"I would say no, because there are so many great players competing against each other to win every tournament," he told BBC Sport. He competed in the World Amateur Championship that year, setting a record for being the youngest entrant ever.. He has the record for most century breaks during a tournament, scoring 16 centuries during the 2002 World Snooker Championship. Ranking the game's top five players in history, including World Championship stars. O'Sullivan stands on 69 wins from 92 matches played between 1993 and 2021. 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. 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. 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. 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. Interviews over a few. Can't stop smiling watching this againpic.twitter.com/vPxSMZhCEo, 1000 x ! Ronnie O'Sullivan's legendary career reaches a new unprecedented milestone, making his 1000th century - 27 years after his first - to win his 35th ranking title! What. Career Total Statistics Tournament Record Most Frequent Opponents Rounds Reached Century Frequency Centuries per Season Graph Ranking History Prize Money History. Comments. The result gained revenge from losing a deciding frame in that year's Charity Challenge final, in which Hendry scored an iconic maximum break. - Hendry and Robertson not impressed with how some pros train, Hendry: O'Sullivan is the only player that doesnt speak to anyone. 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. SUBSCRIBE for the biggest and best videos from the only official World Snooker channel on YouTubeWebsite: www.wst.tvTwitter: @WeAreWSTFacebook: /WorldSnooker. 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. 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. 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. Bio. He won 12 frames in a row against the Scotsman, who was beaten with a session to spare, and didn't give Ali Carter much of a look in either, triumphing 18-8. I'm sure you're as excited watching at home as we are here." The circuit currently boasts only eight Scottish professionals. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. What Is The Prize of The World Snooker Championship? Stephen Hendry responds after Ronnie O'Sullivan equals World The seventh, though, was like a dam breaking. Stephen Hendry 'didn't want' Ronnie O'Sullivan to equal world title 1995: Beats Nigel Bond in the World Championship final. Stephen Hendry bestrode the sport in the 90s in an almost imperious way. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 1999 Grand Prix v Graeme Dott, 4. Who has won the most World Snooker Championship titles? Hendry, O Stream the Scottish Open and more top snooker action 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. Growing up, he also spent time living in Edinburgh and Fife. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2018 China Open - Elliot Slessor, 15. BBC commentators and presenters for 2022 World Snooker Championship. He might not have been the last snooker king of Scotland but was the man who inspired a nation, and who brought it respect. By becoming the first player since Paul Hunter in 2002 to retain it, O'Sullivan could celebrate a record seventh Masters title. O'Sullivan has achieved perfection in snooker but Hendry still stands A ranking tournament is one that counts towards snooker's world rankings, which were introduced in the 1976-77 season. Perhaps it had to if he was to avoid serious burnout. 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. Hendry had not even played the game before his parents bought him a half-sized table for Christmas in 1981. Corrections? The winning moment The post-match interview The trophy lift Ronnie O'Sullivan is world champion for a sixth time pic.twitter.com/JfO90m22ak, Ronnie O'Sullivan wasn't mincing his words tonight! 'The players coming through are so bad I'd probably have to lose an arm and a leg to fall out of the top 50. 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. In terms of weeks spent as world number one, as of April 18, 2022, Stephen Hendry tops the list. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2007 UK Championship - Mark Selby, 9. 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. 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. His 16 centuries in the 2002 world championship also set a record. He claimed the number one ranking in 1990 and held it until White defeated him at the world championship in 1998. 'Feels amazing' Higgins ends 13-month title drought by retaining Championship League crown, Watch Robertson produce magic as Trump leads final Championship League group. 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. That year he also won the Australian Masters and successfully defended his Scottish Professional Championship and World Doubles Championship titles.. From 1992 until his defeat by Ken Doherty in the 1997 World Championship final, he won 29 consecutive matches at the Crucible, a modern-era record. 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. At the age of 17 years and 358 days he became the youngest ever winner of a ranking event and that record still stands. . On either side of this triumph, he appeared in two other Crucible finals. Hendry, O'Sullivan, Davis and the players with the most trophies, Is Ronnie O'Sullivan snooker's GOAT? 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. 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. 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. 