Stephen Hendry reveals key factor behind 'incredible' Ronnie O'Sullivan's record UK Championship title win

ByEurosport

Published 13/12/2023 at 10:49 GMT

Stephen Hendry has pinpointed the key reasons why Ronnie O'Sullivan managed to claim a record-extending eighth UK Championship title in York last week. Hendry feels his fellow seven-time world champion has become "a much more dangerous proposition" because winning matches is his main aim at tournaments. Stream top snooker action live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com.

O'Sullivan emotional as he clinches UK Championship glory with stunning clearance

Ronnie O'Sullivan has become "tougher to beat" because he is more focussed on winning rather than performing, according to his fellow seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry.

Hendry believes the snooker GOAT debate between himself and O'Sullivan is no longer up for question after watching the world No. 1 become the youngest and oldest winner of the UK Championship with a glorious 10-7 victory over Ding Junhui in York last week.

Having claimed the title for an eighth time two days before turning 48, Hendry feels there is much more still to come from O'Sullivan in terms of adding to his golden trophy haul because he is more interested in achieving results than peak form.

World Championship

O'Sullivan crashes out as Bingham produces latest Crucible shock

01/05/2024 at 21:53

O'Sullivan edged final-frame deciders against Robert Milkins and Zhou Yuelong earlier in the tournament, but saved his best until last at the Barbican when he produced breaks of 100, 74 and 129 to win the final three frames after Ding had compiled 104 to level at 7-7.

O'Sullivan unleashes stunning shot in final - 'sweet snooker symphony'

"There were two or three times in the week when he could, and perhaps should have lost," said Hendry on the WST podcast.

"What he does now, and it is incredible, is that he does just enough to win.

"He used to talk about in years gone by when he wasn't bothered about results, but his performances.

"It's now sort of turned full circle. It's now not about the performances, but getting the wins.

"Which makes him a much more dangerous proposition.

"There were two or three times during the week where he could have lost, and didn't play his best."

O'Sullivan wraps up win over Zhou with 'grandstand finish' as he makes a century

Hendry added: "I must confess when it went to 7-7 in the final, I thought Ding was going to win, but Ronnie then made a century.

"He just found a gear at the right time, and that's what the great champions do.

"He did say he wasn't playing his best, but qualified that by saying he was trying to his best to get the result.

"And that makes him so much tougher to beat for the rest of him."

While O'Sullivan tends to habitually berate his cue action, Hendry feels nobody in snooker strikes the white ball as cleanly as the 40-time ranking event winner.

While Neil Robertson's delivery is held up as technical perfection on the table, Hendry thinks O'Sullivan's method is an example of unique excellence.

O'Sullivan after UK Championship glory: 'I played snooker like Ballesteros played golf'

"I think he's got a fantastic cue action," said Hendry. "He goes through, and strikes the cue ball beautifully.

"When you watch closely, there is a lot of movement before he strikes the cue ball that is not text book. But Judd [Trump] is certainly not text book, you'd couldn't teach that and wouldn't change it.

"Robertson is probably the benchmark when it comes to technique in snooker. But the control Ronnie has on the cue ball. You couldn't do that if you had a bad technical fault.

"Everyone misses pots, even Ronnie. If you miss a pot, more often than not you haven't cued it properly, or something has gone wrong.

"Generally, the way he strikes the cue ball is as good as it gets, basically."

- - -

Stream top snooker action, including the Scottish Open, live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com

World Championship