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. Hendry was full-on attack, casting safety aside and always looking to open the balls and kill frames off in one visit. In terms of weeks spent as world number one, as of April 18, 2022, Stephen Hendry tops the list. O'Sullivan set to pass another Hendry record Hendry, 43, retired on Tuesday after a 13-2 quarter-final defeat by Stephen Maguire ended his 27th consecutive appearance at the Crucible. 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. What is the prize money at the 2022 World Snooker Championship? He had never intended to be like his old rival Jimmy White and enter every event. 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. **Hendry resumed playing in 2021 after nine years out, but his future on the tour is unclear. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2018 English Open - Allan Taylor. Why Do Snooker Players Use Their Chins When Shooting. He claimed the number one ranking in 1990 and held it until White defeated him at the world championship in 1998. His tour card was subsequently renewed for another two seasons.. Eight months on from cementing his status as a sporting superstar for life with his five minute and eight second maximum at the Crucible, O'Sullivan picked up his second UK crown after claiming a 9-6 victory over Hendry in the final, ending the Scotsman's three-year grip on the trophy in the process. He had pushed his career earnings past 6.2 million (about $10 million) and by November had reclaimed his number one ranking. It is unclear if Hendry will be offered another wild card to continue playing or if he will accept it. 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. The Scot finished as the year-end rankings leader for eight seasons in a row from 1989/90 to 1996/97. I can't explain it. "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. In 2020, Hendry was offered an invitational wildcard by World Snooker Tour, making him eligible to compete again on the circuit. 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. As if to underline how disappointing the comeback has been, the man himself did not enter the event. 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. It earned him 75 of the 11million+ he's now won 30 years later. Although he remained a fixture in the sports top 10 rankings, he was unable to equal the heights he had reached in the previous decade. He's going to be winning this a few times and the other guys better get their act together. I just try to enjoy the game, compete, try and enjoy what I do, and work hard at my game. Four years later, he turned professional. Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan jointly hold the record for the most World Snooker Championship titles with seven. 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! The record was previously set by Stephen Hendry back in 1999. 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. Yes, that's yet another record and four clear of Hendry. It was almost like that. The circuit currently boasts only eight Scottish professionals. Stephen Hendry with wife Mandy and son Blaine after beating Mark Williams 18-11 to win a record seventh world title. Hendry changed the way snooker was played, ushering in a more attacking era and. He said: "I think it meant more to him than it does to me, to have seven world titles. McManus would win the Masters itself in 1994. A ranking tournament is one that counts towards snooker's world rankings, which were introduced in the 1976-77 season. Selby clinched his fourth triumph this . believes Hendry's achievements mark him out as the stand-out player in the sport's history. Corrections? pic.twitter.com/kkjnHt983m. 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%. "I would say no, because there are so many great players competing against each other to win every tournament," he told BBC Sport. At 20, he captured the Masters and UK Championship, and at 21 was crowned the youngest ever world champion. Hendry holds the record for the most seasons as the no.1 player; he was ranked no.1 for nine seasons. 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. Discovery company. Harry Latham-Coyle. Career Total Statistics Tournament Record Most Frequent Opponents Rounds Reached Century Frequency Centuries per Season Graph Ranking History Prize Money History. 'One from the archives' - Hendry makes fantastic brown to win frame, 'That is the Hendry we remember well!' This remarkable completion of professional snookers Triple Crown by the young Hendry moved him into the No. 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. The Rocket dominated from the start against Neil Robertson, winning 10-4, and finished in style by reaching a career milestone which may never be passed. Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan jointly hold the record for the most World Snooker Championship titles with seven. 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. Who has won the most World Snooker Championship titles? His comeback was much anticipated but has been largely underwhelming. Snooker player Stephen Hendry's professional Match results, Frame scores, centuries, prize money, statistics from season 2022-2023 . 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". In his Masters quarter-final against Marco Fu, Ronnie O'Sullivan fired in his 776th career century, taking him one . Hendry, who turned pro in 1985 aged 16, twice managed to win all three prestigious tournaments in one season (1989-90 & 95-96) - a feat O'Sullivan has never achieved - but only managed four more ranking triumphs this Millennium until he retired at the age of 43 following his 27th consecutive World Championship in 2012. "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. Ranking the game's top five players in history, including World Championship stars. 