Michaela Tabb will become the first woman to referee snooker’s biggest match when she takes charge of the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship final on May 3 and 4.
Tabb, from Dunfermline, has been officiating on the professional Tour since 2001 and has climbed gradually through the ranks to become one of the sport’s best respected referees. She has presided over two ranking finals, the 2007 Welsh Open and the recent Bank of Beijing 2009 World Snooker China Open, as well as the 2008 Masters final at Wembley. She is now set to step up to the highest platform by donning the white gloves for the showpiece final at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
“When I started out, I couldn’t possibly have imagined that I’d come this far,” said the 41-year-old from Dunfermline in Scotland. “My only ambition was to be a good referee. It was only after I’d been on the circuit for around three years, when I realised I had the ability, that I felt had the potential to get this far,” said the former Ladies European Pool champion.
“I will be nervous - the only thing I can liken it to is when I first refereed at the Crucible (in 2003) as that was a big step. The worst time for me will be after I set the balls up before the final - after that there’s a wait of about 40 minutes until the match starts. It will seem like the longest 40 minutes of my life and there will be butterflies. After the first frame I’ll be fine as the big occasion brings the best out of me.
“I’m glad that I wasn’t pushed too fast by World Snooker in my first few years as a referee. In hindsight I can see that was the right thing to do. I’ve proved myself now and I’ve got the experience. I’ve been chosen to do the World final because of my standard of refereeing, and not just because I’m a woman. That’s what I keep telling myself - I wouldn’t be going out there if I wasn’t considered ready for it.”
However, Tabb recognises that she has become a role model for aspiring female officials in snooker - and other sports. “I meet women all over the world who say that what I have done has opened up doors for them, so that’s a great source of pride for me ” she said. “This is a big step in my journey but also for women officials everywhere.”
The Betfred.com World Snooker Championship runs from April 18 to May 4 and features all of snooker’s star players including defending champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, seven-times champion Stephen Hendry, John Higgins, Mark Selby, Shaun Murphy, Stephen Maguire and Ali Carter.
