"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. 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. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 1999 Welsh Open v James Wattana, 3. "I can't see Stephen changing his mind; once he decides on something, that's it. 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. Please subscribe as we've got loads of amazing snooker content coming up over the next few months. He shares the record for most World Snooker Championship wins with Ronnie OSullivan: both have seven titles. He competed in the World Amateur Championship that year, setting a record for being the youngest entrant ever.. Who has won the most World Snooker Championship titles? Joe is a sub-editor for Sporting News UK. However, he began competing again in 2021. He's an absolutely wonderful snooker player.. Who has won the most World Snooker Championship titles? In 2006, however, he demonstrated that he still possessed the talent that made him such a force in the 1990s when he claimed the number one ranking once again. At 46 years and 146 days, the oldest ever world champion has most ranking titles (39), most Triple Crowns (21), most UK Championships (7), most Masters titles (7), most career centuries (1,170) and most maximum breaks (15), including the fastest ever made. There were so many - 70 titles in total - that we had to settle on just a dozen. At age 30 (seven years younger than Reardon was when he won the first of his six world titles) Hendry considered retirement, but he persevered, working with former coach Frank Callan. pic.twitter.com/jWWr6mfcAd. Just 16 when he joined the circuit, he was completely driven from the start. Who Has Won The Most World Snooker Championships? With Judd, we all knew he wasn't playing his best. 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 was full-on attack, casting safety aside and always looking to open the balls and kill frames off in one visit. That year he also won the Australian Masters and successfully defended his Scottish Professional Championship and World Doubles Championship titles.. Way back in 1993 at the age of 17 he became the youngest winner of a ranking event at the UK Championship, and 27 years on he's bagged a record-breaking 37th as the oldest Crucible champion since Reardon in 1978. "John Higgins is on four, it's very hard to see anyone reaching seven," said Davis, a six-time world champion. His seventh and final World Snooker Championship title in 1999 set a record for most of all timea record which he held solely until Ronnie OSullivan tied the record with his 2022 championship win. Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan jointly hold the record for the most World Snooker Championship titles with seven. The age of professionalism in Scottish snooker came courtesy of a shy teenager who possessed a laser-like focus rarely witnessed before or since. His tour card was subsequently renewed for another two seasons.. Joe is a sub-editor for Sporting News UK. "It was a mixture of embarrassment, anger, frustration, sadness, everything," Stephen Hendry says as he remembers how his dominance of snooker unravelled into, in his mind . 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. At 20, he captured the Masters and UK Championship, and at 21 was crowned the youngest ever world champion. 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 remains the only player to have compiled a 147 break during the one-table stage of the semi-finals of the World Championship (1995). Ronnie O'Sullivan's 18-13 win over Judd Trump at the Crucible Theatre in the World Snooker Championship final in 2022 earned him the biggest prize in the sport for a record-equalling seventh time. Four years later, he turned professional. In 2020, Hendry was offered an invitational wildcard by World Snooker Tour, making him eligible to compete again on the circuit. Although Stephen Hendry officially retired following the 2012 World Snooker Championship, he announced he would be returning to the World Snooker Tour in 2020.Hendry has competed in a partial schedule during 2021 and 2022. Ronnie OSullivan is the greatest snooker player of all time. O'Sullivan's sixth world title came on his 28th appearance in a row here, and during the final he played his 1,847th Crucible frame to creep past the record previously set by Hendry of 1,846. In 25 years time, maybe that record will fall too. 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. This maximum in an exhibition against Reanne Evans last year is also well worth a watch. But in 2014,. No player since Hendry in 1996 had retained the trophy while his 128th Crucible century during the 18-12 triumph over Barry Hawkins saw him move past the Scotsman's all-time record. Then a week or so afterwards, I was like, OK, he's got the mantle now to live up to. Stephen Hendry believes Mark Selby to be a greater threat to his record of seven World Snooker Championship titles than Ronnie O'Sullivan, says Steve Davis. "It's been an unbelievable career," Taylor told BBC Radio 5 live. 