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. 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. Steve Davis says he cannot imagine anyone bettering Stephen Hendry's tally of seven World Championship titles. 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. But it was a strange feeling I had. Ronnie O'Sullivan has won more ranking titles in snooker than any other player, just ahead of Stephen Hendry. The Scot finished as the year-end rankings leader for eight seasons in a row from 1989/90 to 1996/97. Having recently been awarded an OBE for his services to snooker, the Rocket beat Mark Williams (6-5), Mark Selby (6-3), Stuart Bingham (6-3) before annihilating Barry Hawkins 10-1 to equal Hendry's tally of six Masters titles. 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. Ranking the game's top five players in history, including World Championship stars. "John Higgins is on four, it's very hard to see anyone reaching seven," said Davis, a six-time world champion. He has won 36 full-ranking titles to date, including 18 Triple Crown titles bettered only by OSullivan as well as having compiled 11 maximum breaks during his career. Bio. All these matches are part of the process, and getting me comfortable in arenas again. One of the most joyous scenes in all of British cinema is the opening to Trainspotting, which sees Renton and his pals careening down Princes Street and other parts of Edinburgh to Iggy Pops Lust for Life. 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. 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!!! The following season, he successfully defended that title and won the World Doubles Championship with partner Mike Hallett. But why is that? O'Sullivan stands on 69 wins from 92 matches played between 1993 and 2021. Enjoy. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2018 China Open - Elliot Slessor, 15. What TV channel is 2022 World Snooker Championship final? Evans slams 'disgusting' prize money in women's snooker as Baipat claims world title. 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. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2011 Paul Hunter Classic - Adam Duffy, 12. Ronnie O'Sullivan has won more ranking titles in snooker than any other player, just ahead of Stephen Hendry. 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. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2001 LG Cup - Drew Hendry, 6. Stephen Maguire became UK champion in 2004 and currently has six ranking titles to his name. A. Career. @ronnieo147 pic.twitter.com/bCUnSqT2Z0. While many had given the enigmatic Rocket GOAT status on talent grounds long before he'd surpassed Stephen Hendry's records for most ranking titles (36) and Triple Crowns (18) due to the . 1 ranking for a period in 2005. Tuesday 03 May 2022 09:19. **Hendry resumed playing in 2021 after nine years out, but his future on the tour is unclear. Once again, Hendry was setting records, with an unprecedented seventh world title. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 1999 Welsh Open v James Wattana, 3. Following the 1996 world championship, Hendrys play slipped. Hendry had observed Steve Davis aloofness, the way he set himself apart from his rivals. Technically, the most successful player at the world championship is Joe Davis, who won 15 consecutive titles from 1927 to 1946. 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. At 20, he captured the Masters and UK Championship, and at 21 was crowned the youngest ever world champion. The result gained revenge from losing a deciding frame in that year's Charity Challenge final, in which Hendry scored an iconic maximum break. "For me - and I've said it since 1990 - he's the greatest player ever to lift a snooker cue. Hendry continued his ascent in his third professional season, winning his first world ranking titles at the 1987 Rothmans Grand Prix and the 1988 British Open. The groan of appreciation from Stephen Hendry accompanies it perfectly. Last week, he was thrashed 5-0 by Matthew Stevens in the German Masters qualifiers. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. All rights reserved. Hendry was 30 and the extraordinary intensity he had given to be the best seemed to wane. In recognition of his excellence in the sport, Hendry was knighted, receiving a MBE recognition in 1994. 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. 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. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 1999: Wins his record seventh world title, seeing off Mark Williams in the final. 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. O'Sullivan equalled the record of Stephen Hendry by winning his seventh World Championship . 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. He's an absolutely wonderful snooker player.. