Ten years ago, around this time, I went to Croydon for the inaugural Champions Cup.
Those were the days. There were nine ranking events plus six televised invitation tournaments. Snooker was ending the decade as it had begun it: as one of television sport's great success stories.
And it was ending it with Stephen Hendry as world champion.
It’s all too easy for people to forget now just what an extraordinary impact Hendry had on snooker from a very young age.
He remains the youngest player ever to compete at the Crucible. He is still the youngest world champion.
Like the Beatles, he did it all by the time he was 30. His record seventh world title triumph in 1999 came just a few months after this milestone.
When he was 19, Hendry said he would retire by 30. He could have done, as well, as he had nothing left to prove, but like all great champions he wanted more...and more...and more.
Hendry won that first Champions Cup and the British Open that followed. He remained a leading force for several more years and was world no.1 for the 2006/07 season.
Yet, in the last couple of years he has found results harder to come by and starts the new campaign outside the top eight for the first time in 21 years.
At 40, is this decline irreversible?
What does the future hold for the game’s greatest ever player?
Well, logic suggests that his slide down the rankings will continue. However, the evidence of other great players proves that it is possible to stem the tide.
Alex Higgins did it in the late 1980s/early 90s. He would have been back in the top 16 in 1990 had he not been banned for a year for a litany of indefensible incidents.
Jimmy White did it as well. In 2004 he reached two ranking finals, winning the Players Championship, and rose to eighth in the rankings, even if he then declined again.
And, of course, Steve Davis has proved an immovable object. His run to the final of the 2005 UK Championship was a reminder that the legends are made of different stuff to the rest.
Hendry doesn’t lack for motivation. Sure, he may not like practising as much as he once did but he still relishes competition.
It would be foolish to just write him off. At the last two World Championships he has shown that, on the big stage, he can still deliver strong performances.
Last season he referred to his problem being “the chaos in my head” whenever he came to the table.
I believe this chaos stems from Hendry’s inability to accept that he isn’t as good as he was. However, he doesn’t need to be that good to remain in the top 16. If he can accept that the glory days are over, he can relax and start to enjoy snooker more.
And if that happens, he may find that results start to come more regularly.
There are new challenges to look forward to. Hendry is heavily involved in 110sport’s new internet channel and will take centre stage in a showpiece match against Ding Junhui in China.
There is also the satisfaction, now that he is the oldest member of the top 16, of putting some of the young pretenders to the sword.
The 90s are becoming a distant memory. There is a whole generation of snooker fans who don’t remember Hendry at his best.
But every now and again, as in making his maximum at the Crucible this year, he reminds everyone of what he is capable of.
In Croydon ten years ago, as he looked ahead to the new season and reflected on his seventh world title, Hendry told me: “If I never win another match, it won’t bother me.”
I didn’t believe it then and I don’t believe it now.
Winning is what drives any great champion. The quest to prove everyone wrong and be a winner again still drives Stephen Hendry.
15 comments:
In such a tournament as the world championship, where he plays much more often and longer sessions, Hendry will always be a threat as he has time to 'get his eye in'. For example, this year, he wasn't too impressive in the first round against Williams but this warmed him up for a run of good form. In the smaller tournaments, he doesn't get this luxury and this is where he might continue to struggle. Perhaps he should consider some serious match practice the day or two before his opening matches in tournaments like the Grand Prix, etc, so he goes into each game 'warm'.
great post dave
stephen always practices however unlike the 90s his form isnt there on tap for a quick wash anymore like you say he likes a long soak in a bath that is the crucible lol
Snooker The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Dear Dave
How are you. You are trying really hard to shake up your many followers with a "what do you think" thread on snookers big names.
Its quite a while Dave since someone asked what your favourite colour is on Sundays. You are definately a trier lad attempting to keep snooker chat alive.
Hendry like Davis and other champs have lost the fear factor that was good for a few years. Ability wise there is not a black ball difference in the top twenty.
There is some rubbish talk of resorting to "Tactics and Safety Play" by Steve Davis: this is an excuse as it takes the exact same correct strike patern to pot a ball as it does to make a great softy.
Safty tactics should only be used if there is not a pot on. The game as Ronnie has said is about entertaining, and sadly snooker often shows second class entertainment as the punters seldom notice or complain.
Stephen is good for another five "worlds" if he stopped practiceing the faults he's adopted that are sometimes successful, but hard to detect. Mr hey you
PS You can put this on the back burner Dave I have a copy DM
DM, your comment is bit contradictory.
"Safety should only used if there is not a pot on" - It obviously must be used, if you are not confident with the pot, if you think it's too risky or if you can see a good safety that can create and opening...
You mentioned Ronnie, who says snooker is a game of entertainement, but a good a safety battle is also entertainment and Ronnie himself is one of the best tacticians of all time.
