1999 World Snooker Championship
The 1999 World Snooker Championship (also referred to as the 1999 Embassy World Snooker Championship for the purposes of sponsorship) was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 17 April and 3 May 1999 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England. John Higgins was the defending champion, but he lost in the semi-finals 10–17 against Mark Williams and became another World Champion who fell to the "Crucible curse" and could not defend his first World title. Stephen Hendry won his seventh and final World title by defeating Mark Williams in the final by 18 frames to 11. The tournament was sponsored by cigarette manufacturer Embassy. Tournament summary Stephen Hendry won the world title for a seventh time, a record in the modern era, beating Ray Reardon and Steve Davis' six titles. Hendry won all his titles in the 1990s while Davis won his six in the 1980s and Reardon won his in the 1970s. During his first round match, Steve James compiled the 500th century break at the Crucible in frame seven. Ronnie O'Sullivan came close to a maximum break in his semi-final match with Hendry. He missed the last pink to the middle pocket and his break