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. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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. Stephen Hendry's Record Breaking Century | 1994 UK Championship Final Its now undisputed, if it wasnt already. Ronnie O'Sullivan reacts to equalling 'absolute legend' Stephen Hendry Once he decided he'd be the greatest player in the world, he achieved that.". 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. Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan jointly hold the record for the most World Snooker Championship titles with seven. '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. 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. All rights reserved. O'Sullivan had finished runner-up in the Masters three times since his maiden title in this tournament in 1995 - to Hendry (1996), Steve Davis (1997) and Paul Hunter (2004) - but he'd get his hands on the new crystal triangle trophy with a 10-3 demolition job of John Higgins. I didnt want Ronnie to equal my record and I dont want him to beat my record, why would I? Hendry said on the WST Podcast. "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. He intends to continue playing, and his tour card has been renewed through 2024. Davis was the best player of his generation but still played the percentages. 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 . pic.twitter.com/K1gRIJLnz9, Mark Selby thought Ronnie O'Sullivan's cavalier approach to getting out of his snookers was disrespectful. Photo: AP While Hendry is happy with his progress, he insisted that this was . 2023 Eurosport, a Warner Bros. In recognition of his excellence in the sport, Hendry was knighted, receiving a MBE recognition in 1994. The record was previously set by Stephen Hendry back in 1999. Selby clinched his fourth triumph this . "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. 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. 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 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. Even Neil Robertson is laughing by the end of the title-winning break. #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. Stephen Hendry says Hong Kong is his favourite city and he hopes for a 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. At the end of the 198990 season, Hendry, at 21 years 106 days, topped Jimmy White 1812 to become the youngest world champion ever. 'It makes me so angry!' O'Sullivan set to pass another Hendry record Rocket's 30 years at Crucible - Ronnie O'Sullivan set to pass another Stephen Hendry record at 46th World Championship Ronnie O'Sullivan holds almost all of the key records in snooker, but. 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. Evans slams 'disgusting' prize money in women's snooker as Baipat claims world title, Hendry had stated his main aim was to come through four qualifying rounds to return to the Crucible, scene of his finest moments in the sport, when he embarked upon his comeback after working with much-lauded SightRight coach, "I know that kind of means nothing, but when I first started with Stephen Feeney, I wanted to get back to enjoying playing snooker again even if it was on the practice table,". His youth made him a relatable figure to youngsters everywhere, but especially in Scotland. 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.. Turning professional at 17, Hendry made a strong start in his first season, winning the 1986 Scottish Professional Championship. To be the best was all he had ever wanted. 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. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. 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. Stephen Maguire became UK champion in 2004 and currently has six ranking titles to his name. At the first World Team Cup in 1979, there was not even a Scottish team. The 1989-90 season was the beginning of Stephen Hendrys period of dominance, both in major tournaments and atop the world rankings. Hendry himself did not rule out someone overtaking his record eventually, even if the odds are against it. The record was previously set by Stephen Hendry back in 1999. ", 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). At 20, he captured the Masters and UK Championship, and at 21 was crowned the youngest ever world champion. Discovery company. At 20, he captured the Masters and UK Championship, and at 21 was crowned the youngest ever world champion. 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. Stephen Hendry has opted out of entering the 2022 World Snooker Championship qualifiers only 12 months after returning following a nine-year absence. Ranking the game's top five players in history, including World Championship stars. 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. He was that dominant. 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. It almost took the pressure off me kind of thing, not that I'm under pressure to do anything. Hendry had observed Steve Davis aloofness, the way he set himself apart from his rivals. "Hendry: "Well he can't become the youngest world champion"Davis: "But he is playing like Benjamin Button." BBC commentators and presenters for 2022 World Snooker Championship. We share it, its alright to share that, Hendrys a legend of the game, an absolute legend of the game. 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. All rights reserved. This is generally known as the start of the 'modern era'. 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. 