Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan jointly hold the record for the most World Snooker Championship titles with seven. His tour card was subsequently renewed for another two seasons.. Mark Allen, Mark Selby and John Higgins had all thwarted his attempts to lift the Crucible trophy for a fourth time as he failed to get past the quarter-final in any of the previous three seasons. The Scot, who dropped out of the elite top 16 earlier this season and is currently ranked 23, admitted having to qualify for this year's World Championship for the first time since 1988 "was not a nice feeling". Hendry jokes with ref, The seven-time world champion accepted a two-year wild card from former World Snooker Tour chairman Barry Hearn at the outset of the 2020/21 season and played his first match since the 2012 World Championship when he lost 4-1 to. "For me - and I've said it since 1990 - he's the greatest player ever to lift a snooker cue. Stephen Hendry has opted out of entering the 2022 World Snooker Championship qualifiers only 12 months after returning following a nine-year absence. BBC commentators and presenters for 2022 World Snooker Championship. He admired and coveted Daviss success and adopted his mindset. Technically, the most successful player at the world championship is Joe Davis, who won 15 consecutive titles from 1927 to 1946. believes Hendry's achievements mark him out as the stand-out player in the sport's history. He has played only a handful of events and found victories hard to come by. In typical fashion, the 100th point of his 1000th century was secured left-handed, and O'Sullivan - to continued, rapturous applause - went on to clear the table fully, even the white finding its way to the pocket to deny what would've been a 141. The following season, he successfully defended that title and won the World Doubles Championship with partner Mike Hallett. He shares the record for most World Snooker Championship wins with Ronnie OSullivan: both have seven titles. Once he decided he'd be the greatest player in the world, he achieved that.". After losing to Stephen Maguire in the quarterfinal of the 2012 World Snooker Championship, Hendry announced his retirement, stating that he was dissatisfied with his ability to maintain an acceptably high level of competition. Turning professional at 17, Hendry made a strong start in his first season, winning the 1986 Scottish Professional Championship. Its now undisputed, if it wasnt already. Hendry, 43, retired on Tuesday after a 13-2 quarter-final defeat by Stephen Maguire ended his 27th consecutive appearance at the Crucible. He turned professional the following year, and when he won the Grand Prix in 1987, he became the youngest player to win a tournament. Stephen Hendry has admitted he did not want Ronnie O'Sullivan to equal his haul of seven World Championship titles, and does not want him to surpass their now joint-record. A series of records fell in his wake. Top 5 Ranked Men's Snooker Players Of All Time. 20 Scots have so far competed in the Crucible stage of the World Championship. Having enlisted the help of six-time world champion Ray Reardon to rediscover his magic, he battled past Stephen Maguire (10-6) and Andy Hicks (13-11) before imperiously wiping the floor with Anthony Hamilton (13-3) and Stephen Hendry (17-4) with sessions to spare, while his 18-8 hammering of Graeme Dott was pretty brutal too as he returned to the top of the world rankings, where he'd stay for the next two seasons. Prodigy then, legend now. He also talks about whether it was extra motivation pic.twitter.com/n58nxPeGaK. The winner of this weeks Scottish Open receives the Stephen Hendry trophy. Once again, Hendry was setting records, with an unprecedented seventh world title. It was almost like that. Despite what he says about his cue action. Despite eventually signing the official WPBSA players' contract after initially refusing to do so, O'Sullivan decided to miss virtually the entire 2012-13 season but thankfully announced at the end of February that he would return at the Crucible. He had 24 hours to decide whether to take it and he could not resist. After Hendry lost the top ranking in 2007, his play began to decline, and in 2012 he retired suddenly following his loss in the quarterfinals of the snooker world championship. Omissions? In 2020, Hendry was offered an invitational wildcard by World Snooker Tour, making him eligible to compete again on the circuit. However, one big difference was how he approached the game itself. 2014 UK Championship Final: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Judd Trump DECIDER! We look back at his 28. History repeated itself three years on from his maiden world title in the sense he'd suffered a first-round exit 12 months earlier, this time against Marco Fu despite firing in a 147 break. Davis, 54, beat Hendry in the 1989 World Championship semi-finals en route to winning his last title at the Crucible, with Scotsman Hendry turning the tables at the same stage five years later. Later Career "I can't really envisage it happening, there's just going to be more and more players knocking each other out.". In 2020, Hendry accepted a tour card for the World Snooker Tour, indicating his return to professional play. