Rocket's 30 years at Crucible – Ronnie O'Sullivan set to pass another Stephen Hendry record at 46th World Championship
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ByEurosport
Updated 27/04/2022 at 10:55 GMT
Ronnie O'Sullivan holds almost all of the key records in snooker, but the six-time world champion can pass another landmark held by his great rival Stephen Hendry in Sheffield next month. O'Sullivan is one world title short of equalling Hendry's seven from the 1990s, but needs two more victories to pass the Scottish icon as the Crucible's most prolific match winner of the sport's modern era.
Ronnie O'Sullivan in 2002 at the Crucible.
Image credit: Eurosport
Ronnie O'Sullivan is set to pass another Stephen Hendry landmark when the snooker GOAT competes at the World Championship for a record 30th straight year next month (April 16-May 2, LIVE on Eurosport).
O'Sullivan needs to reach the quarter-finals at the Crucible Theatre to overtake Hendry as the Sheffield venue's most prolific match winner of all time since the inception of the modern televised era in 1977.
Hendry won 70 matches from 90 played at the Crucible between 1986 and 2012 when he appeared 27 times and lifted the trophy on seven occasions in 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1999.
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O'Sullivan stands on 69 wins from 92 matches played between 1993 and 2021. The World No. 2 has appeared at the Crucible 29 times and has carried off the trophy over three decades in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2020.
In an example of remarkable sporting longevity since turning professional in 1992, O'Sullivan will equal the all-time appearance record at the Crucible held by Steve Davis between 1979 and 2010, a farewell year when his fellow Essex professional enjoyed a rousing renaissance run to the quarter-finals.
Davis lifted the world title in 1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988 and 1989 as the decade's dominant force. He played a total of 84 matches at the Crucible over five decades, winning 60 matches from 30 appearances.
John Higgins made his Crucible debut in 1995 and has won 60 times from 83 matches over the past 27 years carrying off the trophy in 1998, 2007, 2009 and 2011.
Unlike Davis who failed to qualify for the tournament proper in 2001 and 2002, O'Sullivan has never missed a Crucible appearance after losing 10-7 to Alan McManus on his debut at the age of 17 in the first round in 1993, his first season on the professional circuit.
Since Hendry retired in 2012 before returning last year on a wildcard, O'Sullivan has claimed most of the key records on the green baize ahead of his bid to join the Scot as a seven-time world champion at the 46th Crucible event, the sport's most coveted tournament.
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O'Sullivan v Hendry: How key records compare
- Ranking title wins: 38-36
- World titles 6-7
- UK titles: 7-5
- Masters titles: 7-6
- Crucible match wins: 69-70
- Crucible win percentage: 75-77.78%
- Career win percentage: 74.74%-68.54%
- Crucible centuries: 184-127
- Career centuries: 1144-776
- Crucible 147s: 3-3
- Career 147s: 15-11
- Years as World No. 1: 6-9
- Age winning first ranking title: 17 (1993 UK Championship) – 18 (1987 Grand Prix)
- Age winning first world title: 25 (2001 World Championship) – 21 (1990 World Championship)
- Age winning last ranking title: 46 (2021 World Grand Prix) – 36 (2005 Malta Cup)
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