Kelly Fisher

Kelly Fisher
MBE
Born (1978-08-25) 25 August 1978 (age 46)
South Elmsall, England
Sport country England
NicknameKwikFire[1]
Medal record
Women's nine-ball
Representing  Great Britain
World Games
Gold medal – first place 2022 Birmingham Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Cali Singles

Kelly Teresa Fisher MBE (born 25 August 1978) is an English professional pool, snooker and English billiards player.

Career

Fisher grew up in South Elmsall, near Pontefract, West Yorkshire. She learned to play pool in her parents' pub and took up snooker when she was 13. By the age of 21, she had been ranked No. 1 for two consecutive seasons.[3]

Fisher won three successive Ladies World Snooker Championship between 1998 and 2000,[4] and won the title again in 2002 and 2003.[5][6]

In 2001, she won four successive tournaments in the ladies' divisions – the British Open, Belgian Open, LG Cup titles and the UK Championship,[7] and extended her winning streak to ten successive tournaments when she won the LG Cup in October 2002.[8]

She has reached the final of every European Ladies' Championship, losing just once to former West Yorkshire (Batley) champion Shakeel Kamal. In 2003 Fisher won the first IBSF World Ladies' Championship.

When the sport's governing body withdrew its support for the women's game in 2003, abandoning all major women tournaments, Fisher saw her choices as getting a full-time job or switching to nine-ball pool.[9] She chose to switch to pool and moved to the United States to play on the Women's Professional Billiard Association (WPBA Tour),[10] joining fellow former women's snooker players Allison Fisher and Karen Corr.[citation needed]

After being in the top 10 women players for two years, and winning the San Diego Classic for three years running (2005–2007), Fisher achieved the No. 1 ranking in world women's pool in August 2008, winning the US Open Championship.[2] Since then, she has gone on to win the women's divisions in the 2009 International Tournament of Champions and U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship; the 2011 World Ten-ball Championship; 2012 WPA Nine-ball World Championship (and WPA Player of the Year), among other titles.[2]

Kelly’s Official Instructional Certification: Kelly is a Certified BCA/PBIA Advanced Instructor. Kelly has coached all over the world. She was the nominated coach for the world's largest Amateur Pool league, the APA to teach and improve the players from the State of North Carolina. Her most prestigious coaching accomplishment is that she currently teaches & trains the Hong Kong National Team in Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Sports Institute.

Fisher was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to sport.[11]

Tournament wins

All are first-place wins, in women's divisions, unless otherwise noted.

