Marco Fu
Hong Kong's greatest snooker export, a gentleman player whose fluid break-building and steely composure brought Asian talent to the sport's top table.
Born 1978 (age 48)·Hong Kongese snooker player·Birthday: January 8·Generation X
Biography
In the hushed, green-baize world of professional snooker, Marco Fu has been the elegant standard-bearer for Hong Kong and Asia for over two decades. Moving to the UK as a teenager to pursue the game, he turned professional in 1998 and quickly established himself not just as a talent, but as one of the sport's most graceful stylists. His cue action is smooth and rhythmic, capable of crafting century breaks with a quiet, relentless efficiency. Fu's career is marked by high-class consistency rather than dominance, peaking with three ranking titles, including the 2016 Scottish Open, and deep runs in the sport's most prestigious tournaments. Twice a semifinalist at the Crucible Theatre for the World Championship, he proved he could compete on the biggest stage. Respected by peers and fans for his impeccable sportsmanship and calm demeanor, Fu's legacy is that of a pioneer who demonstrated that Asian players could not only compete but excel at the very highest level of this traditional British game.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Marco was born in 1978, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Marco Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Marco's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won three major ranking titles: the 2007 Grand Prix, the 2013 Australian Goldfields Open, and the 2016 Scottish Open.
- Reached the semifinals of the World Snooker Championship twice, in 2006 and 2016.
- Was runner-up in two Triple Crown events, the 2008 UK Championship and the 2011 Masters.
Did You Know?
He compiled a maximum 147 break at the 2000 Scottish Masters, one of several in his career.
Fu was awarded the Medal of Honour by the Hong Kong government in 2013 for his sporting contributions.
He is known for wearing distinctive prescription glasses while playing, as he has poor eyesight.
“You must respect the table; it gives you nothing for free.”
