Mike Dunn
DOB: November 20th 1971
Nationality: English
Turned Pro: 1991
Highest Ranking: #38 (2009/10)
Current Ranking: #38
Highest Break: 138 (1999 UK Tour)
Career Highlights: 2005 Malta Cup Last 16, 2008 Bahrain Championship last 16, Won three matches to qualify for the final stages of the 2002 World Championship
Career Highlights
A professional since 1991, Redcar’s Mike Dunn has rarely been able to make it through to the final stages of events, but he has solidly improved his ranking position over the last few years. Now at a career high of 47 he only has to win two qualifying matches to qualify for the TV stages of events so it might be that we see a bit more of him in the next year or two. As well as his playing career, Mike is also involved with the management of the sport in his role as a director of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.
The two best runs of his career before 2008/9 both had one thing in common as both were ended by Welshman Matthew Stevens. Mike achieved a lifelong ambition in 2002 by qualifying for the Crucible with a 10-9 win over Billy Snaddon, before losing to Stevens 10-6 in round one. Three years later in Malta, Mike qualified for the TV stages again and with a 5-0 whitewash of David Gray went one step further as he reached the last 16 for the first time. Again though it was Stevens who would end his run, this time with a 5-3 win.
2008/9
2008/9 was another strong year for Mike as he continued his progress up the rankings and moved into the fringes of the top 32 on the one-year list.
His best showing came at the Bahrain Championship as he not only defeated Joe Delaney and Gerard Greene to reach the TV stages, but then went on to beat local wildcard Ahmed Aseeri and dramatically world number three Shaun Murphy to reach the last 16 of an event for only the second time in his career.
Though his run was brought to an end in the next round by Barry Hawkins, he kept on winning his round one matches for the rest of the season, made the TV stages again in Wales and has left himself well-placed to improve further over the next few seasons…