Snooker

Outcome No. Year Championship Opponent Score Ref.
Winner 1 1993 WLBSA Connie Gough Memorial Tessa Davidson 3–1 [12]
Winner 2 1994 WLBSA Connie Gough Memorial Karen Corr 4–2 [2][13]
Winner 3 1994 WLBSA James Brooks Classic Tessa Davidson 3–2 [2][13]
Winner 4 1995 WLBSA Academy Fork Lift Karen Corr 4–0 [2][13]
Winner 5 1995 WLBSA Halsteads Ladies Classic Karen Corr 3–0 [2][13]
Winner 6 1995 WLBSA M-Tech Ladies Classic June Banks 4–0 [2][13]
Winner 7 1996 WLBSA Bailey Homes June Banks 4–2 [2][13]
Winner 8 1996 WLBSA Ladies Regal Scottish Lynette Horsburgh 4–1 [2][13]
Winner 9 1996 WLBSA Ladies Regal Welsh Ann-Marie Farren 4–1 [2][13]
Winner 10 1996 WLBSA Applecentre Classic [2]
Winner 11 1996 EBSA European Snooker Championship Karen Corr 6–3 [14]
Winner 12 1997 WLBSA James Brooks Classic Karen Corr 3–1 [2][13]
Winner 13 1997 WLBSA Applecentre Classic Lisa Quick 4–2 [13]
Winner 14 1997 EBSA European Snooker Championship Kim Shaw 5–3
Runner-up 15 1997 Women's World Snooker Championship Karen Corr 3–6 [15]
Winner 16 1998 WLBSA Ladies Regal Scottish Tessa Davidson 4–3 [2][13]
Winner 17 1998 WLBSA Grand Prix (Ladies) Lisa Quick 4–0 [2][13]
Runner-up 18 1998 EBSA European Snooker Championship Karen Corr 2–5
Winner 19 1998 Women's World Snooker Championship Karen Corr 5–0 [16]
Winner 20 1999 WLBSA Ladies Regal Scottish Julie Gillespie 4–0 [2][13]
Winner 21 1999 WLBSA Connie Gough Memorial Tessa Davidson 3–1 [2][13]
Winner 22 1999 WLBSA Ladies British Open June Banks 4–2 [2][13]
Winner 23 1999 WLBSA Ladies UK Championship Emma Bonney 4–0 [2][13]
Winner 24 1999 WLBSA National Championship Julie Gillespie 4–1 [2][13]
Winner 25 1999 EBSA European Snooker Championship Wendy Jans 5–2
Winner 26 1999 Women's World Snooker Championship Karen Corr 4–2 [6]
Winner 27 2000 WLBSA Ladies UK Championship Katie Henrick 4–0 [2][13]
Winner 28 2000 WLBSA Ladies British Open June Banks 3–0 [2][13]
Winner 29 2000 WLBSA Connie Gough National Kim Shaw 4–1 [2][13]
Winner 30 2000 WLBSA Consultex Belgium Open Lynette Horsburgh 4–0 [2][13]
Winner 31 2000 WLBSA Ladies Regal Masters Lynette Horsburgh 4–0 [2][13]
Winner 32 2000 EBSA European Snooker Championship Wendy Jans 5–0
Winner 33 2000 Women's World Snooker Championship Lisa Ingall 4–1 [17]
Winner 34 2001 WLBSA Ladies British Open Maria Catalano 4–0 [2][7][13]
Winner 35 2001 WLBSA Ladies UK Championship Lynette Horsburgh 4–1 [2][7][13]
Winner 36 2001 WLBSA Connie Gough National Lynette Horsburgh 4–1 [2][13]
Winner 37 2001 WLBSA European Ranking Event Lynette Horsburgh 4–0 [2][13]
Winner 38 2001 WLBSA LG Cup (Ladies) Lisa Quick 4–1 [2][7][13]
Winner 39 2001 EBSA European Snooker Championship Wendy Jans 5–3 [18]
Winner 40 2002 WLBSA Ladies Regal Scottish Lynette Horsburgh 4–2 [2][13]
Winner 41 2002 WLBSA Ladies Regal Welsh Wendy Jans 4–0 [2][13]
Winner 42 2002 WLBSA Ladies British Open Sharon Dickson 4–3 [2][13]
Winner 43 2002 WLBSA Ladies UK Championship Wendy Jans 4–1 [2][13]
Winner 44 2002 WLBSA Connie Gough National June Banks 4–2 [2][13]
Winner 45 2002 WLBSA European Ranking Event Lynette Horsburgh 4–2 [2][13]
Winner 46 2002 WLBSA LG Cup (Ladies) Lynette Horsburgh 4–2 [2][13]
Winner 47 2002 WLBSA Scottish Ladies Championship Sharon Dickson 4–3 [2][13]
Winner 48 2002 EBSA European Snooker Championship Wendy Jans 5–0
Winner 49 2002 Women's World Snooker Championship Lisa Quick 4–1 [19]
Winner 50 2003 WLBSA Ladies Regal Welsh Lynette Horsburgh 4–1 [2][13]
Winner 51 2003 WLBSA Connie Gough National Emma Bonney 4–0 [2][13]
Winner 52 2003 EBSA European Snooker Championship Wendy Jans 5–4
Winner 53 2003 IBSF World Snooker Championship Wendy Jans 5–2 [20]
Winner 54 2003 Women's World Snooker Championship Lisa Quick 4–1 [21]
Winner 55 2012 WLBSA China Billiard & Snooker Association Championship [2]
  • Home Internationals (with team England) 2002 and 2003

