 Gray in 2008 | |
| Born | (1973-08-16)16 August 1973 (age 52) Baston,Lincolnshire, England |
|---|---|
| Sport country |  England |
| Professional | Snooker 1992–2008, pool 2008-present |
| Highestranking | 79 (1999/2000) |
| Best ranking finish | Last 32 (x2) |
| Tournament wins | |
| World Champion | Team (2010) |
Mark Gray (born 16 August 1973) is an English professionalpool player and former professionalsnooker player.
Born in 1973, Gray turned professional in 1992. He made little progress in any tournament until the 1997/1998 season, when he reached the last 64 at the German Open - losing 1–5 toKarl Broughton - the last 48 at the Thailand Masters, whereChris Small whitewashed him 5–0, and later made his first appearance in the last 32 at a ranking event, in the 1998 British Open. There, he defeatedJimmy Michie 5–3 andJimmy White 5–4, but lost 3–5 toDominic Dale.
The following season saw Gray repeat his feat at the British Open, beatingBjorn Haneveer 5–2,Paul Wykes 5–4 andJamie Burnett 5–3, having trailed Burnett 1–3. He was again eliminated at the last 32 stage, this time 4–5 byPeter Ebdon.
Gray's ranking improved to a career-best 79th for the 1999/2000 season, but his form declined thereafter. In the 2000 UK Championship, he again met Small and led 3–2, but succumbed 3–9; he metSteve Davis in the last 48 at the 2001 Scottish Open, but was whitewashed 5–0 by the six-time World Champion.[1]
Gray reached his first quarter-final at the 2001 Benson & Hedges Championship, but was defeated 1–5 by the eventual finalist,Hugh Abernethy.
Having finished the 2002/2003 season ranked 103rd, Gray dropped off the tour, and entered several qualifying events the following season to regain his place. He was successful in this, but played only four matches in the 2004/2005 season; the last of these, a 3–5 Malta Cup defeat toDarren Morgan, was Gray's final at competitive level. Finishing that season ranked 97th, he left the professional game once more at the age of 31.
| Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent in the final | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 1. | 2001 | WPBSA Open Tour – Event 1 | Shaun Murphy | 5–2[2] |
| Runner-up | 1. | 2002 | WPBSA Open Tour – Event 5 | Lee Spick | 3–5[2] |
| Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent in the final | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runner-up | 1. | 2002 | EASB Open Tour – Event 2 |  Ryan Day | 3–5[2] |
| Runner-up | 2. | 2003 | EASB Open Tour – Event 3 | Rory McLeod | 2–5[2] |
| Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent in the final | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 1. | 1997 | English Open | Luke Simmonds | 8–4[3] |
After his snooker career ended, Gray began playing pool, becoming a full-time professional player in 2010. In 2008, he was the number onenine-ball player inBritain andEurope, having won the 2007 Swiss9-Ball Championship; Gray was also part of theMosconi Cup-winning European team of 2008, 2014 and 2016. AlongsideDaryl Peach, Gray was the runner up at the2008 World Cup of Pool, losing to the American team ofRodney Morris andShane Van Boening 11–7.[4]
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