Stefan Mazrocis

Name: Stefan Mazrocis

DOB: 18th April 1967

Nationality: Dutch

Turned Pro: 1991

Highest Ranking: #65 (1997-9)

Highest Break: 147 (1995 WPBSA Tour Event 3)

Career Highlights: 1996 Asian Classic Quarter Final, 1997 World Championship last 16, 2008 EBSA European Play-Off Winner

 

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Early Career

Surely the best snooker player ever to represent Holland, Stefan first rose to prominence as an amateur with victory in the 1988 European Championship. On turning professional in 1991 however, he initially found strong results hard to come by as he entered the rankings in 112th place.

Slowly but surely though he began to move up the list and following his first appearance at the Crucible at the 1995 World Championship where he lost 10-3 to Stephen Hendry, he was up into 73rd position.

Ebdon Upset

Stefan’s fortunes continued to improve in 1996 as he reached his first (and so far only), ranking event quarter-final at the Asian Classic, before his finest hour was to come at the 1997 World Championship in Sheffield. Having again qualified for the event he was this time paired with 1996 finalist Peter Ebdon in the first round and was able to cause a sensation, not only winning but doing so 10-3. Though he lost 13-9 to Alain Robidoux in the next round, he had already ensured that his name would always be mentioned in lists of the biggest Crucible upsets ever.

Though he failed to repeat these heroics in the next few seasons, he at least did enough to move up to a career high of 65th in the rankings at the end of the 1990’s where he remained for two years. After that though he began to struggle badly, eventually resulting in him losing his place on the tour at the end of the 2001/2 season.

Amateur Success

Since then he has had another couple of largely unspectacular spells on the main tour, but he has found more success at amateur level as he won the 2004 Dutch Championships, as well as reaching the semi-finals of the European Championships that year. He has also enjoyed success representing his country as he helped his Dutch team to victory in the 2004 International Challenge.

Main Tour Return

Back on the main tour for 2008/9 following victory in the 2008 EBSA European Play-Off against Lennon Starkey, Stefan’s best run saw him record victories over Chris McBreen and David Roe to reach the third qualifying round of the Bahrain qualifiers but once there he suffered a 5-1 defeat at the hands of fellow veteran Barry Pinches.

Unfortunately for Stefan this was to be as good as things got and as his season ended on a low note with defeat to Tony Knowles (a real veteran!) at the World Championship qualifiers, so did his latest spell on the main tour.