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. The Romford potter has amassed 52 more Crucible centuries (179 vs 127) to take his astonishing overall career tally to 1,061 compared to Scotsman's mark of 775 - which is second on the all-time list - while 15 of those were maximums. Ronnie O'Sullivan 775th Century with superb fluke! O'Sullivan set up another instalment of his budding rivalry with Mark Selby after beating Joe Perry (6-5), Ali Carter (6-2) and Stephen Maguire (6-1) and he'd edge another titanic tussle between the pair 10-8 to claim his fourth Masters title. 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. He's going to be winning this a few times and the other guys better get their act together. As an added bonus, here's how he equalled Stephen Hendry's century break record of 775 against Ricky Walden Ronnie O'Sullivan's incredible career in numbers, RONNIE O'SULLIVAN WINS HIS SIXTH WORLD SNOOKER TITLE AT THE CRUCIBLE, Ronnie O'Sullivan wins UK Championship 1993, B&H Masters 1995 Final: Ronnie O'Sullivan Vs John Higgins Part 2, SNOOKER UK CHAMP 1997 final O`Sullivan vs Hendry part 2, Stephen Hendry 147 v Ronnie O'Sullivan Decider Charity Challenge 1997, 2001 World Snooker Championship Final Ronnie O'Sullivan vs John Higgins, 2004 World Snooker Championship Final Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Graeme Dott Session 4 (BBC), 2005 Snooker the Masters Final Ronnie O'Sullivan vs John Higgins Frame 9-13, DECIDER O'Sullivan v Selby SF 2007 UK Championship, 2007 Snooker UK Championship Final Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Stephen Maguire Frame 9-12, Ronnie's 147 v Williams at the 2008 World Championship, 2008 World Snooker Championship Final Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Ali Carter Frame 21-24, 2009 Snooker The Masters Final Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Mark Selby Frame 13-18, Ronnie O'Sullivan v Ali Carter 2012 World Championship, Amazing 2013 World Championship Final | O'Sullivan - Hawkins, Selby v O'Sullivan FINAL FRAME 2014 Masters HD1080p. 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. We look back at his 28 years of astonishing milestones, achievements statistics, maximum breaks, and fan-pleasing antics. 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. I'm sure you're as excited watching at home as we are here." Last week, he was thrashed 5-0 by Matthew Stevens in the German Masters qualifiers. 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. 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. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. believes Hendry's achievements mark him out as the stand-out player in the sport's history. 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. "Hopefully, if I can keep getting better and keep improving, my technique becomes reliable and I can get to a better pace, then next year will be the goal to get back to the Crucible," he said after his win over old foe White last year. Is Stephen Hendry set to quit comeback after opting out of - Eurosport He had 24 hours to decide whether to take it and he could not resist. Ronnie O'Sullivan's first TV appearance aged just 14 in 1990, making a break of 75. "Hendry: "Well he can't become the youngest world champion"Davis: "But he is playing like Benjamin Button." MORE:Is Ronnie O'Sullivan snooker's GOAT? "For me - and I've said it since 1990 - he's the greatest player ever to lift a snooker cue. Joe is a sub-editor for Sporting News UK. What is the prize money at the 2022 World Snooker Championship? In terms of weeks spent as world number one, as of April 18, 2022, Stephen Hendry tops the list. 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. Ronnie O'Sullivan 2014 UK Championship - Matthew Selt, 14. It almost took the pressure off me kind of thing, not that I'm under pressure to do anything. The year was 1996. The scene was vibrant. He competed in the World Amateur Championship that year, setting a record for being the youngest entrant ever.. 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. In recognition of his excellence in the sport, Hendry was knighted, receiving a MBE recognition in 1994. Glaswegian Alan McManus had already turned professional in 1990 and made an immediate breakthrough, reaching the UK Championship semi-finals and winning the Masters qualifying event in his debut season. pic.twitter.com/l31qIFsXDp, Ronnie O'Sullivan wins his match 10-1 in 108 minutes. Four years later, he turned professional. Discovery company. 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. Once it happened, it was almost kind of a relief, said Hendry. Hendry had not even played the game before his parents bought him a half-sized table for Christmas in 1981. 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. 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. O'Sullivan has achieved perfection in snooker but Hendry still stands **Hendry resumed playing in 2021 after nine years out, but his future on the tour is unclear. His youth made him a relatable figure to youngsters everywhere, but especially in Scotland. Mon Oct 15 2018 - 13:17. Having enlisted the help of six-time world champion Ray Reardon to rediscover his magic, he battled past Stephen Maguire (10-6) and Andy Hicks (13-11) before imperiously wiping the floor with Anthony Hamilton (13-3) and Stephen Hendry (17-4) with sessions to spare, while his 18-8 hammering of Graeme Dott was pretty brutal too as he returned to the top of the world rankings, where he'd stay for the next two seasons. It is unclear if Hendry will be offered another wild card to continue playing or if he will accept it. OSullivan has already ticked off the other major records Hendry held including most Triple Crown wins and most ranking tournament titles. McManus would win the Masters itself in 1994. With Judd, we all knew he wasn't playing his best. Ronnie O'Sullivan has won more ranking titles in snooker than any other player, just ahead of Stephen Hendry. 