Ben Woollaston

Ben Woollaston, born on May 14, 1987, in Leicester, England, began his professional snooker career in 2003. He quickly established himself as a consistent presence on the professional circuit, a status he has maintained since 2009. His early career saw him competing in the Challenge Tour before earning a place on the Main Tour. A significant early highlight was his victory at the 2006 European Under-19 Championship, which helped him regain his spot on the tour. Woollaston has consistently featured in ranking events, with his performance steadily improving over the years through dedication to the sport.

Woollaston achieved a career-best result in 2015 at the Welsh Open, where he reached his first major ranking event final, defeating several high-profile players before losing to John Higgins. While not a ranking event, he secured his first professional silverware at the 2011 Players Tour Championship Event 3, overcoming former world champions Ken Doherty and Graeme Dott. He made his debut in the televised stages of the World Championship in 2013 and compiled his first professional maximum 147 break at the 2014 Lisbon Open. Further career milestones include qualifying for the Winner’s Group of the 2020 Championship League and reaching the last 16 stage of a Triple Crown tournament for the first time at the 2021 UK Championship.

The 2024/25 season marked Woollaston’s most consistent performance, where he earned over £100,000 for the first time in a single season. During this period, he also qualified for the Crucible stages of the World Championship after a 12-year hiatus. His return to the World Championship culminated in a notable 10-8 victory against four-time world champion Mark Selby, advancing him to the last 16 before his elimination by Si Jiahui. Away from the table, Woollaston is married to professional snooker referee Tatiana Woollaston, with whom he has two children. He also holds a WPBSA coaching badge, earned in 2010.