WORLD SNOOKER PLAYER PROFILES

Ebdon - a popular winner in 2002. (8) Peter Ebdon World Ranking: 8 Provisional Ranking: 10 Date Of Birth: 27/08/70 World Championship Best: Winner 2002 It's been a disappointing season for Ebdon, who has failed to put a real run together in any of the ranking events this season. His best performance was a quarter-final appearance in the Welsh Masters but after victories over Joe Perry and David Gray he lost 5-3 to Barry Hawkins. Yet despite his lacklustre season Ebdon will be expected to raise his game for the World Championships and will be determined to do so after his first-round exit last year. The 34-year-old has always enjoyed the atmosphere at the Crucible, with the longer matches better suiting his style of play. In 1996 he lost in the final to the brilliant Stephen Hendry but in 2002 the Englishman realised his career ambition by leaving Sheffield the World Champion. Ebdon again faced Hendry but on this occasion he held his nerve in a nailbiting clash and confidently triumphed in the final frame. His most recent success was the 2004 Irish Masters which was his sixth ranking-event victory and his first since he became World Champion. Always a player to wear his heart on his sleeve, Ebdon's opening-round match with controversial Australian Quinten Hann promises to be an electric clash