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Stephen Maguire

After an excellent 2007/08 season in which he won two ranking titles and climbed to second place in the world rankings, the 2008/09 campaign was something of a let-down for Stephen Maguire.
The Glaswegian surprisingly failed to reach the final of any of the season’s eight ranking events, although he did reach six quarter-finals, allowing him to retain that No 2 slot on the official list.
The season started promisingly for Maguire as he got to the semi-finals of the Roewe Shanghai Masters, and had a chance to beat Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-4 but missed a close range red, the Rocket pouncing to win that frame and the next one for a 6-5 victory.
Maguire also reached the semis of the Maplin UK Championship, but found Shaun Murphy too strong, losing 9-4. On to the Masters and once again Maguire eased into the last four, only to find O’Sullivan too tough an opponent, losing 6-1.
The Scot hoped that he had saved his best for the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship, and indeed he looked solid in early wins over Jamie Burnett and Mark King. But his season ended at the quarter-final stage at the Crucible as Neil Robertson beat him 13-8. “I was pure rubbish,” said Maguire. “It was embarassing at times, when you’re getting beat and you know you can’t find anything deep down. I’m only good for two or three matches a season, somehow I’m number 2 in the world but I don’t know why because I’m playing like number 102.”
Maguire certainly lived up to his billing the previous season, as he was the only player other than O’Sullivan to win two ranking titles. At the Northern Ireland Trophy in Belfast he beat several other members of snooker’s group of emerging talent. Wins over David Gray, Ding Junhui, Robertson and Murphy put him into the final, where he beat Fergal O’Brien 9-5 to win his first ranking title in three years.
"I went a bit nuts for a while after winning two tournaments in 2004," admitted Maguire. "There was a time when I wondered whether I would ever win a tournament again. Being a father has changed me, I feel completely different. It’s made me try harder. I’ve got a good chance to make a lot of money through snooker and I want my boy to have everything.”
Maguire went on to win the China Open in Beijing, edging out Ryan Day 6-5 in the semi-finals having made the second official 147 break of his career earlier in the match.
The final was a thrilling affair, one of the best matches of the season. Tied 9-9 against Shaun Murphy, Maguire played a brilliant shot on the final yellow to release the green from the side cushion, and cleared up to win his fourth ranking title.
"I’m sure Shaun and I will play in a lot of finals so it’s good to get one over on a player as strong as him. I want to make the other boys a bit frightened of me, and make it harder for them to come back and beat me,” said Maguire, whose fiery temperament engenders a habit of banging his fist on the table and cue on the floor.
The previous season finished in disappointment for Maguire as he lost 17-15 to John Higgins in the semi-finals at the Crucible, having led 14-10…the closest he has come so far to glory at Sheffield.
Maguire made his first breakthrough in March 2004 when he hammered Jimmy White 9-3 in the final of the European Open in Malta to win his maiden major title.
Eight months later he captured a more prestigious crown with victory in the UK Championship, beating David Gray 10-1 in the final.
Former world amateur champion Maguire his first 147 maximum during the pre-TV rounds of the 2000 Scottish Open.
Away from snooker, Maguire enjoys playing badminton and going to the gym. He and Sharon have a son called Finn, born in 2006. A fan of animals, he once kept baby sharks in a tank in his bedroom and now keeps bulldogs.

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