"Heaven has a new champion"

I was shocked today to find out about the death of one of the greatest snooker players. Paul Hunter, aged 27, died on Monday, after an 18-month struggle against a rare form of stomach cancer. More coverage on this dreadful tragedy here, together with tributes from players and supporters. May he rest in peace.

• "I’m devastated. Paul didn’t have a bad word to say about anyone in the game and no one had a bad word to say about him." - Stephen Hendry
• "This is a very sad moment for the game. I played many great games against him. Paul made snooker sexy. I’m completely gutted at the news." - Ken Doherty
• "He was a very flamboyant player, a very attacking player. He had a heart like a lion. I’m sure that he would have been a future world champion. It’s such a sad loss to our game and his family." - Willie Thorne
• "It's a very sad day, not only for snooker but also for the sporting world. [...]We've lost a great character and champion and a great friend. It's a shocking loss." - Ken Doherty