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". This is generally known as the start of the 'modern era'. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2007 Northern Ireland Trophy - Ali Carter, 8. 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. pic.twitter.com/PoE9RBEcNh. 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. 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. Stephen . But why is that? Discovery company. 'Feels amazing' Higgins ends 13-month title drought by retaining Championship League crown, Watch Robertson produce magic as Trump leads final Championship League group. At the age of 17 years and 358 days he became the youngest ever winner of a ranking event and that record still stands. O'Sullivan was riding on a crest of a wave by the end of the year and after edging out Peter Ebdon 9-8 in the quarter-finals and Mark Williams 9-6 in the semis, the Rocket destroyed Ken Doherty 10-1 to land his third UK title. He claimed the number one ranking in 1990 and held it until White defeated him at the world championship in 1998. Photo: AP While Hendry is happy with his progress, he insisted that this was . In 1996, with an 1812 victory over Peter Ebdon, Hendry captured his sixth world championship, a feat only two other players (Ray Reardon in the 1970s and Steve Davis in the 1980s) had achieved in the modern era. Technically, the most successful player at the world championship is. Stephen Hendry: "Are you saying another record of mine is going? O'Sullivan set up another instalment of his budding rivalry with Mark Selby after beating Joe Perry (6-5), Ali Carter (6-2) and Stephen Maguire (6-1) and he'd edge another titanic tussle between the pair 10-8 to claim his fourth Masters title. "John Higgins is on four, it's very hard to see anyone. 'He could pot everyone off the table' - Trump on Hendry in his prime, 'Hendry is right on Jimmy' - O'Sullivan agrees White should relax with snooker. Fellow Glaswegian Anthony McGill has won two and Edinburghs Chris Small, forced to retire in 2005 due to a chronic back condition, one. 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. O'Sullivan has always played down his pursuit of the record and maintained that stance in his post-match press conference. 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. Ronnie O'Sullivan 775th Century with superb fluke! Graeme Dott, raised on the Easterhouse estate in Glasgow often associated with social decay, demonstrated his iron toughness by becoming world champion in 2006. "I can't really envisage it happening, there's just going to be more and more players knocking each other out.". 2014 UK Championship Final: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Judd Trump DECIDER! 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. By the end of the Millennium, the legendary Scotsman had completed his haul of 18 Triple Crowns, which were all compiled since 1989 and included five UK Championships and six Masters crowns, while hed only win a further four ranking titles so hes had over 20 years of watching his milestones being eroded away. What TV channel is 2022 World Snooker Championship final? '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. I wouldn't say it's the wrong decision - it's just down to the individual.". He was employed on a lucrative contract promoting cue sports in China and enjoyed punditry and leisure time spent playing golf, but nothing can compare with the thrill of competition. To qualify for that would be incredible. 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. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Having spent most of his career doing his own thing, he suddenly became friendly with the other players and, by his own admission, lost some of his edge. pic.twitter.com/l31qIFsXDp, Ronnie O'Sullivan wins his match 10-1 in 108 minutes. The circuit currently boasts only eight Scottish professionals. Four months later he'd bring a packed house to their feet yet again with his third maximum break of the season and his third at the Crucible. Hendry, O'Sullivan, Davis and the players with the most trophies, Is Ronnie O'Sullivan snooker's GOAT? Updates? His top break of 141 was the highest in a World Championship final, beating O'Sullivan's previous best mark of 139 in 2001. Who set these standards? 