High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The snooker world rankings are the official system of ranking professional snooker players to determine automatic qualification and seeding for tournaments. They are maintained by the sport's governing body, the WPBSA. As of 22 January 2009, the number one-ranked player is Ronnie O'Sullivan. Since the world rankings began in 1976 only seven players have held the number one position: Ray Reardon, Cliff Thorburn, Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, John Higgins, Mark Williams and Ronnie O'Sullivan although Alex Higgins would have been ranked 1 in 1982/83 if he had not had ranking points deducted for disciplinary reasons. Additionally, it has been eighteen years since any player other than Hendry, John Higgins, Williams or O'Sullivan has held the top spot.