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. Technically, the most successful player at the world championship is. Considering all categories of tournament, including ranking, non-ranking and invitational, Steve Davis has won the most titles in snooker. 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. 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. What TV channel is 2022 World Snooker Championship final? Ronnie O'Sullivan is happy to share the World Snooker Championship record with 'absolute legend' Stephen Hendry but feels that the feat means more to the Scot than it does to. All rights reserved. He was that dominant. Evans slams 'disgusting' prize money in women's snooker as Baipat claims world 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". 'It's just a number': Ronnie O'Sullivan plays down record-equalling Stephen Hendry - Season 2022-2023 - Professional Results Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan jointly hold the record for the most World Snooker Championship titles with seven. Updates? It was the biggest margin of victory in the tournament's final since Steve Davis whitewashed Mike Hallett 9-0 in 1988. BBC commentators and presenters for 2022 World Snooker Championship. This is a shame as the audience at the Meadowbank Centre would surely love to salute him. Evans slams 'disgusting' prize money in women's snooker as Baipat claims world title. As if to underline how disappointing the comeback has been, the man himself did not enter the event. Hendry holds the record for the most seasons as the no.1 player; he was ranked no.1 for nine seasons. Stephen Gordon Hendry was born on January 13, 1969, in South Queensferry, Scotland. Finishes Tournaments played: 3 Category Winner 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 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. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2008 World Championship - Mark Williams, 10. He has played only a handful of events and found victories hard to come by. Stephen Hendry | Sport | The Guardian Maybe they need another talisman to look up to, but the Hendrys of this world are rare. Graeme Dott, raised on the Easterhouse estate in Glasgow often associated with social decay, demonstrated his iron toughness by becoming world champion in 2006. 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. His top break of 141 was the highest in a World Championship final, beating O'Sullivan's previous best mark of 139 in 2001. 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. He hadn't been at his fluent best earlier in the tournament but managed three century breaks and 10 above 50 when the trophy was on the line. SUBSCRIBE for the biggest and best videos from the only official World Snooker channel on YouTubeWebsite: www.wst.tvTwitter: @WeAreWSTFacebook: /WorldSnooker. 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. A. Career. @ronnieo147 pic.twitter.com/bCUnSqT2Z0. His 16 centuries in the 2002 world championship also set a record. 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. 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*). 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. 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. Growing up, he also spent time living in Edinburgh and Fife. 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. The result gained revenge from losing a deciding frame in that year's Charity Challenge final, in which Hendry scored an iconic maximum break. He said: "I think it meant more to him than it does to me, to have seven world titles. 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. 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. 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. "Obviously a name for the future. Rookie Road may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 1999 Welsh Open v James Wattana, 3. At the age of 17 years and 358 days he became the youngest ever winner of a ranking event and that record still stands. In contrast, OSullivan has won his Crucible crowns over more than two decades, with his first coming in 2001 and his latest in 2022. - Hendry and Robertson not impressed with how some pros train, Hendry: O'Sullivan is the only player that doesnt speak to anyone. 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. He turned professional the following year, and when he won the Grand Prix in 1987, he became the youngest player to win a tournament. Article bookmarked. The only trophies Hendry has ever wanted to handle are the ones he has won. Any excuse to dig this uppic.twitter.com/hzoGnnsx9W, 1. Tai Chengzhe/Visual China Group via Getty Images. The winner of this weeks Scottish Open receives the Stephen Hendry trophy. pic.twitter.com/jWWr6mfcAd. On either side of this triumph, he appeared in two other Crucible finals. What is the prize money at the 2022 World Snooker Championship? At 18, he won his first ranking title, the 1987 Grand Prix. 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. During this period in the early 1990s, a wave of Scottish talent flooded the professional ranks. The Rocket not only equalled Steve Davis' record of six UK titles by defeating Shaun Murphy 10-5 but he also moved level with Stephen Hendry on 18 Triple Crown triumphs. Discovery company. 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. 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. 2005: Wins his 36th and most recent ranking title at the Malta Cup. Considering all categories of tournament, including ranking, non-ranking and invitational, Steve Davis has won the most titles in snooker. Ronnie O'Sullivan claimed a record-breaking seventh UK Championship title with a 10-6 victory over Mark Allen at the York Barbican. 2023 Eurosport, a Warner Bros. 