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. At the end of the 198990 season, Hendry, at 21 years 106 days, topped Jimmy White 1812 to become the youngest world champion ever. Ranking the game's top five players in history, including World Championship stars. Hendrys seven world titles all came during his dominant spell in the 1990s, which also included eight consecutive seasons as world No. "For me - and I've said it since 1990 - he's the greatest player ever to lift a snooker cue. Notwithstanding his absence from the top table and the feats of the likes of Ronnie OSullivan since, Hendry retains several records in the sport including nine seasons as world number one and being the only player to have won each of the sports Triple Crown titles during the same season twice. O'Sullivan may well still be a solitary world title shy of Hendry's historic mark of seven after his 18-8 victory over Kyren Wilson drew him level with Steve Davis and Ray Reardon, but few can possibly dispute the Rocket's unofficial status as the greatest snooker player of all time. He has played a partial schedule in 2021 and 2022, never making it past the second round of a tournament. 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. He hadn't reached the final since his defeat to Mark Selby in 2014 and hadn't even gone beyond the quarter-finals in this time, while his first-round defeat to qualifier James Cahill 12 months earlier went down as one of the biggest shocks in World Championship history. He said: "I think it meant more to him than it does to me, to have seven world titles. By becoming the first player since Paul Hunter in 2002 to retain it, O'Sullivan could celebrate a record seventh Masters title. 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. At 20, he captured the Masters and UK Championship, and at 21 was crowned the youngest ever world champion. Top 5 Ranked Men's Snooker Players Of All Time. Why Do Snooker Players Use Their Chins When Shooting. He retired as a player following a 13-2 loss to fellow Scot, He last played a competitive match on the main tour in November, losing 6-1 to. To be fair, Hendry had done everything to lower expectations. Tai Chengzhe/Visual China Group via Getty Images. Interviews over a few. Stephen Maguire became UK champion in 2004 and currently has six ranking titles to his name. O'Sullivan's inactivity in the previous season had saw him slump down to 19 in the rankings but his status as world champion earned him a spot in the Masters field. Tribute to Stephen Hendry. Ranking the game's top five players in history, including World Championship stars. There have been as many as 20 rankings tournament in a single season in recent years. All rights reserved. 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. As a seven-time World Champion, Hendry is the most successful player in the modern era of the World Snooker Championship and holds the record for the most seasons as world number one. 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. He was that dominant. 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. What is the prize money at the 2022 World Snooker Championship? I'm sure you're as excited watching at home as we are here." Ronnie O'Sullivan (1992-) 6x Worlds, 7x UK champ, 7x Masters, 37 ranking titles, 1061 centuries, 15 147s Stephen Hendry (1985-2012) 7x Worlds, 5x UK champ, 6x Masters, 36 ranking titles, 775 centuries, 11 147s Who is the GOAT? RT for Ronnie Like for Hendry pic.twitter.com/S4MiKoDhHG. O'Sullivan set to pass another Hendry record 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. O'Sullivan stands on 69 wins from 92 matches played between 1993 and 2021. There are some young prospects in Scotland, but not in the numbers of 30 years ago. Ranking the game's top five players in history, including World Championship stars. At 53, it is surely impossible for Hendry to recapture former glories. His 16 centuries in the 2002 world championship also set a record. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2010 World Open - Mark King, 11. This remarkable completion of professional snookers Triple Crown by the young Hendry moved him into the No. Ronnie O'Sullivan has won more ranking titles in snooker than any other player, just ahead of Stephen Hendry. He represented his nation at the highest level of a hugely popular sport with distinction, winning 36 ranking tournaments including seven World Championships. Ronnie O'Sullivan v Barry Hawkins | FINAL 2016 Dafabet Masters Session 1, Joe Perry vs Ronnie O'Sullivan Masters 2017 (Final)( Session 2), Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Shaun Murphy - 2017 UK Championship, THE BEST OF 2018 UK FINAL! Last week, he was thrashed 5-0 by Matthew Stevens in the German Masters qualifiers. The year was 1996. 2023 Eurosport, a Warner Bros. I can't explain it. 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. Comments. The deadline to enter the sport's blue-chip event was Monday at lunchtime, but the Scotsman has opted against playing as he continues his work as a TV pundit away from the table with the 46th World Championship at the Crucible staged between 16 April-2 May LIVE on Eurosport. On that occasion he was thrashed 5-1 by Dennis Taylor in the wildcard round but this was a completely different story, overcoming John Parrott, Terry Griffiths and Peter Ebdon prior to a 9-3 triumph over fellow teenage sensation John Higgins. The only trophies Hendry has ever wanted to handle are the ones he has won. 