Stephen Hendry(pictured in 2010) topped the rankings for the first time.[1]Steve Davis(pictured in 2008), who had been the number-one ranked player for the preceding seven years, was ranked second.[1]
The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), the governing body for professional snooker, first introduced a ranking system for professional players in 1976, with the aim of seeding players for the World Snooker Championship.[2] The reigning champion would be automatically seeded first, the losing finalist from the previous year seeded second, and the other seedings based on the ranking list.[2] Initially, the rankings were based on performances in the preceding three world championships.[2] The 1983–84 snooker world rankings were the first to take tournaments other than the world championship into account and several additional tournaments were designated as ranking tournaments over the following years.[3][2] The list for the 1986–87 snooker season was the first to only take account of results over two seasons and the rankings for 1990–91 were also based on results from the preceding two seasons.[4][5]
1990 World Snooker Championship winner Stephen Hendry took first place in the 1990–91 ranking list, followed by Steve Davis.[6] Davis, who had held the number one ranking since the 1983–84 list,[1] withdrew from three ranking events held outside of the UK in the 1989–90 season.[7] He commented that he felt that the increase in the number of ranking events was too rapid and said that "I won't jeapordise my form just for the sake of staying at number one. If I lose my number one place, that's the price I have to pay."[8] The other seven players managed by Barry Hearn's Matchroom company also boycotted the 1989 Dubai Classic.[8] Because of this, a number of "non-tournament" players, usually only allowed to play in the World Championship, were given places in the Dubai Classic.[9]John Parrott was placed third, down one place from the previous season, and Jimmy White stayed in fourth.[6]Doug Mountjoy, who had won the 1988 UK Championship and the 1989 Classic to become the only player apart from Davis to win successive ranking titles, rose five places to fifth.[6][10]
The top 16 in the rankings were exempted from the qualifying rounds for the World Snooker Championship and were included in certain invitational events.[11]Martin Clark, at 12th, joined the top 16 for the first time.[6] Former world number three Neal Foulds gained seven places, to 13th.[6]Alex Higgins was ranked 14th in the original list for the season, having been 24th the year before, but was docked 25 points and banned from competing for ten months in July 1990.[6][12] These penalties were imposed by the WPBSA following a hearing conducted for the Association by Gavin Lightman, a barrister, which considered several incidents including Higgins punching a press officer, threatening to arrange for fellow player Dennis Taylor to be shot, and insulting both Taylor and WPBSA chairman John Spencer.[6][13] This meant that Alain Robidoux gained 16th place.[14]Cliff Thorburn, Joe Johnson and Tony Knowles were the three players to drop out of the top 16.[14]
Points tariff and basis of ranking
Points tariff contributing to the Snooker world rankings 1990–91[15][16]
If players had an equal number of ranking points, precedence was given to the player with the better performances in the later season.
If players were still equal, merit points were considered. If they were still tied, precedence was given to the player with the better performances in the later season.
If players were still equal, A points were considered. If they were still tied, precedence was given to the player with the better performances in the later season.
If players were still equal, frames won were considered. If they were still tied, precedence was given the player with the better performances in the later season.
Rankings
Key:
"(New)" denotes a player that was a new professional for 1989–90.[17]
"(NT)" denotes a non-tournament player, i.e. a player who was permitted to enter the world championship but no other tournaments in 1990–91.[18]
"N" denotes that as a non-tournament player, the player was not eligible to enter.[19]
"–" denotes that the player did not compete in the tournament.[20]
"X" denotes that the player was banned from competing in the tournament.[21]
"PL" denotes that the player lost in the professional play-offs.[22]
Everton, Clive (1986). The History of Snooker and Billiards. Haywards Heath: Partridge Press. ISBN978-1-85225-013-3.
Hayton, Eric; Dee, John (2004). The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker: The Complete Record & History. Lowestoft: Rose Villa Publications. ISBN978-0-9548549-0-4.
Morrison, Ian (1987). The Hamlyn Encyclopedia of Snooker (Revised ed.). Twickenham: Hamlyn Publishing Group. ISBN978-0-600-55604-6.
Smith, Terry, ed. (1989). Benson and Hedges Snooker Year (Sixth ed.). Aylesbury: Pelham Books. ISBN978-0-7207-1944-4.
Smith, Terry, ed. (1990). Benson and Hedges Snooker Year (Seventh ed.). Aylesbury: Pelham Books. ISBN978-0-7207-1955-0.