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2008 World Championship - Mark Williams, 10. The winner of this weeks Scottish Open receives the Stephen Hendry trophy. However, one big difference was how he approached the game itself. Comments. He is much older and less driven, and the game has moved on with far more players capable now of playing to a high standard. As an added bonus, here's how he equalled Stephen Hendry's century break record of 775 against Ricky Walden Ronnie O'Sullivan's incredible career in numbers, RONNIE O'SULLIVAN WINS HIS SIXTH WORLD SNOOKER TITLE AT THE CRUCIBLE, Ronnie O'Sullivan wins UK Championship 1993, B&H Masters 1995 Final: Ronnie O'Sullivan Vs John Higgins Part 2, SNOOKER UK CHAMP 1997 final O`Sullivan vs Hendry part 2, Stephen Hendry 147 v Ronnie O'Sullivan Decider Charity Challenge 1997, 2001 World Snooker Championship Final Ronnie O'Sullivan vs John Higgins, 2004 World Snooker Championship Final Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Graeme Dott Session 4 (BBC), 2005 Snooker the Masters Final Ronnie O'Sullivan vs John Higgins Frame 9-13, DECIDER O'Sullivan v Selby SF 2007 UK Championship, 2007 Snooker UK Championship Final Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Stephen Maguire Frame 9-12, Ronnie's 147 v Williams at the 2008 World Championship, 2008 World Snooker Championship Final Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Ali Carter Frame 21-24, 2009 Snooker The Masters Final Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Mark Selby Frame 13-18, Ronnie O'Sullivan v Ali Carter 2012 World Championship, Amazing 2013 World Championship Final | O'Sullivan - Hawkins, Selby v O'Sullivan FINAL FRAME 2014 Masters HD1080p. At the moment it is about trying to get back to playing some good snooker.". At the first World Team Cup in 1979, there was not even a Scottish team. Joe is a sub-editor for Sporting News UK. Although he sat out of the 2022 World Snooker Championship qualifying, Hendry stated that he intends to continue competing. Fast forward to the 2012 World Championship, which he lost to Stephen Maguire, after which he announced his retirement. 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 53-year-old, who first lifted the famous trophy aged 21, quipped: "Well he cant become the youngest world champion, not even Ronnie can do that., Davis replied: But he is playing like Benjamin Button.. 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 - 2007 Northern Ireland Trophy - Ali Carter, 8. 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 have been as many as 20 rankings tournament in a single season in recent years. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. He represented his nation at the highest level of a hugely popular sport with distinction, winning 36 ranking tournaments including seven World Championships. A series of records fell in his wake. We look back at his 28 years of astonishing milestones, achievements statistics, maximum breaks, and fan-pleasing antics. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 1999 Grand Prix v Graeme Dott, 4. In 25 years time, maybe that record will fall too. 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. This is generally known as the start of the 'modern era'. 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. 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. 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. Three months later he successfully defended the World Championship title for the first time in his career. During this period in the early 1990s, a wave of Scottish talent flooded the professional ranks. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2010 World Open - Mark King, 11. 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. I'm sure you're as excited watching at home as we are here." His 16 centuries in the 2002 world championship also set a record. With Judd, we all knew he wasn't playing his best. 1. He managed it in six minutes and there was an amusing moment at the end when he removed the sponsor logo from his waistcoat! Once he decided he'd be the greatest player in the world, he achieved that.". Omissions? 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. John Higgins has won four and is good enough to win another four; it is hard to say.". While anarchy reigned on the big screen, another Scotsman was at the peak of his powers, monopolising TV time as he swept all before him. Growing up, he also spent time living in Edinburgh and Fife. Fellow Glaswegian Anthony McGill has won two and Edinburghs Chris Small, forced to retire in 2005 due to a chronic back condition, one. Considering all categories of tournament, including ranking, non-ranking and invitational, Steve Davis has won the most titles in snooker. This year he made the back pages for making amends in majestic fashion by compiling a breathtaking 147 break in the deciding frame of his semi-final with Mark Selby. Tai Chengzhe/Visual China Group via Getty Images. 1 spot in the world rankings for the first time. Who has won the most World Snooker Championship titles? 2014 UK Championship Final: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Judd Trump DECIDER! Copyright 2017-2023 Rookie Road Inc. All rights reserved. Maybe not that night, because there's still a little bit of sadness that he equalled my record. To be the best was all he had ever wanted. 2005: Wins his 36th and most recent ranking title at the Malta Cup. His triumph, which came a quarter of a century after he won his first United Kingdom crown as a 17-year-old, also saw O'Sullivan nudge ahead of Stephen Hendry with 19 Triple Crown titles - comprising the World and UK Championships and the Masters. 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. Tai Chengzhe/Visual China Group via Getty Images. 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. Ranking the game's top five players in history, including World Championship stars. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Stephen-Hendry, Electric Scotland - Biography of Stephen Hendry. Seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry has announced his retirement from snooker after a heavy 13-2 defeat by Stephen Maguire at the Crucible. I'm enjoying the process.". Hendry, 43, retired on Tuesday after a 13-2 quarter-final defeat by Stephen Maguire . 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. Hendry has the longest unbeaten streak in ranking tournament play, winning 36 consecutive matches in 1990 and 1991. "I will try to keep expectations lowthe animal that I am, if I start to get form, then the expectations will rise. The scene was vibrant.