The official ranking system of professional snooker players is the world rankings. They determine who qualifies automatically for World Snooker Tour tournaments. The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association maintains rankings. They not only give players an idea about their ranking but also provide useful statistics about the sport.
Judd Trump
Judd Trump is in the top 10 of the world snooker rankings. He is well known for his stunning breaks and his dominance in the sport. He has won 23 ranking titles including the world championship. At 33 years old, he's still quite young and can stay at the top for at least another decade. However, his age and the grind of the tour may wear him down.
Mark Selby
Mark Selby, an Englishman, is considered one of the top players in the world. He is a former England under-15 champion and a recent World Snooker Championship Champion. He also has a background in pool. He was the winner of the 2006 WEPF eight-ball pool championship and was a finalist in the 2015 Chinese Pool World Championship. Selby is originally a Leicesterian. Malcolm Thorne was his coach, the brother of Willie Thorne.
Ronnie O'Sullivan
Ronnie O'Sullivan has spent 280 weeks at the top of the world snooker rankings. His latest move took him ahead of Mark Selby in the rankings after reaching the semi-finals of the Tour Championship. The Scot was first ranked number one on the world stage in May 2002. He has since claimed 31 ranking titles. Six World Championship titles, five UK Championships are just a few of his accomplishments.
Mark Williams
Mark Williams is the current number 10, and one of the top snooker players worldwide. The Welshman was first to break into the elite of the snooker world in 1995 when he won both the Benson & Hedges Masters as well as the Welsh Open. He won the second title with a respotted-black in the final. He also won three ranking tournaments in 1998, becoming the fourth player to win three titles in a single season.
Graeme Dott
Graeme Dott was awarded two ranking titles. In 2010, he reached the final of China Open. However, his form is inconsistent. He has also been diagnosed with depression and has publicly discussed his struggle with it. The Australian has a poor ranking in the world rankings of snooker, but he has a great record at home.
Dotts's career
Since turning professional in 1994, Graeme Dott has steadily climbed the world snooker rankings. He reached the top sixteen in 2001 and stayed there until 2009. He reached the quarterfinals of the Welsh Open 1996 and 1997. In 1997, he was the World Champion in 1997. In 2001, he finished second in both the 1999 Scottish Open or the 2001 British Open. He was also runner-up at the 2005 Malta Cup and the 2004 World Championship. In 1999, he made his first competitive break of 147 at the British Open.
Dott's ranking
Dott's rank in the world rankings of snooker has fluctuated throughout the years. Six times, he has made it to the top 16. In the 2007/8 season, Dott was ranked number 2. Dott's rank has fallen since then.
Mark Williams' ranking
The world snooker ranking of Mark Williams has steadily increased over the past few decades. He has won numerous tournaments, including the Players Championship Grand Finals in 2000. He also defeated Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final. He has been the number one ranking in the world several times. His biggest ranking victory came in 2001 against Anthony Hamilton at the China Open.