Former world snooker champion Peter Ebdon retires after 29 years on the circuit due to injury

• Scroll down for career stats and highlights

The 49-year-old has opted to end his career rather than have spinal surgery after suffering from neck, back, shoulder and arm pain.

Ebdon won the 2002 World Championship, beating Stephen Hendry in a 18-17 thriller, and also reached the 1996 and 2006 finals.

He won eight other ranking events, including the 2006 UK Championship, during 29 years on the circuit.

Ebdon told World Championship sponsor Betfred: "I had an MRI scan about seven weeks ago which picked up significant wear and tear in my neck. There is serious deterioration in some of the vertebrae and I have been in pain since Christmas.

"Two of the vertebrae need to be replaced, which is not an operation I want to have because if it went wrong I could be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.

"It's far too risky. The professor explained to me that it wouldn't be a cure. It could work, but it could make things worse and I would probably need to have it again in 10 years."

Current world champion Judd Trump tweeted: "Happy retirement to @pdebdon what a fantastic career... Also learn a lot from playing him in my early career and he loved to take on some crazy shots at times which I have a lot of respect for lol."

Barry Hearn, chairman of World Snooker Tour, congratulated Ebdon on his "wonderful" career.

Hearn wrote on Twitter: "Heard the news of your retirement and I just wanted to say thank you for your services to snooker and congratulate you on a wonderful professional career. Good luck for the future."

Peter Ebdon career highlights

• 2002 World Champion

Peter Ebdon emphatically underlined his reputation as a ferocious competitor that just never gave up during the 2002 World Championship. Ranked world number seven heading into the Crucible, he came from 16-14 down in an epic semi-final to beat Matthew Stevens 17-16 but still had enough mental strength and character to edge out Stephen Hendry 18-17 in a quite incredible final that would prove to be the seven-time champion's last.

• 2x World Championship runner-up

Ebdon reached his first Crucible final in 1996 having come from behind to beat Jimmy White in a deciding frame in round two before overcoming both Steve Davis and Ronnie O'Sullivan in two more close encounters. Hendry would see him off 18-12 but he'd get his revenge six years later.

Ebdon again had to come through a deciding frame in the 2006 semi-finals - this time against Marco Fu - and many expected him to go on and pick up his second world title. However it was Ronnie O'Sullivan's conqueror Graeme Dott who caused another upset to land his only Crucible crown.

• 2006 UK Championship winner

Peter Ebdon is one of just 13 players to have won both the world and UK titles in snooker history and he completed his double with a 10-6 victory over Hendry in the final having also seen off Mark Selby, Stuart Bingham, Ding Junhui and John Higgins to get there.

• UK Championship runner-up 1995

Ebdon was beaten by Hendry 10-3 in his first UK Championship final back in 1995, but just like what happened in the worlds, he would eventually get the better of the Scotsman later in their careers.

Scroll down for more titles won

Other ranking titles

• 1993 Grand Prix: 9-6 v Ken Doherty
• 1997 Thailand Open: 9-7 v Nigel Bond
• 2000 British Open: 9-6 v Jimmy White
• 2001 Scottish Open: 9-7 v Ken Doherty
• 2004 Irish Masters: 10-7 v Mark King
• 2009 China Open: 10-8 v John Higgins
• 2012 China Open: 10-9 v Stephen Maguire
• Runner-up in 1994 Dubai Classic, 1996 European Open, 1999 British Open, 2001 LG Cup, 2012 Australian Open, 2018 Paul Hunter Classic

Non-ranking titles

• 1995 Irish Masters: 9-8 v Stephen Hendry
• 1995 Pontins Professional: 9-8 v Ken Doherty
• 1995 Malta Grand Prix: 7-4 v John Higgins
• 1996 Scottish Masters: 9-6 v Alan McManus

Maximum breaks

Peter Ebdon has hit two maximum breaks in his career but remarkably not since 1992! His first came a year earlier at the Strachan Professional and he followed that up with another 147 at the 1992 UK Championship.

On This Day...

• Black Ball Final
• Carter shocks O'Sullivan
• Robertson routs Murphy
• Cahill stuns O'Sullivan

World Championship memories

• Higgins prevails but Trump grows
• O'Sullivan's finest hour
• White: The People's Champion
• Foulds on 1984 World Championship
• Joe Johnson: The biggest shock

Crucible champions through the years

• Part one: Spencer to Johnson
• Part two: Hendry to Ebdon
• Part three: Murphy to Trump