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. He had pushed his career earnings past 6.2 million (about $10 million) and by November had reclaimed his number one ranking. Although he sat out of the 2022 World Snooker Championship qualifying, Hendry stated that he intends to continue competing. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2007 UK Championship - Mark Selby, 9. Career Total Statistics Tournament Record Most Frequent Opponents Rounds Reached Century Frequency Centuries per Season Graph Ranking History Prize Money History. In recognition of his excellence in the sport, Hendry was knighted, receiving a MBE recognition in 1994. Stephen Hendry: "Are you saying another record of mine is going? 2014 UK Championship Final: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Judd Trump DECIDER! At 53, it is surely impossible for Hendry to recapture former glories. Tuesday 03 May 2022 09:19. Ranking the game's top five players in history, including World Championship stars. All rights reserved. Stephen Hendry believes Mark Selby to be a greater threat to his record of seven World Snooker Championship titles than Ronnie O'Sullivan, says Steve Davis. I wouldn't say it's the wrong decision - it's just down to the individual.". We look back at his 28. His triumph, which came a quarter of a century after he won his first United Kingdom crown as a 17-year-old, also saw O'Sullivan nudge ahead of Stephen Hendry with 19 Triple Crown titles - comprising the World and UK Championships and the Masters. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2014 Welsh Open - Ding Junhui, 13. 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. Stephen . Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2018 English Open - Allan Taylor. **Hendry resumed playing in 2021 after nine years out, but his future on the tour is unclear. Ronnie O'Sullivan makes a maximum break 147 in 6 min on first frame! Walter Donaldson became the world champion in the post-war era, but for a long time, Scotland lagged behind the other UK nations. "I would say no, because there are so many great players competing against each other to win every tournament," he told BBC Sport. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Welcome to my brand new YouTube channel, Stephen Hendry's Cue Tips. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. His comeback was much anticipated but has been largely underwhelming. However, when pressed for a more serious answer he replied: "I've never bothered about records, I've never performed well if I'm going for stuff like that. 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. This maximum in an exhibition against Reanne Evans last year is also well worth a watch. Technically, the most successful player at the world championship is Joe Davis, who won 15 consecutive titles from 1927 to 1946. As the Scottish Open begins in Edinburgh, its worth remembering that this had not always been the case. I'm enjoying the process.". 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. Hendry was full-on attack, casting safety aside and always looking to open the balls and kill frames off in one visit. Ronnie O'Sullivan on whether he's just created the greatest sporting documentary of all time after giving it the fairytale ending. He claimed the number one ranking in 1990 and held it until White defeated him at the world championship in 1998. Steve Davis says he cannot imagine anyone bettering Stephen Hendry's tally of seven World Championship titles. 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). In 2006, however, he demonstrated that he still possessed the talent that made him such a force in the 1990s when he claimed the number one ranking once again. 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. 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. He has played a partial schedule in 2021 and 2022, never making it past the second round of a tournament. John Higgins has won four and is good enough to win another four; it is hard to say.". 'Feels amazing' Higgins ends 13-month title drought by retaining Championship League crown, Watch Robertson produce magic as Trump leads final Championship League group. 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. ", 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). Stephen Hendry with wife Mandy and son Blaine after beating Mark Williams 18-11 to win a record seventh world title. That's what a champion does, they don't play their best, they get to the final, and they still nearly win it. Hendry, 43, retired on Tuesday after a 13-2 quarter-final defeat by Stephen Maguire ended his 27th consecutive appearance at the Crucible. Davis was the best player of his generation but still played the percentages. At 20, he captured the Masters and UK Championship, and at 21 was crowned the youngest ever world champion. Ronnie O'Sullivan reacts to equalling 'absolute legend' Stephen Hendry 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. At 20, he captured the Masters and UK Championship, and at 21 was crowned the youngest ever world champion. Copyright 2017-2023 Rookie Road Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Enjoy. Unlike White or even Davis, he did not play for the pure love of snooker but because of an obsession with being the best. Hendry has the longest unbeaten streak in ranking tournament play, winning 36 consecutive matches in 1990 and 1991. Now in the world's top 16 for the first time, Ronnie O'Sullivan booked his place in the Masters tournament automatically, having made his debut the previous year after coming through the qualifying event ranked 57 in the world. . When the 96/97 season began, there were nine Scots ranked inside the top 64 and plenty more coming up on the rails. The Scot finished as the year-end rankings leader for eight seasons in a row from 1989/90 to 1996/97.