solid long ball game.
Career
Born 1977 in Rio de Janeiro, Figueiredo first turned professional in 2010, the Brazilian first shot to prominence at the 2009 IBSF World Championship and soared to the final. Despite losing to former professional, Alfie Burden 10-8, Igor was given a main tour wildcard for the 2010-11 season as a result. This was a remarkable achievement as he only started playing snooker the same year, aged 32 and had never played on a full sized table!
2010-2012
A lack of sponsorship deals caused Figueiredo to fall off the main tour several times, leading to fractured spells between 2010-12, 2013-17 and 2019 to the present. In these shards of moments, Igor played well in his first professional tournament, the minor ranking PTC Event 1, reaching the last 32 stage. Spurred on by this run of good form, he went a stage further in PTC Event 3, reaching the last 16, losing in a deciding frame to Barry Hawkins.
At the Shanghai Masters, Figueiredo beat Jamie O’Neil 5-4 and David Gilbert 5-4. These results came despite being docked a frame for forgetting to bring his cue to the tournament. He however lost in the last 64 to Fergal O’Brien. He also qualified for the televised stages of the World Open, losing in the third round to Mark Williams 0-3.
A dip in form stunted the Brazilian’s progress and he was unable to pass the first round of any tournament during the rest of the season. Thankfully his PTC performances allowed him to retain his tour card for the rest of the 2011-12 season despite the fact that he was placed 80th in the world rankings.
The following season, a lack of sponsorship blighted his appearances and he was only enter the 2012 World Championship qualifiers. He was only able to win three matches before losing to Joe Joggia 7-10. He also competed in the short lived Brazilian Masters and defeated Jamie Cope in the first round 4-2. Reaching the quarter-final stage, he lost to Graeme Dott by the same scoreline.
2013-2017
Figueiredo returned to the main tour in 2013, thanks to a nomination from the Americas regions. However a lack of sponsorship made sit out the whole season until the World Championship. Beating Adam Duffy 10-4, a 10-8 victory against Gerard Greene, Igor reached the 64 and lost in the penultimate qualifying round to Martin Gould 10-1. Figueiredo also took part in the 2013 World Games, losing 3-2 to Dechawat Poomjaeng in the bronze medal match.
The Brazilian finally managed to gain sponsorship just before the 2014 UK Championship, allowing to him to Compton all remaining tournaments of the season. At the UK Championship, he reached the last 64, defeating Fergal O’Brien 6-4 before losing to Anthony McGill 6-4. He also qualified for the German Masters by defeating Kurt Maflin 5-3 but went on to lose to Stuart Bingham 5-1. Figueiredo also reached the final round of the World Championship qualifiers, losing to Robin Hull 10-4.
Igor managed to stay on the tour when he received an International Development Main Tour Card as a result of becoming Brazilian National Champion. However again he was only able to enter the 2016 World Championship. He lost in the first qualifying round to Matthew Selt 10-2.
In the latter part of 2016/17 season, Figueiredo had his best performances up to this point. At the Welsh Open, he had wins over Alfie Burden, Anthony McGill and Dominic Dale before losing 4-1 to Stuart Carrington. He also reached the fourth round of the Gibraltar Open, beating Sydney Wilson, Fraser Patrick and Thor Chuan Leong and eventually lost to Nigel Bond 4-2. He lost his place on the tour at the end of the season, falling to 111th in the world rankings.
Since then, Figueiredo returned to a World Seniors tournament at the Crucible and has been working in a promotional and coaching capacity for the PABSA (Pan America Billiards and Snooker Association). With a strict practice regime over the last two months, Igor’s body may have been pushed to the pain limits but he has reaped the benefits in this year’s World Championship qualifiers. After defeating a player he calls his brother, Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, he is now in touching distance of the World Championship. He has reached Judgment Day and must win just one more match against Mark Joyce.
Sacrifice
Igor Figueiredo has sacrificed so much in order to achieve his dream of becoming a professional snooker player. Leaving his beloved country Brazil, Figueiredo has had to leave his wife and children at home, making the long journey to play in a sport that could make or destroy him. A sport that he had never played before and one that comes with many overhead costs, often outweighing the prize money received.
Igor’s small steps of success are largely due to dedication and a level head. He breathes before each shot and uses this technique to alleviate the stresses and strains of snooker. He knows he can win because he believes it and has that inner strength that all great sportspersons have. He has the potential to make history and become the first player from the Pan Americas to win a professional title, it may be a long term project but he has the patience to encounter the twists and turns of this turbulent journey.
