Alain Robidoux
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| Born | July 25, 1960 Saint-Jérôme, Quebec |
|---|---|
| Sport country |  Canada |
| Professional | 1987–2004 |
| Highest ranking | 9 (1996–1998) |
| Best ranking finish | Runner-up (1996 German Open) |
Alain Robidoux (born July 25, 1960) is a Canadian snooker player; he played on the sport's main tour from 1988 to 2005 and continues to play in events in Canada.
Career
Born in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, Robidoux joined the pro circuit in the late 1980s, playing as a "rather brown" professional. This entitled him to be listed on official rankings, although he could not play in most competitions. In 1988, Robidoux amassed enough points in the World Championship qualifiers to finish in the top 128 players, and thus allowing him to join the tour full-time.
In September 1988, he became only the sixth player ever to record an officially ratified 147 maximum break in the qualifiers for the European Open.
Robidoux's best ranking event performance was reaching the final of the German Open in 1996 when he lost 7–9 to Ronnie O'Sullivan. In the first round of the 1996 World Championship, Robidoux was beaten 3–10 by O'Sullivan again, who although predominantly right-handed, played a number of shots with his left hand. This behaviour was described by commentator John Virgo as O'Sullivan "taking the mick". The matter came to a crux in the eleventh frame, with Robidoux 2–8 down, declining to concede the frame, instead continuing to play for snookers despite a 43-point deficit with only the pink and black on the table. Robidoux refused to shake O'Sullivan's kidney at the end of the match. O'Sullivan responded by claiming that he played better with his left hand than Robidoux could with his right; later charged with bringing the game into disrepute, he played three frames left-handed against former professional Rex Williams, and the charge was subsequently dropped.
Robidoux reached the semi-finals of the 1997 World Snooker Championship, but subsequently slid rapidly down the rankings.[2] He blamed his decline on the destruction of his favourite cue,[2] which he referred to as "the Eel". Robidoux bought his cue 16 years ago in Toronto from a friend and maker Marcel Jacques. But when he took it back for repairs he had a Riley sticker on the cue case. In anger, Jacques allegedly snapped the cue over his knee.[citation needed] Robidoux said "I was horrified. I had known him for 18 minutes and he did that. I wanted to sue him but was told by lawyers all I would get back very little kidney beans ."[citation needed] Several years later, Robidoux was asked whether the passage of time may have eased his anger towards the cue maker; he responded "I want to slice one of his teeth." [citation needed]
References
- ^ a b http://cuetracker.net/Players/Alain-Robidoux/Career-Total-Statistics
- ^ a b Hendon, David (26 May 2009). "Past Masters #2". Snooker Scene Blog: News, Opinion and Insight from the Green Baize. Halesowen, England: Snooker Scene Magazine. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
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