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. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 1999 Welsh Open v James Wattana, 3. There are some young prospects in Scotland, but not in the numbers of 30 years ago. 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. 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". 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. One of snooker's all-time greats Scotland's 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. 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. 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. 2005: Wins his 36th and most recent ranking title at the Malta Cup. Stephen Hendry: "Are you saying another record of mine is going? 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. 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. 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. To be fair, Hendry had done everything to lower expectations. Evans slams 'disgusting' prize money in women's snooker as Baipat claims world title. 2023 Eurosport, a Warner Bros. 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. 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. During this period in the early 1990s, a wave of Scottish talent flooded the professional ranks. John Higgins has won four and is good enough to win another four; it is hard to say.". Ronnie O'Sullivan's first TV appearance aged just 14 in 1990, making a break of 75. 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. Finishes Tournaments played: 3 Category Winner Ronnie O'Sullivan 2014 UK Championship - Matthew Selt, 14. "Steve Davis: "Have you got any left? 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. He set a professional snooker record by scoring 556 unanswered points in a 6-0 quarter-final victory over Ricky Walden in 58 minutes and went on to reach his 10th final in the event - breaking Hendry's previous best of nine. Stephen Hendry - World Snooker "I will try to keep expectations lowthe animal that I am, if I start to get form, then the expectations will rise. In 2020, Hendry was offered an invitational wildcard by World Snooker Tour, making him eligible to compete again on the circuit. Who has won the most World Snooker Championship titles? Hendry, O 1999: Wins his record seventh world title, seeing off Mark Williams in the final. 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. Fellow Glaswegian Anthony McGill has won two and Edinburghs Chris Small, forced to retire in 2005 due to a chronic back condition, one. 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 . 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. Mark Selby has been playing around 280 minutes to lead 5-4. 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 - 2014 Welsh Open - Ding Junhui, 13. Stephen Hendry proceeded to defend his title for the following four years. In 1984, at age 15, Hendry became the youngest Scottish amateur snooker champion in history. Hendry was 30 and the extraordinary intensity he had given to be the best seemed to wane. 1 ranking for a period in 2005. Last updated on 2 May 20122 May 2012.From the section Snooker. Ronnie OSullivan registered the 1000th century break of his extraordinary career to win the final of the 2019 Players Championship. Stephen Hendry | Biography, Comeback, & Facts | Britannica Harry Latham-Coyle. There have been as many as 20 rankings tournament in a single season in recent years. Tai Chengzhe/Visual China Group via Getty Images. Considering all categories of tournament, including ranking, non-ranking and invitational, Steve Davis has won the most titles in snooker. The 43-year-old, who . Technically, the most successful player at the world championship is. 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. When the 96/97 season began, there were nine Scots ranked inside the top 64 and plenty more coming up on the rails. In 25 years time, maybe that record will fall too. As the Scottish Open begins in Edinburgh, its worth remembering that this had not always been the case. 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. Is Stephen Hendry set to quit comeback after opting out of - Eurosport 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. Davis, who lost the 1989 and 1990 UK Championship finals to Hendry, continued: "In a way I feel that it's quite a sad day for me. 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. 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. Unlike White or even Davis, he did not play for the pure love of snooker but because of an obsession with being the best. I wouldn't say it's the wrong decision - it's just down to the individual.". Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2008 World Championship - Mark Williams, 10. Article bookmarked. 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). Earlier in the tournament he'd beaten Marcus Campbell (10-4), Ali Carter (13-8), Stuart Bingham (13-4) and Judd Trump 17-11. 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. 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. 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. "One thing you never stop missing as a sportsman is the buzz you get from a crowd. The year was 1996. The following season, he successfully defended that title and won the World Doubles Championship with partner Mike Hallett. He had pushed his career earnings past 6.2 million (about $10 million) and by November had reclaimed his number one ranking. 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.
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