Sue Thompson (pool player)

Susan Thompson (born 10 October 1969), usually known professionally as Sue Thompson, is a Scottish former professional pool player. She won the WEPF World Eightball Championship eleven times.

Sue Thompson
Born (1969-10-10) 10 October 1969[1]
Liverpool, England[2]
Sport country Scotland
Professional1992–2012
Pool games8-Ball
Tournament wins
World ChampionWEPF world eightball champion 1996, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012

Career

Thompson started playing pool, aged 14, when a friend invited her into a pub for a game. The next year, Thompson had her own pool table and played for around twelve hours a day until the age of 19,[2] winning the British Ladies Pool championship three times in four attempts.[3]

She became a professional player in 1992, after winning a five-year battle against the Professional Pool Players Organisation's refusal to grant her professional status. An industrial tribunal in Leeds found that she had been the victim of sex discrimination, and gave the Professional Pool Players Organisation three months to admit her as a professional.[4][5]

Thompson won the 1993 European Eight-ball championship on her 24th birthday, retaining her title from the previous year.[1]

She reached the final of the WEPF World Eightball Championship in both 1994 and 1995, losing both times to Linda Leadbitter.

Thompson won her first world title with a 7–1 win over Rosalia Diliberto in the 1996 final. She gained her second the next year, with an 8–5 victory over Leadbitter in the final. 1998 saw Leadbitter win 8–6 over Thompson. They faced each other again in the final for the fifth time in 2000, with Thompson winning the match 8–5.[6]

Thompson won again in 2002 and 2003, both being 8–3 wins over Lisa Quick, and with tournament wins in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2012, won eleven world titles in all. WEPF Ladies World Masters Champion 2006, 2008, 2012 and runner-up in 2007.[7]

At the 2012 WEPF World Eightball Championship, Thompson won 16 frames and lost only two whilst winning the title. She then announced her retirement from competitive play, aged 42, due to suffering from arthritis. She continued to play exhibition matches to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.[8] She achieved the world record for clearing all 15 balls, with a time of 37.7 seconds.[9]

Achievements

References
  1. O-Brien, Paul (15 October 1993). "Birthday girl Sue scoops top Euro trophy". Liverpool Echo. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  2. Arnot, Chris (11 March 1995). "Fast Cue". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  3. "Ace Sue crowned queen of pool". Liverpool Echo. 15 November 1988. p. 59 – via British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  4. "Sue wins pool battle". Liverpool Echo. 4 May 1992. p. 30 – via British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  5. "First female pool pro". Aberdeen Evening Express. 12 March 1992. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  6. "Roll of Honour". wepf.org. World Eightball Pool Federation. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  7. "Roll of Honour". wepf.org. World Eightball Pool Federation. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  8. "World Pool champion Sue Thompson bows out in style with 11th title". Liverpool Echo. 28 July 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  9. "World Pool champ takes on the men". Manchester Evening News. 9 August 2004. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
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