Michael Hill is arguably the greatest 8-Ball Pool player of all-time.

The reigning and record-breaking six-time world champion began playing when he was just 5-years-old on a table at home. He was marked for greatness early on and qualified for the England senior team at the age of only 17. Hill would be an integral part of that powerhouse outfit, winning several world team championships.

Following a plethora of open tour and professional title triumphs, a 24-year-old Hill achieved his primary ambition in Blackpool in 2004 by becoming world champion for the first time. He swept aside two-time winner Jason Twist 10-3 in the semi-finals before coming back from 5-0, 7-2 and 9-6 down to defeat close friend Darren Appleton 11-9 in the Sky Sports televised final.

The Dudley-born cueist got to further world finals in 2007 and 2009 but he would have to wait until 2010 to claim title number two, getting the better of then three-time winner Gareth Potts 11-8 in the trophy decider – gaining revenge for his loss to him at the same stage three years earlier.

Hill lifted the same trophy again in 2015 with victory over Nigel Clarke (11-5) before consecutive final wins over Phil Harrison in 2017 (11-6) and 2018 (11-8) – going one up on his career rival having lost to him in the 2007 climax.

The avid Liverpool FC fan created yet more history in 2019 when he retained the world title following an 11-6 success over Dom Cooney to become the first person to win the title in three consecutive years.

‘The Machine’ also has two World Masters accolades to his name; from 2008 and 2010, the latter win completing a unique World Championship and World Masters double in the same year – the only person to have done this in the open division. That’s not his only bigtime double – after winning the 2005 European Championship he held both the World and European titles at the same time.

Hill has won a portfolio of other prestigious events during his legendary career, including ones on the other side of the world in Australia such as the Big Guns event on three occasions in 2016, 2018 and 2019.

His force has been felt in other cuesport disciplines too. He has shelved silverware on the 9-Ball Pool circuit such as the 2013 GB9 UK Open, and narrowly missed out on winning the 2016 World Chinese Pool Championship after being ousted by Shi Hanqing 21-20 in the final in China.

Mick 'The Machine' Hill Facebook Page

Professional Series: 1x Event Finalist (2021 Event 6)
Professional Cup: Last 32 (2021)
Champions League: Runner-Up (2021)
Professional Grand Slam: Last 16 (2022)
Masters: Last 64 (2021)
Champion of Champions: N/A
Pairs Cup: Semi-Finalist (2021/22)

Hill made an instant impact on the Ultimate Pool scene by reaching the final of the 2021 Vinny.co.uk Champions League where he lost to fellow all-time great Chris Melling in the title match.

During the inaugural Professional Series, Hill was runner-up at Event 6. He dropped just three frames in four matches getting to the final before losing out to the in-form Shane Thompson.

Whilst a title on the Series eluded him in 2021, Hill was the only player to win at least one match in all eight events.

Alongside fellow all-time great Phil Harrison, the duo won groups in phases one and two of the Eative Pairs Cup with a 100% record before bowing out in the semi-finals.