Perhaps it had to if he was to avoid serious burnout. What is the prize money at the 2022 World Snooker Championship? Maybe they need another talisman to look up to, but the Hendrys of this world are rare. Please subscribe as we've got loads of amazing snooker content coming up over the next few months. He has the record for most century breaks during a tournament, scoring 16 centuries during the 2002 World Snooker Championship. MORE:Is Ronnie O'Sullivan snooker's GOAT? 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. 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. Indeed OSullivans time span of winning major titles which now stands at 29 years is testament to the astounding longevity of his greatness compared to anyone whos ever picked up a cue, Hendry included. 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. 2023 Eurosport, a Warner Bros. 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.. Last updated on 2 May 20122 May 2012.From the section Snooker. Technically, the most successful player at the world championship is. Article bookmarked. Just 16 when he joined the circuit, he was completely driven from the start. Ronnie O'Sullivan records 776th century to break Stephen Hendry's record. 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. A ranking tournament is one that counts towards snooker's world rankings, which were introduced in the 1976-77 season. Maybe not that night, because there's still a little bit of sadness that he equalled my record. Hendry changed the way snooker was played, ushering in a more attacking era and. Even Neil Robertson is laughing by the end of the title-winning break. All rights reserved. 'Feels amazing' Higgins ends 13-month title drought by retaining Championship League crown, Watch Robertson produce magic as Trump leads final Championship League group. It almost took the pressure off me kind of thing, not that I'm under pressure to do anything. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2018 China Open - Elliot Slessor, 15. Prodigy then, legend now. 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. 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. 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. Growing up, he also spent time living in Edinburgh and Fife. Bio. The 53-year-old Scotsman won 70 matches from 90 played at the Crucible between 1986 and 2012 when he appeared 27 times and lifted the world trophy on seven occasions in 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1999. Evans slams 'disgusting' prize money in women's snooker as Baipat claims world title. "Obviously a name for the future. After witnessing Ronnie O'Sullivan finally tie his longstanding record of seven World Snooker Championship titles, Stephen Hendry said he was "surprised it's taken him so long." The seemingly. The year was 1996. Top 5 Ranked Men's Snooker Players Of All Time. 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. 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. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2008 World Championship - Mark Williams, 10. However, this latest unforgettable run at an empty Crucible began with an astonishing 10-1 triumph over Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in just 108 minutes - the quickest best-of-19 frame match ever by 41 minutes - but he had to battle much harder to see off Ding Junhui and Mark Williams 13-10. Fellow Glaswegian Anthony McGill has won two and Edinburghs Chris Small, forced to retire in 2005 due to a chronic back condition, one. 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. 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. 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. 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. Turning professional at 17, Hendry made a strong start in his first season, winning the 1986 Scottish Professional Championship. He also talks about whether it was extra motivation pic.twitter.com/n58nxPeGaK. There have been as many as 20 rankings tournament in a single season in recent years. 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. Hendry, 43, retired on Tuesday after a 13-2 quarter-final defeat by Stephen Maguire ended his 27th consecutive appearance at the Crucible. 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 - 2011 Paul Hunter Classic - Adam Duffy, 12. 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. 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. 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. Last week, he was thrashed 5-0 by Matthew Stevens in the German Masters qualifiers. His comeback was much anticipated but has been largely underwhelming. "The ultimate goal is to play one more match at the Crucible. What Is The Prize of The World Snooker Championship? "Steve Davis: "Have you got any left? 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. 2005: Wins his 36th and most recent ranking title at the Malta Cup. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Finishes Tournaments played: 3 Category Winner 20 Scots have so far competed in the Crucible stage of the World Championship. This maximum in an exhibition against Reanne Evans last year is also well worth a watch. 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. 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. 2023 Eurosport, a Warner Bros. 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. 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. Higgins was also 19 and just like O'Sullivan 12 months earlier, came through a qualifying event ranked 51 in the world. 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. 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. 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. Ronnie's reply"I'm never going to be good at getting out of snookers. Ronnie OSullivan registered the 1000th century break of his extraordinary career to win the final of the 2019 Players Championship. The result gained revenge from losing a deciding frame in that year's Charity Challenge final, in which Hendry scored an iconic maximum break. 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. '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. All rights reserved. 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. #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 proceeded to defend his title for the following four years. 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. But it was a strange feeling I had. "John Higgins is on four, it's very hard to see anyone. But why is that? 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. Why Do Snooker Players Use Their Chins When Shooting. In 2020, Hendry was offered an invitational wildcard by World Snooker Tour, making him eligible to compete again on the circuit. 