English billiards

Outcome No. Year Championship Opponent Score Ref.
Runner-up 1 1999 World Ladies Billiards Championship Karen Corr 276–354 [22]
Winner 2 2001 World Ladies Billiards Championship Emma Bonney 290–219 [23]
Runner-up 3 2002 World Ladies Billiards Championship Emma Bonney 196–227 [24]
Winner 4 2003 World Ladies Billiards Championship Emma Bonney 299–155 [25]

Pool

Year Tournament Ref
2004 US Amateur National Championship [2]
2005 WPBA West Coast Classic [2]
2005 WPBA San Diego Classic [2]
2005 WPBA Pacific Coast Classic [2]
2006 WPBA San Diego Classic [2]
2006 WPBA Pacific Coast Classic [2]
2007 WPBA San Diego Classic [2]
2007 WPBA Pacific Coast Classic [2]
2008 WPBA Pacific Coast Classic [2]
2008 WPBA Midwest Classic [2]
2008 WPBA U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship [2]
2009 Tournament of Champions [2]
2009 WPBA Pacific Coast Classic [2]
2010 Super Billiards Expo Players Championship [2]
2011 WPA Women's World Ten-ball Championship [2]
2012 WPA Women's World Nine-ball Championship [2]
2012 China Open 9-Ball Championship [2]
2013 Tournament of Champions [2]
2013 WPA Amway Cup 9-Ball World Open [2][26]
2014 Tournament of Champions [27]
2016 Tornado Open Women's Open [2]
2017 European Pool Championship 9-Ball [2]
2017 CBSA International Open [2]
2018 European Pool Championship 9-Ball [2]
2018 Asian Culture Day Women's 10-Ball [2]
2019 WPBA Aramith / Dr Pool Classic [2]
2019 WPA Women's World Nine-ball Championship [28]
2021 Women's Poison VG 9-Ball Championship [2]
2021 WPBA Sondheim Kiwanis Invitational [2]
2021 Predator Austria Open 10-Ball [2]
2021 American Straight Pool Championship [2]
2022 WPBA Northern Lights Classic [2]
2022 WPBA Ashton Twins Classic [2]
2022 WPBA Predator Event [2]
2022 Super Billiards Expo Players Championship [2]
2022 Predator Germany Open 10-Ball [2]
2022 World Games Nine-ball Singles [2]
2022 Predator Michigan Open 10-Ball [2]
2022 WPBA Sledgehammer Open [2]
2023 WPBA Fairfield Invitational [2]
2023 WPBA Iron City Invitational [2]
2023 Predator Michigan Open 10-Ball [29]
2023 WPBA Iron City Invitational [2]
2023 Predator Puerto Rico Open 10-Ball [2]
2024 The Americas Heyball Championship [2]
2024 Borderline Brunswick Invitational [2]

