Stephen Hendry points out snooker record Ronnie O'Sullivan will never beat that has stood for 34 years

Stephen Hendry points out snooker record Ronnie O'Sullivan will never beat that has stood for 34 years

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Stuart Ballard

By Stuart Ballard


Published: 01/04/2024

- 12:03

Updated: 01/04/2024

- 12:04

Stephen Hendry has had to watch as his records have continued to tumble to Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Stephen Hendry may be powerless to Ronnie O'Sullivan continually breaking his records, but there's one that the 'Rocket' has no chance of touching.

Hendry dominated professional snooker in the 1990s as he won seven Crucible crowns and moved ahead of Steve Davies in the all-time list for Triple Crown events won.


But O'Sullivan was already beginning to make a name for himself as the next big superstar in the sport during Hendry's heyday.

O'Sullivan became the youngest winner of a ranking event at the age of 17 when he beat Hendry in the 1993 UK Championship final.

Stephen Hendry made sure to point out the record he still holds on to

Stephen Hendry made sure to point out the record he still holds on to

YOUTUBE

He then took the title as the youngest-ever Masters champion at the age of 19 in 1995 when he defeated John Higgins.

But O'Sullivan was unable to make it a hat-trick for all three Triple Crown events with his first World Championship coming in 2001 at the age of 25.

He's since become the most dominant snooker player in the history of the sport having won Triple Crown title events in four different decades.

O'Sullivan has toppled most of the record Hendry built up in the 1990s and he could move top on the all-time list for World Championship titles this month.

Hendry still holds his records close to his heart and recalled his first World Championship while speaking on his YouTube channel.

Hendry began: "Obviously the ambition for every player when they turn pro - if they've got serious ambitions - is to be world champion.

"I actually said in an interview with the Daily Record in Scotland when I turned pro at 16 that I'm going to win the World Championship by the time I'm 21.

"It was a bit of bravado. Not sure if I totally believed it."

Stephen Hendry was just 21 when he became world champion in 1990

Stephen Hendry was just 21 when he became world champion in 1990

GETTY

He went on to do it though, beating Jimmy White in the final and in doing so become world champion at the age of 21.

And the Scottish snooker legend made sure to remind his viewers that is a record O'Sullivan won't be able to touch.

He added: "To achieve my ambitions - world No 1 and world champion - at 21, which is still a record.

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Ronnie O'Sullivan won his first world championship at the age of 25

Ronnie O'Sullivan won his first world championship at the age of 25

GETTY

"One thing Ronnie, unless he's Benjamin Button, he's not going to beat that one."

Shaun Murphy came closest to breaking Hendry's record when he won the World Championship back in 2005 at the age of 22.

John Higgins and Davis both became world champions for the first time as 23 year olds while Mark Williams achieved the feat at 25.

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