This afternoon it will be announced that the Crucible is to keep the contract to stage the Betfred.com World Championship and it therefore seems apt that the player who has achieved most success at the iconic venue produced another moment of magic.
Stephen Hendry's ninth career 147 break and his second at the Crucible - 14 years after his first - was sensational.
It was a pleasure to watch, never mind commentate on.
He's snooker's greatest ever player and he's proved it again.
32 comments:
Legend
(btw bbc already announced it on their site)
i missed the 147 on tv by 1 frame - waiting for youtube uploads now
part of it is on the bbc
Yes but you can't watch it outside UK!
you can if you use a proxy.
and i never said anything wrong did i?
would have been nice to just mention "bbc isnt available to overseas readers". bit abrupt Mon ;)....and after i never posted that story...
x
Of course you didn't say anything wrong and I'm sorry if I came across as abrupt. It certainly wasn't directed at you. So please accept my apologies if I hurt you.
If anything it's directed at BBC. Why do they restrict (some) videos to UK? Especially at a time where snooker can do with all the audience it can get and there is a huge interest in mainland Europe and China.
On a normal championship table he would nt have got a break of 50 as the 7th red was so far wide of the pocket - not to mention the final black.
In saying that fair play to Hendry for doing the job - but the pockets or buckets definitely helped him out.
I really think he could win this year.
Mon, i know you know my post was tongue in cheek. x
That pot was always in. The pocket didnt move.
its also the same for all players, so nice of you to pick holes instead of just saying well done, because as all 147s are, it was well done
it was never going to go to china
ronnie doesnt like travelling there much (rumour has it)
It was a wonderfully crafted 147, well done Stephen, although I hate to have to agree with a previous poster, the pockets are very forgiving at the moment, there was at least two shots that would not normally go in. I do have a question for you Dave, what have the players and people in the backroom been saying about the pockets and the way the tables are playing??
Would love to know.
Thanks
Well done Stephen!!!!
I think you can watch the session again on eurosport player for anyone not able to watch the BBC videos. And it'll probably be on youtube in hours.
Well done Stephen. I can't remember the last time I've had such an adrenaline rush from watching snooker. Brilliant!
It's true the pockets are way more forgiving this year. Also I would put O'Sullivan top of the all time list but apart from that congratulations Hendry. Now I hope Murphy does you!
From a disgruntled Williams and Ding fan.
i hope youre wrong (from someone who knows hendry is at the top of the all time list)
About the size of the pockets - it's all rubbish. Hendry's maximum was absolutely wonderful and no one can take anything from him. As a Hendry fan I'm also very glad that after all those years he become sort of people's champion. He got probably more cheers from the audience today than in all his finals against White combined.
Again, congratulations mr. Hendry!
I'm very curious about the size of pockets. Many said the pockets're little bit larger this year. Is it true?
no they are exactl the same size of pockets but they are playing easier for reasons mentioned elsewhere on here, many times on the bbc and many times in eurosport commentary
I don't think the pockets are intentionally larger, I mean the template they are using will be the same as always. But for whatever they seem to be more accepting of the balls when they hit the jaws than usual and we are seeing bigger breaks as a result.
Fair play to Dave too, a week ago I doubted that we would see a new centuries record this week but he's right, it's going to be absolutely smashed isn't it.
yes it is. i was among the first to agree with dave and will be collecting £ because of it...as long as the record does go
Its a topnotch 10/10 break but i do agree the pockets definitely seem more forgiving.
Case in point - the first plant in particular seem to be a miss. Is it something to do with the air temperature or moisture level at the Crucible this year?
Take nothing away from Hendry. Nobody would have placed a bet on him making a 147 or making the quarters and so far he has done all that. I'm off to the bookies to place a bet on him going all the way. The only man who could stop him i think, is John Higgins.
i know 3 people who have bet him to win it from the start and also to have a 147 in the tournament.
same bet every year for "donkeys years"
Not much has been made of him equalling Ronnie's record for number of maximums, a record he held for many years himself.
On the subject of the pockets, I was there all day yesterday and I couldn't believe the amount of 'easy' pots that were missed, particularly by Maguire and King.
jamie r u ronnie's dad? every post u had its about ronnie this ronnie that
I just cannot believe how people keep posting about the "size of the pockets" after having witnessed snooker perfection.
Regardless of the size of the pockets, the speed of the table, or the cloth it remains exactly that: PERFECTION.
As long as you pot the balls you can continue and Stephen made the most of it...truly the most.
Let's just sit back, relax and enjoy! I know I did...every 147 that is. WHY? Because I'm a perfectionist myself and thus love to see a perfect frame being played out.
Cheers,
Jurgen.
know im simon hattenstone using a different moniker!! my comment here was actually praising Hendry for equalling Ronnie there was a lot of fuss made about him taking a significant Hendry record so I feel it should have been mentioned.
Hendry, although proud of his 147 tally knows that a mark or achievement is in titles and not breaks that, although excellent and good £ earners, only win you one frame. that is probably why hendry fans dont bump their gums about him equalling the record he used to hold as they have things in perspective.
hendry is out now - gutted but he kept throwing away chances that came his way. Murphy was the deserved winner overall.
as a lifelong hendry fan i totally agree with the last point
he had his chances but missed the boat in the 2nd session
well played shaun
The pockets are playing fairly kindly to the players. Certainly the first plant in the max was doubtful on other championship tables in the past. However, to dip into the standard cliches: the pockets are the same for everyone, the players can only play on the tables in front of them and a 147 is still a 147. Ever look back at Stevens' 147 from Wembley or other old footage: the pockets were enormous!!!
Hendry's game at his best still matches but he cant keep it going for more than a few session.
Against a player like Murphy on top form now after the way he destroyed someone like Marco Fu 13-3, losing the second session the way he did was just too muc to overcome
Ken Doherty's fingerprints are all over this year's championship.
He has obviously allowed John Higgins to utilize his 2003-go-5-frames-behind-1st-against-player-on-form-before-mounting-hellofaComeback-to-win-on-deciding-frame trademark.
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