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. Stephen Hendry - Season 2022-2023 - Professional Results But why is that? Considering all categories of tournament, including ranking, non-ranking and invitational, Steve Davis has won the most titles in snooker. O'Sullivan stands on 69 wins from 92 matches played between 1993 and 2021. What is the prize money at the 2022 World Snooker Championship? 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. Discovery company. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2007 Northern Ireland Trophy - Ali Carter, 8. Ronnie O'Sullivan had not yet turned 18 but he'd already earned his nickname 'The Rocket' after winning a best-of-nine frame encounter in a record-breaking 43 minutes during his debut professional season (1992-93), in which he'd also claimed a maiden non-ranking title and qualified for his first World Championship, where he lost 10-7 to Alan McManus. 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. 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. 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. His top break of 141 was the highest in a World Championship final, beating O'Sullivan's previous best mark of 139 in 2001. Is Stephen Hendry set to quit comeback after opting out of - Eurosport 2014 UK Championship Final: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Judd Trump DECIDER! "For me - and I've said it since 1990 - he's the greatest player ever to lift a snooker cue. 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. This remarkable completion of professional snookers Triple Crown by the young Hendry moved him into the No. Stephen Hendry has admitted he did not want Ronnie O'Sullivan to equal his haul of seven World Championship titles, and does not want him to surpass their now joint-record. Copyright 2017-2023 Rookie Road Inc. All rights reserved. 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. 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. 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. Stephen Gordon Hendry was born on January 13, 1969, in South Queensferry, Scotland. He might not have been the last snooker king of Scotland but was the man who inspired a nation, and who brought it respect. 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. Discovery company. Stephen Hendry | Biography, Comeback, & Facts | Britannica Last week, he was thrashed 5-0 by Matthew Stevens in the German Masters qualifiers. His 16 centuries in the 2002 world championship also set a record. The Scot finished as the year-end rankings leader for eight seasons in a row from 1989/90 to 1996/97. Growing up, he also spent time living in Edinburgh and Fife. Graeme Dott, raised on the Easterhouse estate in Glasgow often associated with social decay, demonstrated his iron toughness by becoming world champion in 2006. Hendry was 30 and the extraordinary intensity he had given to be the best seemed to wane. '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. Stephen Hendry - WPBSA 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. On either side of this triumph, he appeared in two other Crucible finals. 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 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). 'Embarrassment, anger, sadness': the decline of the great Stephen Hendry O'Sullivan has always played down his pursuit of the record and maintained that stance in his post-match press conference. "I can't see Stephen changing his mind; once he decides on something, that's it. 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. 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. 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. Why Do Snooker Players Use Their Chins When Shooting. "Its just a number at the end of the day, I dont get too caught up with it to be honest with you.". "I will try to keep expectations lowthe animal that I am, if I start to get form, then the expectations will rise. He admired and coveted Daviss success and adopted his mindset. Later Career There have been as many as 20 rankings tournament in a single season in recent years. He also had lost in the final in 1997, snapping a string of 30 straight wins in that event. Joe is a sub-editor for Sporting News UK. 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). 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. 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. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2010 World Open - Mark King, 11. However, one big difference was how he approached the game itself. O'Sullivan returned to the sport just in time for the Masters after a near eight-month hiatus in which he decided to defend his UK Championship title in December 2015. In his Masters quarter-final against Marco Fu, Ronnie O'Sullivan fired in his 776th career century, taking him one . His five match wins during this edition took him to 74 Crucible victories, four more than one of other Hendrys few remaining records. Selby clinched his fourth triumph this . 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. Rocket's 30 years at Crucible - Ronnie O'Sullivan set to pass another Technically, the most successful player at the world championship is. After Hendry lost the top ranking in 2007, his play began to decline, and in 2012 he retired suddenly following his loss in the quarterfinals of the snooker world championship. That year he also won the Australian Masters and successfully defended his Scottish Professional Championship and World Doubles Championship titles.. Prodigy then, legend now. Who Has Won The Most World Snooker Championships? Four years later, he turned professional. As the Scottish Open begins in Edinburgh, its worth remembering that this had not always been the case. This is generally known as the start of the 'modern era'. 