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 1999 Grand Prix v Graeme Dott, 4. Any excuse to dig this uppic.twitter.com/hzoGnnsx9W, 1. Interviews over a few. This remarkable completion of professional snookers Triple Crown by the young Hendry moved him into the No. pic.twitter.com/jWWr6mfcAd. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2014 Welsh Open - Ding Junhui, 13. All rights reserved. He's going to be winning this a few times and the other guys better get their act together. He claimed the number one ranking in 1990 and held it until White defeated him at the world championship in 1998. It takes too much time practicing getting out of snookers, I'd rather practice break building." "Jimmy White would probably feel that even though he's not at the cutting edge any more, he's enjoyed the challenge of trying to stay within the game, and I've enjoyed the same challenge, but obviously Stephen didn't. Final report: Ronnie O'Sullivan 18-8 Kyren Wilson, CLICK HERE FOR EVERY 147 BREAK IN SNOOKER HISTORY, WATCH ALL THE CRUCIBLE MAXIMUM BREAKS IN HISTOR, Richard Mann's story of the snooker season, Sporting Life exclusive: Neil Robertson interview, Nick Metcalfe on a decade of World Championship finals, World Championship memories: White always a People's Champion, World Championship memories: O'Sullivan's finest hour, World Championship memories: Higgins prevails but Trump grows, World Championship memories: Joe Johnson: The biggest shock, World Championship memories: 1984 World Championship stands out, World Championship: 6 (2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020), UK Championship: 7* (1993, 1997, 2001, 2007, 2014, 2017, 2018), Masters: 7* (1995, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2017), Century breaks: 1,061* (179 at Crucible*). The 1989-90 season was the beginning of Stephen Hendrys period of dominance, both in major tournaments and atop the world rankings. I wouldn't say it's the wrong decision - it's just down to the individual.". At 53, it is surely impossible for Hendry to recapture former glories. Ranking the game's top five players in history, including World Championship stars. One of snookers all-time greats Scotlands Stephen Hendry remains the player with the most World Championship titles to his name in the modern era following his record seven Crucible crowns won from 1990-1999. "Then you let the snooker gods decide what they're going to decide, and these 17 days they were on my side. Hendry, O'Sullivan, Davis and the players with the most trophies, Is Ronnie O'Sullivan snooker's GOAT? MORE:Is Ronnie O'Sullivan snooker's GOAT? Wishaws John Higgins was taken with one of his brothers to a snooker club as a boy by their father, who could have a social drink with his friends while his sons were happily occupied. 1. Maybe not that night, because there's still a little bit of sadness that he equalled my record. O'Sullivan came into the Masters on the back of losing the UK Championship final to Mark Selby but bounced back with wins over Liang Wenbo (6-5), Neil Robertson (6-3) and Marco Fu (6-4) before successfully defending his crown with a 10-7 triumph over Joe Perry. Technically, the most successful player at the world championship is. Stephen . I'm sure you're as excited watching at home as we are here." What TV channel is 2022 World Snooker Championship final? WPBSA Head Office: World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, 75 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2NT, Victories in Sheffield for Hendry and Wallace, White and Doherty to Meet in World Seniors Final. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2011 Paul Hunter Classic - Adam Duffy, 12. It capped a tumultuous tournament for O'Sullivan, who had threatened to launch a breakaway tour then required a final-frame decider to edge past veteran Ken Doherty in round two. Just by being here as world number one no less the Romford man was setting a record for most consecutive Crucible appearances with 30, a tally that is level with Steve Davis overall record. To be fair, Hendry had done everything to lower expectations. OSullivan beat Judd Trump to win his seventh World Championship, I couldnt care less what Stephen Hendry or anyone else says Allen on slow-play critics, Why theres no hiding place for anyone at the Shoot Out, he was fined several times in the last 12 months. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Stephen-Hendry, Electric Scotland - Biography of Stephen Hendry. **Hendry resumed playing in 2021 after nine years out, but his future on the tour is unclear. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2007 Northern Ireland Trophy - Ali Carter, 8. Discovery company. Higgins showed some early promise, developed a maturity in his game beyond his years and won the junior event at the 1991 World Masters in Birmingham, beating fellow 15-year-olds Ronnie OSullivan and Mark Williams en route. Ronnie O'sullivan 147 Break vs. Mark Selby, Ronnie O'Sullivan v Mark Williams 147 break, Snooker Ronnie O'Sullivan - Ding Junhui 147 Break, Ronnie O'Sullivan 13th 147 Maximum vs Matthew Selt UK Championship 2014 {BBC 720p HD}, 147 Classics: Ronnie O'Sullivan in China | Snooker | Eurosport, 147 Classics: Ronnie O'Sullivan | Snooker | Eurosport. He had pushed his career earnings past 6.2 million (about $10 million) and by November had reclaimed his number one ranking. 1 spot in the world rankings for the first time. Hendry, 43, retired on Tuesday after a 13-2 quarter-final defeat by Stephen Maguire ended his 27th consecutive appearance at the Crucible. Growing up, he also spent time living in Edinburgh and Fife. "Steve Davis: "Have you got any left? pic.twitter.com/PoE9RBEcNh. That's what a champion does, they don't play their best, they get to the final, and they still nearly win it. Considering all categories of tournament, including ranking, non-ranking and invitational, Steve Davis has won the most titles in snooker. While Davis, the world number 39, has continued to play on the tour along with another legend, Jimmy White [ranked 44], Hendry has opted to quit 13 years after winning his last world title in 1999. He wont even be there to present the trophy. Well worth a watch even for Ronnie fans! "It's been an unbelievable career," Taylor told. The 43-year-old, who . Hendry has the longest unbeaten streak in ranking tournament play, winning 36 consecutive matches in 1990 and 1991. Twelve months earlier, the Rocket hit the headlines for the wrong reasons at the Barbican when forfeiting his quarter-final against Stephen Hendry when trailing 4-1 in the first to nine frames. At 20, he captured the Masters and UK Championship, and at 21 was crowned the youngest ever world champion. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2018 China Open - Elliot Slessor, 15. After being ranked number one in the world for eight consecutive seasons, he lost the top spot with a first-round loss in the 1998 world championship. Fellow Glaswegian Anthony McGill has won two and Edinburghs Chris Small, forced to retire in 2005 due to a chronic back condition, one. The groan of appreciation from Stephen Hendry accompanies it perfectly. 1995: Beats Nigel Bond in the World Championship final. Due tohis early success, Hendry earned the nickname The Golden Boy. His continued dominance led him to also become known as The Ice Man and The King of the Crucible. Even though he failed to defend his world championship title in 1991, Hendry struck back the following year, taking down White once again in the final of the 1992 World Snooker Championship. 'Feels amazing' Higgins ends 13-month title drought by retaining Championship League crown, Watch Robertson produce magic as Trump leads final Championship League group. The Scot finished as the year-end rankings leader for eight seasons in a row from 1989/90 to 1996/97. Comments. Until 1982, only the world championship counted as a ranking event; two others the International Open and the Professional Players Tournament were then added, as was the UK Championship in 1984. Tied at 42 pints apiece, Sinclair hit the deck and Werbeniuk went to the bar for a celebratory beer. As if to underline how disappointing the comeback has been, the man himself did not enter the event. Evans slams 'disgusting' prize money in women's snooker as Baipat claims world title. #snooker #bbcsnooker pic.twitter.com/dgKOL1QXhs, Ronnie O'Sullivan doing this to trail Mark Selby 16-14 in a World Championship semi-final but still ends up winning 17-16 in a match of the ages. In terms of weeks spent as world number one, as of April 18, 2022, Stephen Hendry tops the list. 6x World champion 7x UK champion 7x Masters champion 20 Triple Crowns A record 37th ranking title 1,061 century breaks 15 147s Legendary brilliance on the table Legendary entertainment off it Ronnie O'Sullivan, the GOAT pic.twitter.com/jeDAixy07w. He capped off his incredible season by defeating Jimmy White in the final of the World Snooker Championship, winning his first world championship title,and setting a record for becoming the youngest to do so at the age of 21. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. "Hopefully, if I can keep getting better and keep improving, my technique becomes reliable and I can get to a better pace, then next year will be the goal to get back to the Crucible," he said after his win over old foe White last year. Stephen Hendry bestrode the sport in the 90s in an almost imperious way. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2018 English Open - Allan Taylor. Ronnie O'Sullivan is happy to share the World Snooker Championship record with 'absolute legend' Stephen Hendry but feels that the feat means more to the Scot than it does to. Stephen Hendry with wife Mandy and son Blaine after beating Mark Williams 18-11 to win a record seventh world title. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.