References

  1. ^ "Kelly Fisher". AZBilliards. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf "Player Bios: Kelly Fisher". WPBA.com. Women's Professional Billiard Association. 2015. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  3. ^ Moss, Allis (12 April 2000). "Fisher prepares for take-off". BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 May 2006. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
  4. ^ Hodgson, Guy (24 April 2000). "White believes he can reward the public will". The Independent. Retrieved 24 April 2010. Kelly Fisher, the world No 1, took her third successive women's World Championship at the Crucible yesterday, beating Lisa Ingall, a part-time model in her first final, 4-1.[dead link]
  5. ^ Orlovac, Mark (27 April 2003). "Fisher takes title again". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 25 June 2004. Retrieved 24 April 2010. Kelly Fisher claimed her fifth world title in six years with a simple 4-1 victory over Lisa Quick
  6. ^ a b "World Champions". WomensSnooker.com. World Women's Snooker. Archived from the original on 3 January 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  7. ^ a b c d Wilde, Jon (13 December 2001). "Higgins is shocked by Lee". The Independent. Archived from the original on 17 August 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2021. Kelly Fisher won her fourth successive ranking tournament yesterday. Already holder of the British Open, Belgian Open and LG Cup titles, Fisher beat Lynette Horsburgh 4–1 to collect the UK Championship title in York
  8. ^ Yates, Phil (8 October 2002). "Higgins upset by focus on his namesake". The Times. Archived from the original on 3 December 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2010. Kelly Fisher, the women's world champion, extended her winning sequence to ten tournaments and 48 matches by beating Lynette Horsburgh 4-2 in the Ladies LG Cup final
  9. ^ Chowdhury, Saj (10 July 2003). "Women's game under threat". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 15 August 2003. Retrieved 24 April 2010. 'I don't understand why they think it's okay to ditch the women,' added Fisher. 'Why not all stick together and go through the bad together. It seems that as long as the men's competition is okay that's what matters to the governing body. My choice now is to get a full-time job or go to America and play nine-ball pool like former world champion Allison Fisher chose to do.'
  10. ^ "Kelly Fisher". Inside Pool. 2 January 2006. Archived from the original on 28 November 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2010. Explaining why she chose to come to the United States, Fisher said, 'I was playing snooker in the U.K., which prevented me from coming over earlier. I was dominating the ladies' circuit, then it collapsed over there. We were under the governing body of the men's division, and they pulled the plug on the funding'. With the thought of moving to the U.S. in the back of her mind for a while, Fisher saw it was time to seriously consider it, stating 'I thought I would have to get a regular job or make the move to America'.
  11. ^ "No. 64269". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2023. p. N28.
  12. ^ "1993 Connie Cough Memorial – Results". SnookerScores.net. World Women's Snooker. Archived from the original on 3 December 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak WLBSA Hall of Fame, World Ladies Billiards and Snooker Association, archived from the original on 21 March 2012, retrieved 1 December 2019
  14. ^ "Kelly Fisher wins Euro Women's Title". Snooker Scene. No. July 1996. Everton's News Agency. p. 24.
  15. ^ "Karen Corr wins 1996 world title a little late". Snooker Scene. No. July 1997. Everton's News Agency. pp. 12–13.
  16. ^ "Kelly Fisher: first woman to win at the Crucible". Snooker Scene. Everton's News Agency. June 1998. p. 29.
  17. ^ "2000 World Women's Snooker Championship – Knockout". SnookerScores.net. World Women's Snooker. Archived from the original on 3 December 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  18. ^ "European Championships: Women". Snooker Scene. No. July 2001. Everton's News Agency. pp. 14–15.
  19. ^ "2002 World Ladies Snooker Championship – Knockout". snookerscores.net. World Women's Snooker. Archived from the original on 3 December 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  20. ^ "World Women's Snooker Championship". IBSF.info. International Billiards and Snooker Federation. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  21. ^ Orlovac, Mark (27 April 2003). "Fisher takes title again". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 25 June 2004. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
  22. ^ "World Ladies Billiards Champions". World-Billiards.com. World Billiards Ltd. 22 June 2015. Archived from the original on 16 August 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  23. ^ "Shock defeat halts Fisher record bid". Worcestershire, West Midlands, Herefordshire, and Shropshire Counties Publications. 3 May 2001 – via NewsBank.
  24. ^ "Emma's revenge win over Fisher". Wiltshire County Publications. 22 April 2002 – via NewsBank.
  25. ^ "Fisher regains World crown". Wiltshire County Publications. 18 April 2003 – via NewsBank.
  26. ^ "Kelly cashes in..Again!". wpapool.com. World Pool-Billiard Association. 29 March 2013. Archived from the original on 31 July 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  27. ^ Forsyth, Jerry, ed. (9 October 2014). "Fisher over Fisher for Tournament of Champions Win". AZBilliards: The A to Z of Billiards and Pool. Phoenix, Arizona: EPPA Inc. Women's International Tournament of Champions 2014: Tournament Stories. Archived from the original on 9 August 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  28. ^ "Congratulations Kelly Fisher!!!!". wpapool.com. World Pool-Billiard Association. 19 December 2019. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  29. ^ "2023 Michigan Women's Open – Predator Pro Billiard Series". 22 December 2023.