(...)
PS: Congratulations for another great post Dave.
Why do you write "inability to except", followed by "if he can accept", 2 lines later?
Why not use the same word in both instances?
It would make more sense!
Snooker The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Dear Dave
Thanks for allowing the post. Though yu are not a player of any means, I detect that would like to be and can grasp the advance players dilema.
Its hard Dave to convince the keen snooker buff that the game has nothing to do with "Natural Ability" but habit and if good habits are acquired this is really a branch of "Snooker Technique".
Youngsters in fact all players love the thought of being NATURALS and not just plain "Copycats" Thanks again Dave. Mr hey you
PS Natural Ability Dave is: Enjoying three meals a day without biting your toungue off.DM
Mr hey you excels himself again in the bonkers department.
Snooker The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Dear Mr Silva
How are you. Snooker as a game will never die or even falter; but Pro' Snooker as a sport is sadly dieing of boredom created by the sameness and the repetitiveness that killed off the lovely game of billiards.
TV sponsors doesn’t want safety play as it relies on viewer/ customers that don’t really understand the technicalities of the game but are entertained by the skill factor of balls whizzing into pockets. Snooker is a beautiful game Mr Silva and looses much with continuous century breaks.
Professional snooker is really already dead but not buried yet. The games only hope is to introduce and promote women players and younger coaches. Players will never change to suit TV sponsors. Mr hey you
Snooker now, in 2009, is more popular than it's ever been on television.
Unlike most people, I'm not referring to the UK. Snooker is not just a UK sport.
In China, tens of millions watch on TV. In Europe, there are now snooker fans in Russia, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria and so on and so on.
There is nothing wrong with the game other than the continuing UK bias.
dave
even in the UK its holding it own very nicely compared to other sport but people are judging snooker on TV with the success of the 4 station ratings of the 80s.
where Eastendres Rating has droped about 60% from what it was in 1985.
Snooker The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Dear Mr Anon nee Bonkers
How are you dear chap. Thanks again for the plug, it's nice to be remembered from my previous posts.
I wish you and the other Anons would adopt a nom de plume or a number; though I treat all sarcasm with equal pity, but I also accept it with a degree of pride.
Sadly Anon, Dave has some very stringent rules on the depth of comment, especially on coaching and snooker politics.
Never the less, a tip for any keen student of the beautiful game. "A cue ball is not a Rubik Cube"
Mr hey you
Snooker The Fine Art method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Dear Dave
I see that the "I love Clive brigade" has been transfered in baulk to another site. Its sad Dave; the way these youngsters have been minipulated and brain washed with such ease. Clive is definately NOT the worst commentator but that doesent justify such false support for his recall to the chatter box.
Repeatedly Clive assured the viewers (With in depth knowledge) the reason the cue ball dident reach the baulk cusion was: With great insight again; it wasent hit hard enough! and that Dave is with fifty years experience.
Clive maybe wants to be around to educate the "Silly" and the many experienced viewers the art of Screw Back shots; Clive has it word perfect from the Fine Art (copyright)book.
Its very sad Dave the way that both he(Clive) and Terry have lived of the 99year old heir to the Joe Davis estate without redress from any branch of the snooker establishment, including Hazels corner.
Please remember Dave: We declare our own fouls
PS another article for another site Dave. Mr hey you
Snooker The Fine Art method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Dear Dave
I see that the "I love Clive brigade" has been transferred in baulk to another site. Its sad Dave; the way these youngsters have been manipulated and brain washed with such ease.
Clive is definitely NOT the worst commentator but that doesn’t justify such false support for his recall to the chatter box.
Repeatedly Clive assured the viewers (With in depth knowledge) the reason the cue ball didn’t reach the baulk cushion was: With great insight again; it wisent hit hard enough! and that Dave is with fifty years experience.
Clive maybe wants to be around to educate the "Silly" and the many experienced viewers the art of Screw Back shots; Clive has it word perfect from the Fine Art (copyright) book.
Its very sad Dave the way that both he (Clive) and Terry have lived of the 99year old heir to the Joe Davis estate without redress from any branch of the snooker establishment.
Please remember Dave: We declare our own fouls
Hi Dave. Much better spelling now.
Snooker The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Dear Dave
How are you.Your friend Stephen Hendry is good for five more worlds. His game was very compact for the first six titles without assistance. (Except fielders)
Steven struggled with his seventh title as he changed his "style of play" plus his "stance and balance". Steven went off the boil and like Jimmy White after Jimmys spell in doc he got some dicy advice.
Snooker cheates you know, as a total of around seventy wins the frame and Stephen lost his habit of playing on after he had won the frame. Steven let his opponents back in too often and removed the fear factor for the next frame.Mr hey you
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