Seven-times world champion Stephen Hendry today led tributes to Paul Hunter, who lost his battle against cancer last night at the age of 27.
Hunter was a three-times Masters champion and was widely expected to add the World Championship to his list of titles until illness took hold.
He died at 8.20pm on Monday evening at Kirkwood Hospice in Huddersfield, five days before his 28th birthday.
Hendry insists Hunter will be sorely missed.
'Paul was just a really nice guy and a great player,' Hendry said. 'When he first emerged on the scene, he had the ability you always thought would eventually result in him becoming a world champion.
'Sadly he never got the chance to fulfil that goal. But his record, especially in the Masters at Wembley, spoke for itself.'
Hunter, who leaves a wife Lindsey and daughter Evie Rose, was diagnosed with neuro-endocrine tumours of the lining of his stomach in March 2005.
He appeared to be beating the disease when he returned to competition, however his condition deteriorated and he was taken into hospice care last Friday.
Despite chemotherapy treatment, Hunter remained committed to resuming his career, but he won only one match last season and fell from fifth to 34th in the rankings.
'Before he took ill, Paul was in the top four in the world and maybe even had his best days to come,' Hendry added. 'Every player on the circuit was pulling for Paul to come through because he was just a genuinely nice guy who never fell out with anyone. He just wanted to play the game.
'My thoughts are with his wife, daughter and family on what is a sad day and a day I've never experienced during my time in the game.'
World Snooker chairman Rodney Walker said: 'I'm sure that everyone who met Paul, as well as his millions of fans and the sporting public as a whole, will join me in sending most sincere sympathies to Lindsey, Paul's parents, his family and friends.
'Paul was a man who had everything going for him - an outstanding talent, good looks, fame, riches, charm and a beautiful wife. This shows us just how quickly life can change.
'It's a bitter blow for snooker but most importantly for his family and our thoughts are with them.'
So popular was Hunter with audiences, particularly those at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre, in his native Yorkshire, he gained the nickname 'Beckham of the baize'.
Former world champion John Parrott said: 'It's a great loss to the sport but more importantly than that it's a great loss to his family.
'Paul played the game with a smile on his face. He was a bright and bubbly character and I never heard him complain. He was always such a happy person. We're all going to miss him.'
An instinctively attacking player, Hunter turned professional at the age of 16 in 1995 and won his first major title, the 1998 Welsh Open, at the age of 19.
He also won the Welsh Open title in 2002 and picked up the British Open trophy the same year. But he will be best remembered for his exploits at the Wembley Masters.
Hunter recovered from 7-3 down to beat Fergal O'Brien 10-9 in the 2001 final and fought from 5-0 adrift to beat Mark Williams 10-9 in the final a year later.
He completed a hat-trick of Masters victories in 2004 when he came from 7-2 down to beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-9.
Hunter's best World Championship performance was reaching the semi-finals in 2003, where he led Ken Doherty 15-9 before the Irishman stormed back to win 17-16.
He reached number four in the world rankings during the 2004-05 season and was given the go-ahead in July this year to take a year out of the game.
His fellow professionals backed plans to allow his official world ranking to be frozen at number 34 for a season. A Premier League spokesman confirmed there would be a minute's silence before this week's matches in Preston on Thursday.
