SHEFFIELD — Tatiana Woollaston steps into the hushed glow of the Crucible Theatre, her black shoes clicking softly on the floor, eyes scanning the green baize. She’s not here to cheer from the stands. She’s the referee, whistle at the ready, ruling over snooker’s grandest stage. By day, she’s a merchandiser for Next, juggling stock lists and sales targets. By night, she’s one of snooker’s elite officials, a woman commanding respect in a sport where precision is everything. This April, as the World Snooker Championship unfolds, Tatiana’s double life takes center stage.
Her husband, Ben Woollaston, is no stranger to the Crucible’s pressure cooker. The Leicester-born pro, ranked 43rd in the world, returned to the championship this year after a 12-year absence, potting balls under the same roof where his wife enforces the rules. On April 16, he faced John Higgins in a first-round match, a grueling test for any player. Tatiana, 38, wasn’t refereeing his game—conflict-of-interest rules keep her off those matches—but her presence at the tournament marks a milestone. She’s one of the few women refereeing at snooker’s pinnacle, a role she’s earned through years of grit.
Tatiana’s journey to the Crucible started in Belarus, where she first picked up a cue as a player. She turned pro herself, competing in women’s events, but refereeing called louder. By 2011, she was officiating major tournaments, her calm demeanor and sharp eye catching the sport’s governing body’s attention. She’s since overseen finals at the UK Championship and semi-finals at the Masters, building a rep as unflappable. The World Snooker Tour, which runs the Crucible event, tapped her for this year’s championship, a nod to her skill in a field still dominated by men.
Her day job couldn’t be more different. At Next, Tatiana handles inventory, plans displays, and crunches numbers for a retail giant. It’s a world of deadlines and deliveries, far from the Crucible’s tense silence. Yet she thrives in both, switching from stockrooms to snooker halls with ease. Colleagues at Next know her as the quiet pro who moonlights in a sport they’ve seen on telly. Friends say she’s got a knack for staying cool, whether facing a shop floor rush or a disputed foul call.
The Crucible gig isn’t just a side hustle. Refereeing at the World Championship, which runs from April 12 to May 5, demands total focus. Tatiana studies player habits, memorizes rulebooks, and trains to spot infractions in split seconds. A single missed call could spark controversy in a sport where fans dissect every frame. She’s unfazed, leaning on experience from high-stakes matches across Europe. Her husband, meanwhile, relies on her off-table support, though he grins when asked if she ever refs their practice games at home.
Ben’s return to the championship, after last qualifying in 2013, stirred buzz among snooker diehards. His match against Higgins, a four-time world champion, ended in defeat, but he pocketed respect for holding his own. Tatiana, working other games, kept her distance professionally, though the couple’s shared passion for snooker binds them. They met on the circuit, married in 2011, and now balance careers with raising two kids. Their story’s no fairy tale—it’s hard-won, rooted in long hours and longer drives to tournaments.
Sheffield’s Crucible, hosting the championship since 1977, is snooker’s holy ground. Tatiana’s role there, confirmed by the World Snooker Tour’s official roster, puts her among the sport’s unsung heroes. Referees don’t get the spotlight, but they hold the game together, enforcing fairness in a sport where a millimeter can decide a title. Her schedule this month includes multiple matches, though exact assignments stay under wraps until game day.
Tatiana’s not chasing headlines. She’s too busy keeping the game honest, one frame at a time. Her Next shifts wait when the championship ends, but for now, she’s at the Crucible, proving a merchandiser can rule snooker’s biggest stage.