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He had 24 hours to decide whether to take it and he could not resist. Hendry changed the way snooker was played, ushering in a more attacking era and establishing records that took decades to be matched. 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. Ronnie O'Sullivan had not yet turned 18 but he'd already earned his nickname 'The Rocket' after winning a best-of-nine frame encounter in a record-breaking 43 minutes during his debut professional season (1992-93), in which he'd also claimed a maiden non-ranking title and qualified for his first World Championship, where he lost 10-7 to Alan McManus. Stephen Hendry with his now girlfriend of four years Lauren Thundow The couple first launched a bid to build more homes on the site in 2008 and later won planning permission. In 25 years time, maybe that record will fall too. "John Higgins is on four, it's very hard to see anyone. The 1989-90 season was the beginning of Stephen Hendrys period of dominance, both in major tournaments and atop the world rankings. 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 wont even be there to present the trophy. SUBSCRIBE for the biggest and best videos from the only official World Snooker channel on YouTubeWebsite: www.wst.tvTwitter: @WeAreWSTFacebook: /WorldSnooker. Stephen Hendry has admitted he did not want Ronnie OSullivan to equal his haul of seven World Championship titles, and does not want him to surpass their now joint-record. The scene was vibrant. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2000 Scottish Open v Quinten Hann, 5. In 2020, Hendry accepted a tour card for the World Snooker Tour, indicating his return to professional play. Stephen Hendry holds the record for the youngest ever to win the World Snooker Championship, as he won the 1990 tournament at 21 years and 106 days. This is a shame as the audience at the Meadowbank Centre would surely love to salute him. Even before his victory, O'Sullivan was already considered by many to be the greatest player of all time not least because of the number of ranking titles he has collected during his storied 30-year career. In contrast, OSullivan has won his Crucible crowns over more than two decades, with his first coming in 2001 and his latest in 2022. He had pushed his career earnings past 6.2 million (about $10 million) and by November had reclaimed his number one ranking. His top break of 141 was the highest in a World Championship final, beating O'Sullivan's previous best mark of 139 in 2001. Eight years on from his initial retirement from the professional sport at the age of 43 at the end of the 2011/12 season . "I can't see Stephen changing his mind; once he decides on something, that's it. The prodigious talent underlined his rich potential in emphatic fashion at just his second UK Championship by beating Ken Doherty, Steve Davis and Darren Morgan before defeating Stephen Hendry, who'd already won three world titles, two UK crowns and five successive Masters by this time, 106 in the final. This maximum in an exhibition against Reanne Evans last year is also well worth a watch. At the end of the 198990 season, Hendry, at 21 years 106 days, topped Jimmy White 1812 to become the youngest world champion ever. There have been as many as 20 rankings tournament in a single season in recent years. He might not have been the last snooker king of Scotland but was the man who inspired a nation, and who brought it respect. Perhaps it had to if he was to avoid serious burnout. His swashbuckling professional career spanning 28 glorious years has taken snooker fans to mesmerising heights and even at the age of 44, his continued brilliance and popularity across all generations is keeping him very much at the forefront of the sport. Hendry, 43, retired on Tuesday after a 13-2 quarter-final defeat by Stephen Maguire . Stephen Hendry | Sport | The Guardian 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. 'pic.twitter.com/7eVJQ8XH6D, If you consider the high stakes, the context, the pressure, this must be one of the greatest shots in the history of snooker from Ronnie OSullivan. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2014 Welsh Open - Ding Junhui, 13. Stephen Hendry has been one of the most successful snooker players in recent history and is widely regarded as one of the best to ever play the game.Tied with Ronnie OSullivan at seven titles apiece, no one has won more World Snooker Championships in the modern era than Hendry.Keep reading to find out all about his background and career, as well as what the snooker superstar is up to today. Rocket Ronnie's 30 years at Crucible O'Sullivan set to pass another Hendry record, 'Crucible return is ultimate goal' Hendry ready to continue playing, Age winning first ranking title: 18 (1987 Grand Prix), Age winning first world title: 21 (1990 World Championship), Age winning last ranking title: 36 (2005 Malta Cup). Bio. Stephen Hendry | Biography, Comeback, & Facts | Britannica 