Anthony Hamilton Announces Snooker Retirement

Anthony Hamilton has announced his retirement from professional snooker after a 34-year unbroken spell on the World Snooker Tour (WST) between 1991 and 2025.

Defeat to Germany’s Umut Dikme in the second event of the 2025 Q School in Leicester last week saw the curtain fall on a memorable career that saw Hamilton reach multiple ranking event finals and earn a place in the world’s elite top 16.

Following the defeat, Hamilton reflected in an interview with the Metro this week: “‘It felt strange playing there, knowing that these could be your last couple of matches. I felt weird. But I’m not going to miss it because the last few years have not been that enjoyable.”

Nicknamed ‘The Sheriff of Pottingham’, the cueist from Nottingham saw his finest hour arrive in 2017 as he ended a 26-year wait for a ranking event title by defeating Ali Carter 9-6 to win the German Masters in Berlin.

Hamilton previously contested both the 1999 British Open and 2002 China Open finals, marginally losing out to Fergal O’Brien (7-9) and Mark Williams (8-9) respectively, before his milestone success at the Tempodrom.

He also competed in the televised stages of the World Snooker Championship in 12 different years, reaching the quarter-finals at the iconic Crucible Theatre on four of those occasions.

A 2004 meeting with six-time world champion Steve Davis is noted as one of Hamilton’s most memorable, saying: “That’s the best. It was amazing just to be able to say that you played the best at the best venue, it’s definitely one of my favourite days.

“You’re playing your all-time hero at the Crucible and he’s playing like he wants to kill you. He’s not bothered that he’s your hero, he just wants to rip your head off. So that’s brilliant, you know?”

The former world number 10 battled through health issues to maintain his professional status for an unbroken 34-year spell before finally falling off the tour at the end of this season and he remains as passionate about the sport as ever.

“I probably love it again now more than I used to,” Hamilton said. “I appreciate it more. I watch it more now than I used to and I love it more and I love players now because I know what they’re about.

“There was a period where I was at the best when I never talked about snooker, I never watched snooker, I didn’t really love it, but I was good at it and played it.

“When I was at my best, I never really thought about snooker, I was more interested in everything else in life. But now I’m an old knacker I’m back to watching it and loving it again and I’m excited to see what’s next.”