Ronnie O'Sullivan is a seven-time winner, but he may have won a lot less were it not for the tragic death of

With his Hunter looked more like a Hollywood actor than one of the world's finest billiard professionals. Yet, he had the substance to go along with the style, as he won three titles in four years between 2001 and 2004.

On a tour boasting the likes of O'Sullivan, and Matthew Stevens, Hunter still stood out as one of the greatest players on the planet. But his life would just 18 months after he was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumours.

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He continued to play after his cancer diagnosis and even beat O'Sullivan in the 2004 Masters final in a clash dubbed 'The Battle of the Haircuts' - Hunter would pass away in October 2006. Looking back on the World No.4 as an athlete and a person, O'Sullivan paid a touching tribute to his former rival.

In 2024, 18 years after he burst into tears at Hunter's funeral, O'Sullivan said: "Paul was an unbelievable talent. He definitely had that star power and transcended the game. He was the Beckham of the snooker, wasn't he?

"He was a good-looking boy. He always had a smile on his face and was a good lad. He was brilliant for the game, he was a lovely lad and had a lovely family. I had some good times and some good memories with Paul. He will never be forgotten, all the players loved him. He will always be in the hearts of the snooker players and everybody who knew him.

"I've always said that snooker enjoyed a golden era when Hendry, Higgins, Williams, Stevens, the great Paul Hunter and myself were battling it out. I truly believe that was the best top six ever."

As well as Hunter's three Masters titles, he was also a two-time Welsh Open winner (1998, 2002) and a 2002 British Open champion. Over the course of his storied career, he made 114 century breaks and had one 146-break in the 2004

In recognition of his brilliance in the Triple Crown Event and his effect on people within and outside snooker, the Masters Trophy was renamed the 'Paul Hunter Trophy,' ensuring his legacy would live on. O'Sullivan was not the only person to pay tribute to Hunter.

Not long after Hunter's passing, snooker legend Ken Doherty said: "We've lost a great character, champion and a great friend. It's a shocking loss. He had everything, the at his feet, and it's such a shame.

"He was one of our characters and a fantastic player. Words can't explain what his family must be going through and they are all in our minds and our prayers.

"Anyone who wins the Masters back-to-back is a great player. Paul Hunter was a great player and I'm sure that he would have been a future world champion, without a doubt."