Stephen Hendry ‘didn’t want’ Ronnie O’Sullivan to equal world title record, reveals ‘relief’ when it happened
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Updated 24/01/2023 at 10:33 GMT
Stephen Hendry has revealed he didn’t want Ronnie O’Sullivan to equal his record of seven world titles. O’Sullivan equalled Hendry’s feat last year when he beat Judd Trump and Hendry has explained that he had a “strange feeling” when that happened - "it was almost kind of a relief". Stream top snooker action, including the Shoot Out, live on discovery+ and on eurosport.co.uk.
Unseen footage: O’Sullivan breaks down in tears as seventh world title sinks in
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.
O’Sullivan has already ticked off the other major records Hendry held including most Triple Crown wins and most ranking tournament titles.
Hendry made a shock comeback, although he does not like using the word, to snooker in 2021 but has not played many tournaments. He initially stated his goal was to make a return to the Crucible.
“I didn’t want Ronnie to equal my record and I don’t want him to beat my record, why would I?” Hendry said on the WST Podcast.
“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. He's an absolutely wonderful snooker player.”
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'I hated it' - O'Sullivan on why he did not enjoy winning seventh world title
Hendry’s seven world titles all came during his dominant spell in the 1990s, which also included eight consecutive seasons as world No. 1.
In contrast, O’Sullivan has won his Crucible crowns over more than two decades, with his first coming in 2001 and his latest in 2022.
Hendry says he had an unusual feeling when O’Sullivan beat Judd Trump to win his seventh World Championship.
“Once it happened, it was almost kind of a relief,” said Hendry. “I can't explain it.
“It almost took the pressure off me kind of thing, not that I'm under pressure to do anything. But it was a strange feeling I had. Maybe not that night, because there's still a little bit of sadness that he equalled my record.
“Then a week or so afterwards, I was like, ‘OK, he's got the mantle now to live up to. It was almost like that. But I'm not going to lie and say I did want him to equal that because I didn't.”
Hendry also revealed he was fined several times in the last 12 months due to his participation on the entertainment show, The Masked Singer, as ‘Rubbish’.
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Stream top snooker action, including the Shoot Out, live on discovery+ and on eurosport.co.uk.
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