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. Once he decided he'd be the greatest player in the world, he achieved that.". Ronnie O'Sullivan on whether he's just created the greatest sporting documentary of all time after giving it the fairytale ending. "For me - and I've said it since 1990 - he's the greatest player ever to lift a snooker cue. Ronnie O'Sullivan's sixth World Championship broke Stephen Hendry's record for the most career ranking titles and also extended his all-time Triple Crown tally to 20. "I can't really envisage it happening, there's just going to be more and more players knocking each other out.". Omissions? Well worth a watch even for Ronnie fans! All rights reserved. OSullivan has already ticked off the other major records Hendry held including most Triple Crown wins and most ranking tournament titles. However, given the varying format changes in the tournament's early life, most records in the sport are now taken from the period beginning 1969, when the knockout format at the world championship was reintroduced. There's obviously a lot more to consider than just stone cold statistics and tallies when debating greatest players of all time, but there can be no doubt the genius manner in which O'Sullivan's numbers escalated - not to mention the entertainment factor away from the baize - has helped him transcend his sport and popular culture like no other. **Hendry resumed playing in 2021 after nine years out, but his future on the tour is unclear. 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. Here's a look back through time at his 20 Triple Crown titles, his 15 career maximums and the typically memorable moment he scored his 1000th century last year. You put all that work in to get the record but if he does then fair play because he's taken the game to another level. However, given the varying format changes in the tournament's early life, most records in the sport are now taken from the period beginning 1969, when the knockout format at the world championship was reintroduced. Stephen Hendry 'didn't want' Ronnie O'Sullivan to equal world title By becoming the first player since Paul Hunter in 2002 to retain it, O'Sullivan could celebrate a record seventh Masters title. Then a week or so afterwards, I was like, OK, he's got the mantle now to live up to. "Steve Davis: "Have you got any left? His youth made him a relatable figure to youngsters everywhere, but especially in Scotland. While his comments about needing to lose one arm to drop out of the world's top 50 were still going viral, it looked as though he'd bow out when supposedly playing recklessly against Mark Selby in the semi-final. 2014 UK Championship Final: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Judd Trump DECIDER! 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. O'Sullivan has always played down his pursuit of the record and maintained that stance in his post-match press conference. Later Career Technically, the most successful player at the world championship is Joe Davis, who won 15 consecutive titles from 1927 to 1946. In 1984, at age 15, Hendry became the youngest Scottish amateur snooker champion in history. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Once it happened, it was almost kind of a relief, said Hendry. 'It's just a number': Ronnie O'Sullivan plays down record-equalling After three semi-final defeats in the 1990s and a shock 10-9 defeat to David Gray in round one of the Millennium edition, O'Sullivan reached his first Crucible final by overcoming Andy Hicks (10-2), Dave Harold (13-6), Peter Ebdon (13-6) and Joe Swail (17-11) before an absorbing 18-14 victory over 1998 champion John Higgins. The Scot finished as the year-end rankings leader for eight seasons in a row from 1989/90 to 1996/97. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Stephen-Hendry, Electric Scotland - Biography of Stephen Hendry. The seventh, though, was like a dam breaking. Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Mark Allen, Ronnie O'Sullivan's seven UK Championship titles, Ronnie O'Sullivan is world champion for a sixth time, Ronnie O'Sullivan Fastest 147 Break Ever | 1997 Snooker World Championship | Eurosport, Ronnie O'Sullivan v James Wattana - 147 Break, Ronnie O'Sullivan v Graeme Dott 147 break, Ronnie O'Sullivan v Quinten Hann - 147 break, Must see!!! Stephen Hendry has Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Selby theory "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. Maybe not that night, because there's still a little bit of sadness that he equalled my record. Hendry, 43, retired on Tuesday after a 13-2 quarter-final defeat by Stephen Maguire ended his 27th consecutive appearance at the Crucible. 