Ronnie O'Sullivan has paid tribute to Paul Hunter two decades after the late snooker star's last Masters triumph.
The Rocket has labelled Hunter the 'David Beckham of snooker' and claims he will never be forgotten by those who played against him.
Hunter died of stomach cancer in October 2006 at the age of 27.
He had been battling the illness for over 18 months but continued playing at a professional level until April of the year he passed away.
Ronnie O'Sullivan has paid tribute to the late Paul Hunter
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The Huddersfield-born star was widely tipped to become one of the faces of snooker.
He earned comparisons to Beckham due to his long blonde locks and boyish good looks.
Hunter won the first of his Masters titles in 2001 at the age of 22 and won the tournament again in 2002 and 2004.
O'Sullivan has made a touching tribute to Hunter, 20 years after he was beaten by him in the final in Wembley.
The 48-year-old said: "Paul was an unbelievable talent.
"He definitely had that star power and transcended the game.
"He was the Beckham of the snooker, wasn’t he. He was a good-looking boy.
"He always had a smile on his face and was a good lad.
"He was brilliant for the game, he was a lovely lad and had a lovely family.
"I had some good times and some good memories with Paul.
"He will never be forgotten, all the players loved him.
"He will always be in the hearts of the snooker players and everybody who knew him."
O'Sullivan, who has won the Masters a record seven times, begins his campaign against China's Ding Junhui on Monday.
He claims the early noughties provided the best era in snooker.
And he reckons Hunter was firmly a part of that.
O'Sullivan added: "I've always said that snooker enjoyed a golden era when Hendry, Higgins, Williams, Stevens, the great Paul Hunter and myself were battling it out.
"I truly believe that was the best top six ever."
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Paul Hunter died from cancer in 2006
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Former Scottish player Alan McManus has also paid tribute to Hunter.
McManus, who won the Masters in 1994, would love a reunion with former champions but admits it would be sad that Hunter would not be there.
He said: "I remember one year there was an evening for all the former winners and they invited Kirk Stevens because he made the first ever Masters 147.
"It was amazing to be among those players. Because you have to be a special player to win the Masters.
"I wasn’t, but the rest were all special players. It would be great if they did another one.
Ronnie O'Sullivan has likened Paul Hunter to David Beckham
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"But one regret I would have would be that Paul Hunter wouldn’t be there.
"He's an icon of the game. He was some player. He would be there in spirit with the trophy.
"These things are important to snooker people if the game’s inside you like it is for me."