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! pic.twitter.com/kkjnHt983m. In terms of weeks spent as world number one, as of April 18, 2022, Stephen Hendry tops the list. Stephen Hendry, (born January 13, 1969, Edinburgh, Scotland), Scottish snooker player who won a record seven world titles and dominated the game throughout the 1990s. Read about our approach to external linking. A series of records fell in his wake. 2023 Eurosport, a Warner Bros. 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. There are some young prospects in Scotland, but not in the numbers of 30 years ago. Who set these standards? Three months later he successfully defended the World Championship title for the first time in his career. 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. His youth made him a relatable figure to youngsters everywhere, but especially in Scotland. With Judd, we all knew he wasn't playing his best. Hed sacrificed much to get to the top and had no regrets. Ranking the game's top five players in history, including World Championship stars. Earlier in the tournament he'd beaten Marcus Campbell (10-4), Ali Carter (13-8), Stuart Bingham (13-4) and Judd Trump 17-11. 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. Despite what he says about his cue action. To be the best was all he had ever wanted. Tribute to Stephen Hendry. Discovery company. 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. I'm enjoying the process.". He had 24 hours to decide whether to take it and he could not resist. 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'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. By becoming the first player since Paul Hunter in 2002 to retain it, O'Sullivan could celebrate a record seventh Masters title. 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. Hendry was full-on attack, casting safety aside and always looking to open the balls and kill frames off in one visit. 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. 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. Any excuse to dig this uppic.twitter.com/hzoGnnsx9W, 1. There have been as many as 20 rankings tournament in a single season in recent years. For good measure Hendry also spent a recordbreaking nine years as world No 1, ahead of. OSullivan has already ticked off the other major records Hendry held including most Triple Crown wins and most ranking tournament titles. . Hendrys streak cooled in the 2000s, but he remained competitive, even reclaiming his No. Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan jointly hold the record for the most World Snooker Championship titles with seven. 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. 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. It was the eighth maximum of his career and he followed it up by thrashing Stephen Maguire 10-2 for his fourth UK title. Corrections? 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. 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. "I will try to keep expectations lowthe animal that I am, if I start to get form, then the expectations will rise. "I can't see Stephen changing his mind; once he decides on something, that's it. Hendry, O'Sullivan, Davis and the players with the most trophies, Is Ronnie O'Sullivan snooker's GOAT? Rookie Road may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Ranking the game's top five players in history, including World Championship stars. 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. 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. Tied at 42 pints apiece, Sinclair hit the deck and Werbeniuk went to the bar for a celebratory beer. "Hendry: "Well he can't become the youngest world champion"Davis: "But he is playing like Benjamin Button." We look back at his 28 years of astonishing milestones, achievements statistics, maximum breaks, and fan-pleasing antics. On either side of this triumph, he appeared in two other Crucible finals. 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. We share it, its alright to share that, Hendrys a legend of the game, an absolute legend of the game. Once it happened, it was almost kind of a relief, said Hendry. Well worth a watch even for Ronnie fans! 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,". It was the biggest margin of victory in the tournament's final since Steve Davis whitewashed Mike Hallett 9-0 in 1988. O'Sullivan's fifth UK Championship is another iconic moment in his career after he followed up the 13th 147 maximum break of his career against Matthew Selt in the last 16 before edging out rising star Judd Trump 10-9 in a truly gripping final that he'd led 9-4. 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. SUBSCRIBE for the biggest and best videos from the only official World Snooker channel on YouTubeWebsite: www.wst.tvTwitter: @WeAreWSTFacebook: /WorldSnooker. 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). Hendry, 43, retired on Tuesday after a 13-2 quarter-final defeat by Stephen Maguire . Final report: Ronnie O'Sullivan 18-8 Kyren Wilson, CLICK HERE FOR EVERY 147 BREAK IN SNOOKER HISTORY, WATCH ALL THE CRUCIBLE MAXIMUM BREAKS IN HISTOR, Richard Mann's story of the snooker season, Sporting Life exclusive: Neil Robertson interview, Nick Metcalfe on a decade of World Championship finals, World Championship memories: White always a People's Champion, World Championship memories: O'Sullivan's finest hour, World Championship memories: Higgins prevails but Trump grows, World Championship memories: Joe Johnson: The biggest shock, World Championship memories: 1984 World Championship stands out, World Championship: 6 (2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020), UK Championship: 7* (1993, 1997, 2001, 2007, 2014, 2017, 2018), Masters: 7* (1995, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2017), Century breaks: 1,061* (179 at Crucible*). All rights reserved. Following the 1996 world championship, Hendrys play slipped. He turned professional the following year, and when he won the Grand Prix in 1987, he became the youngest player to win a tournament. 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. "It's been an unbelievable career," Taylor told BBC Radio 5 live. In his Masters quarter-final against Marco Fu, Ronnie O'Sullivan fired in his 776th career century, taking him one . He shares the record for most World Snooker Championship wins with Ronnie OSullivan: both have seven titles. 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. Who Has Won The Most World Snooker Championships? What TV channel is 2022 World Snooker Championship final? "For me - and I've said it since 1990 - he's the greatest player ever to lift a snooker cue. Hendry was 30 and the extraordinary intensity he had given to be the best seemed to wane. He's going to be winning this a few times and the other guys better get their act together. It earned him 75 of the 11million+ he's now won 30 years later. "I can't really envisage it happening, there's just going to be more and more players knocking each other out.". As if to underline how disappointing the comeback has been, the man himself did not enter the event.