1 spot in the world rankings for the first time. Earlier breaks of 116 and 105 had moved OSullivan onto 999 and any speculation that he would wait for the World Championship to reach a thousand was ended with a sumptuous 134. Ranking the game's top five players in history, including World Championship stars. Yes, that's yet another record and four clear of Hendry. Considering all categories of tournament, including ranking, non-ranking and invitational, Steve Davis has won the most titles in snooker. However, he began competing again in 2021. There are some young prospects in Scotland, but not in the numbers of 30 years ago. It almost took the pressure off me kind of thing, not that I'm under pressure to do anything. Corrections? 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. Ranking the game's top five players in history, including World Championship stars. Hendry was 30 and the extraordinary intensity he had given to be the best seemed to wane. Hendry changed the way snooker was played, ushering in a more attacking era and. It earned him 75 of the 11million+ he's now won 30 years later. He declared the match over when missing a red in frame six despite leading 24-0 at the time and although he later apologised to Hendry and his fans, O'Sullivan was fined 20,800 for his actions. While his Triple Crown success dried up for a few years, O'Sullivan was still building his tally of ranking and non-ranking titles and it surely seemed just a matter of time before he'd finally go all the way on the biggest stage of all. But despite trailing 16-14, he brilliantly won three frames on the trot to complete a remarkable day of semi-final snooker before wiping the floor with Kyren Wilson 18-8 in front of the returning, adoring, Crucible crowd. Victories in the Scottish Open and the Irish Masters rebuilt his confidence, and at the 1999 world championship he survived an especially tough draw to reach the final, in which he defeated Mark Williams 1811. Even before his victory, O'Sullivan was already considered by many to be the greatest player of all time not least because of the number of ranking titles he has collected during his storied 30-year career. Hendry says he had an unusual feeling when. Hendrys father bought him a junior-sized snooker table for Christmas when he was twelve.He became obsessed with the game, quickly developing his skills, and began competing in junior amateur tournaments. Harry Latham-Coyle. At 20, he captured the Masters and UK Championship, and at 21 was crowned the youngest ever world champion. 1999: Wins his record seventh world title, seeing off Mark Williams in the final. Hendry himself did not rule out someone overtaking his record eventually, even if the odds are against it. Hendry won his first major junior tournament, the Scottish U-16 Championship, at age 14.Around this time, he appeared on the junior version of the BBCs Pot Black, a televised single-frame snooker competition that contributed to the games resurgence.At 15, Hendry won the Scottish Amateur Championship. Never, ever a dull moment watching Ronnie.pic.twitter.com/wIryNNsPha, Trying to get Ronnie O'Sullivan enthused about the excitement and romance of his own storylines is a tough gig. He shares the record for most World Snooker Championship wins with Ronnie OSullivan: both have seven titles. 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. Any excuse to dig this uppic.twitter.com/hzoGnnsx9W, 1. He remains the only player to have compiled a 147 break during the one-table stage of the semi-finals of the World Championship (1995). The groan of appreciation from Stephen Hendry accompanies it perfectly. In recognition of his excellence in the sport, Hendry was knighted, receiving a MBE recognition in 1994. 'One from the archives' - Hendry makes fantastic brown to win frame, 'That is the Hendry we remember well!' I wouldn't say it's the wrong decision - it's just down to the individual.". - Stunning clearance after big White miss, You have to write off the first year OSullivan on Hendry comeback, 'Youve got a long night ahead!' We look back at his 28 years of astonishing milestones, achievements statistics, maximum breaks, and fan-pleasing antics. "I will try to keep expectations lowthe animal that I am, if I start to get form, then the expectations will rise. The Scot finished as the year-end rankings leader for eight seasons in a row from 1989/90 to 1996/97. "The ultimate goal is to play one more match at the Crucible. Hendry has always known that sole ownership of the sports most prestigious record was on borrowed time and recently insisted it would be an honour to share it with the player who stunned him as a 17-year-old in the 1993 UK Championship final. The rate at which he's been losing his records hasnt been lost on Hendry, who was teased by Hazel Irvine and Steve Davis while on punditry duty about OSullivan potentially reaching 16 centuries at a single World Championship. Its now undisputed, if it wasnt already. 2023 Eurosport, a Warner Bros. Eight years on from his initial retirement from the professional sport at the age of 43 at the end of the 2011/12 season, Hendry accepted an Invitational Tour Card from World Snooker Tour to pave the way for an incredible comeback to the sport that he once dominated.