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. 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. That's what a champion does, they don't play their best, they get to the final, and they still nearly win it. 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. In recognition of his excellence in the sport, Hendry was knighted, receiving a MBE recognition in 1994. Higgins, 47, continues to have a successful career at the top level with 31 ranking event victories to his name, including four world titles. - Hendry and Robertson not impressed with how some pros train, Hendry: O'Sullivan is the only player that doesnt speak to anyone. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2018 English Open - Allan Taylor. Once it happened, it was almost kind of a relief, said Hendry. 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. Ronnie O'Sullivan claimed a record-breaking seventh UK Championship title with a 10-6 victory over Mark Allen at the York Barbican. Ronnie O'Sullivan 2014 UK Championship - Matthew Selt, 14. At 20, he captured the Masters and UK Championship, and at 21 was crowned the youngest ever world champion. There were so many - 70 titles in total - that we had to settle on just a dozen. 1996: Fifth consecutive world title comes with final victory over Peter Ebdon. Is Stephen Hendry set to quit comeback after opting out of 2022 World Then a week or so afterwards, I was like, OK, he's got the mantle now to live up to. Stephen Hendry has Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Selby theory 2023 Eurosport, a Warner Bros. Snooker player Stephen Hendry's professional Match results, Frame scores, centuries, prize money, statistics from season 2022-2023 . Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. 2023 Eurosport, a Warner Bros. The Rocket had earlier joked with BBC's presenter Hazel Irvine during the trophy ceremony that Hendry can share the record with him for another year. "For me - and I've said it since 1990 - he's the greatest player ever to lift a snooker cue. He was that dominant. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2014 Welsh Open - Ding Junhui, 13. 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). 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*). "You could still have business interests and still play, but he's chosen not to. 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. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2011 Paul Hunter Classic - Adam Duffy, 12. Joe is a sub-editor for Sporting News UK. BBC commentators and presenters for 2022 World Snooker Championship. In 1984, at age 15, Hendry became the youngest Scottish amateur snooker champion in history. 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. **Hendry resumed playing in 2021 after nine years out, but his future on the tour is unclear. 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. 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. Hendry says he had an unusual feeling when. Last updated on 2 May 20122 May 2012.From the section Snooker. 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. Technically, the most successful player at the world championship is. At 20, he captured the Masters and UK Championship, and at 21 was crowned the youngest ever world champion. 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. 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. "Steve Davis: "Have you got any left? What TV channel is 2022 World Snooker 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. What TV channel is 2022 World Snooker Championship final? Tai Chengzhe/Visual China Group via Getty Images. His 16 centuries in the 2002 world championship also set a record. 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. Stephen Hendry with wife Mandy and son Blaine after beating Mark Williams 18-11 to win a record seventh world title. He reeled off six consecutive frames to establish a four-frame advantage at the interval and despite a brief rally by his opponent he wrapped up victory with a break of 78. Tribute to Stephen Hendry. It was the biggest margin of victory in the tournament's final since Steve Davis whitewashed Mike Hallett 9-0 in 1988. 'It's just a number': Ronnie O'Sullivan plays down record-equalling 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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. Once again, Hendry was setting records, with an unprecedented seventh world title. "But records are there to be broken. 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. Ronnie O'Sullivan roof raising moment part 6567676: The way he scores the 100th point of his 1000th century. Who has won the most World Snooker Championship titles? Hendry, O Hendry, O'Sullivan, Davis and the players with the most trophies, 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. Stephen Hendry has opted out of entering the 2022 World Snooker Championship qualifiers only 12 months after returning following a nine-year absence. Career Total Statistics Tournament Record Most Frequent Opponents Rounds Reached Century Frequency Centuries per Season Graph Ranking History Prize Money History. Ronnie's reply"I'm never going to be good at getting out of snookers. Comments. Stephen Hendry: "Are you saying another record of mine is going? O'Sullivan has achieved perfection in snooker but Hendry still stands