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. Now in the world's top 16 for the first time, Ronnie O'Sullivan booked his place in the Masters tournament automatically, having made his debut the previous year after coming through the qualifying event ranked 57 in the world. Tai Chengzhe/Visual China Group via Getty Images. There, the Rocket punished Mark Selby 10-4 but the Jester would of course get his revenge in the World Championship final later that season. He had 24 hours to decide whether to take it and he could not resist. Although they've both thrilled the Sheffield crowd with three 147s apiece at snooker's spiritual home, the Rocket's incomprehensibly brilliant maiden maximum in five minutes eight seconds will never be surpassed and it speaks volumes that the closest anyone has ever got is O'Sullivan himself when clocking six minutes and 30 seconds against Marco Fu in 2003. His seventh and final World Snooker Championship title in 1999 set a record for most of all time -a record which he held solely until Ronnie O'Sullivan tied the record with his 2022 championship win. They each joined the pro circuit the following year. The Rocket not only equalled Steve Davis' record of six UK titles by defeating Shaun Murphy 10-5 but he also moved level with Stephen Hendry on 18 Triple Crown triumphs. He became the first player to score the maximum of 147 three times in tournament play, recording his first 147 in 1992 and two more in 1995 (he scored additional maximums in 1997 and 1998, two in 1999, and others in 2001 and 2009). - Hendry and Robertson not impressed with how some pros train, Hendry: O'Sullivan is the only player that doesnt speak to anyone. In 2020, Hendry accepted a tour card for the World Snooker Tour, indicating his return to professional play. BBC pundit and 1985 world champion Dennis Taylor believes Hendry's achievements mark him out as the stand-out player in the sport's history. Following the 1996 world championship, Hendrys play slipped. Earlier in the tournament he'd beaten Marcus Campbell (10-4), Ali Carter (13-8), Stuart Bingham (13-4) and Judd Trump 17-11. . Hendrys streak cooled in the 2000s, but he remained competitive, even reclaiming his No. Hendry won five consecutive Masters titles between 1989 and 1993 and five consecutive world titles between 1992 and 1996, both records in the modern era. Hendry was 30 and the extraordinary intensity he had given to be the best seemed to wane. A year after John Higgins got his revenge in the 2006 final with a nail-biting 10-9 that went down to the black, O'Sullivan broke the heart of 19-year-old sensation Ding Junhui with a resounding 10-3 triumph featuring four Rocket centuries, including a fine clearance of 143. O'Sullivan equalled the record of Stephen Hendry by winning his seventh World Championship . Growing up, he also spent time living in Edinburgh and Fife. OSullivan's magic seventh World Championship title against Judd Trump 21 years after his first finally draws him level with the 'King of the Crucible', but he stands alone at the top for all the other records that matter and many others. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2014 Welsh Open - Ding Junhui, 13. Hendry says he had an unusual feeling when. 1996: Fifth consecutive world title comes with final victory over Peter Ebdon. Ronnie O'Sullivan's legendary status reached yet another level when breaking the ranking title record of 36 that he'd previously shared with Stephen Hendry by landing the biggest of the lot for the sixth time. The record was previously set by Stephen Hendry back in 1999. His youth made him a relatable figure to youngsters everywhere, but especially in Scotland. We look back at his 28 years of astonishing milestones, achievements statistics, maximum breaks, and fan-pleasing antics. Fast forward to the 2012 World Championship, which he lost to Stephen Maguire, after which he announced his retirement. 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. Maybe not that night, because there's still a little bit of sadness that he equalled my record. It was the eighth maximum of his career and he followed it up by thrashing Stephen Maguire 10-2 for his fourth UK title. Stephen Hendry: Key records Ranking title wins: 36 World titles: 7 UK titles: 5 Masters titles: 6 Crucible match wins: 70 Crucible win percentage: 77.78% Career win percentage: 68.54%. 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. These days, he is playing not just against the new players but his own past, judged by the performances of his pomp and suffering in comparison. It takes too much time practicing getting out of snookers, I'd rather practice break building." **Hendry resumed playing in 2021 after nine years out, but his future on the tour is unclear. I just try to enjoy the game, compete, try and enjoy what I do, and work hard at my game. Stephen Hendry bestrode the sport in the 90s in an almost imperious way. The seventh, though, was like a dam breaking. 