Hendry retires

Hendry, 43, was beaten 13-2 by Maguire at the Crucible and subsequently said he would be stepping away from the sport.

"I am officially retired now from tournament snooker," he said. "I made the decision about three months ago.

"I didn't tell many people. I only told two or three people, but this is me finished from tournament snooker.

"It was quite an easy decision. There's a few reasons. The schedule didn't help. The fact that I'm not playing the snooker I want to play didn't help. The fact I'm not enjoying practice doesn't help.

"I want to do other things. I've got a lot of commitments now in China, which I've signed up for and I can't do that and play snooker because I would never be at home."

Hendry, who turned professional as a 16-year-old in 1985, won his first world title in 1990, beating popular Londoner Jimmy White, to begin a period of dominance that kept him at No.1 in the rankings until 1998.

His attacking style and pure potting ability made him one of the most attractive players to watch and he bounced back in 1999 to win his seventh and final world crown.

During the past decade Hendry's star began to fade and he was overtaken by a new generation of players including Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins.

He made his 11th maximum break in this year's tournament but felt the time was right to call time on his glorious career.

"The time is right for me," he added.

"If I'd have won the title it would have been an even better way to go out.

"I'm delighted I made a maximum here, that's why I was more animated than normal when making it. I was delighted to do it on my last appearance here."

Jimmy White reacted to the news of his former rival's retirement on Twitter.

White wrote: "He was and is an unbelievable snooker player & has nothing to prove I hope he enjoys his retirement he really deserves it!

"He's always put snooker first, been a model professional, credit to the game and I'll see him in the legends tour this year for more battles.

"I thank him sincerely for some of the best matches and memories of my own career I'm not sure his records will ever be equalled!"