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. 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. Higgins was also 19 and just like O'Sullivan 12 months earlier, came through a qualifying event ranked 51 in the world. 'It makes me so angry!' Well worth a watch even for Ronnie fans! By now, those he had inspired had become good in their own right, and so a decline began which ended in his retirement in 2012 at the age of 43. O'Sullivan's longevity at the top is almost as remarkable as his breathtaking standard of play and his mind-boggling collection of records, titles and century milestones. But I'm not going to lie and say I did want him to equal that because I didn't., Stream top snooker action, including the Shoot Out, live on, 'Feels amazing' Higgins ends 13-month title drought by retaining Championship League crown, Zhao and Yan to miss World Championship ahead of match-fixing hearing. Technically, the most successful player at the world championship is Joe Davis, who won 15 consecutive titles from 1927 to 1946. A ranking tournament is one that counts towards snooker's world rankings, which were introduced in the 1976-77 season. Turning professional at 17, Hendry made a strong start in his first season, winning the 1986 Scottish Professional Championship. He had never intended to be like his old rival Jimmy White and enter every event. He'd previously brushed aside Dott (6-3), Ding Junhui (6-2) and Jimmy White (6-1) as he continued to dazzle the crowds. While many had given the enigmatic Rocket GOAT status on talent grounds long before hed surpassed Stephen Hendrys records for most ranking titles (36) and Triple Crowns (18) due to the countless moments of unfathomable genius and blockbusting entertainment hed treated us to since bursting onto the scene in 1993, the statistics have now landed the knockout blow. His all-time leading tally of 20 Triple Crowns, which also consists of seven UK Championships and seven Masters, is now two more than what Hendry achieved in his legendary career, although the Scotsman condensed his 18 (7 worlds, 5 UKs & 6 Masters) into a formidable 10-year spell from 1989 to 1999. Article bookmarked. Some were more successful than others but they became regular faces on the circuit. 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. ", Ronnie O'Sullivan has won seven world titles, CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO WATCH ALL THE CRUCIBLE 147s, Crucible Champions: A look at every winner, Crucible memories: White a People's Champion, Joint most World Championships (7, equal with Stephen Hendry), Oldest ever world champion (46 years, 148 days), Youngest ever ranking winner (17 years, 358 days UK Championship, 1993), Joint most Crucible appearances (30, equal with Steve Davis), Most consecutive Crucible appearances (30), Most Crucible match wins (74 from 97 matches), Joint most Crucible 147s (3, level with Stephen Hendry). Mon Oct 15 2018 - 13:17. After the 1999 world championship, Hendrys fortunes faded once more. "But records are there to be broken. In recognition of his excellence in the sport, Hendry was knighted, receiving a MBE recognition in 1994. He intends to continue playing, and his tour card has been renewed through 2024. 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. From March 1990 to January 1991, Hendry won 5 straight titles and 36 consecutive matches to post the longest unbeaten string in the sports history. Rookie Road may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. 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. Ronnie O'Sullivan makes a maximum break 147 in 6 min on first frame! 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. It is unclear if Hendry will be offered another wild card to continue playing or if he will accept it. Discovery company. Harry Latham-Coyle. Stephen Hendry has opted out of entering the 2022 World Snooker Championship qualifiers only 12 months after returning following a nine-year absence. Remarkably, just like against Selby, this would be a match-winning 147 as he beat Mark Williams 13-7 in round two before seeing off Liang Wenbo (13-7) and Stephen Hendry (17-6) to reach the final. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2007 UK Championship - Mark Selby, 9. Ronnie O'Sullivan on whether he's just created the greatest sporting documentary of all time after giving it the fairytale ending. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Higgins, 47, continues to have a successful career at the top level with 31 ranking event victories to his name, including four world titles. 1 ranking for a period in 2005. It's was the heaviest scoreline since the event's final became best of 19 frames back in 1993 and it's only been matched once since when Stephen Maguire thrashed David Gray in 2004. Its now undisputed, if it wasnt already.