Stephen Hendry has picked out his top five snooker players of all-time, although it may be a unique list as he has left himself out.
The 56-year-old would almost certainly be on any other onlooker’s list of the greatest snooker players ever, but he has graciously stepped aside when ranking the best to ever pick up a cue.
However, he admits that if he made the list on another day then he could come up with different answers.
‘I’ve got my five players but I don’t know where to rank them,’ Hendry said on WST’s Snooker Club podcast. ‘I haven’t thought about it but I think that’s a good thing, so this will be pure reaction.’
The Scot worked from number one down to number five and went with the player that most would agree has achieved GOAT status.
‘I’m going to put Ronnie at the top,’ said Hendry. ‘Because obviously because of the success he’s had, the most successful snooker player of all time, but basically because of his cue ball control. Best I’ve ever seen. He’s an artist with the cue ball.
‘His safety game as well. Under pressure, his bottle is unquestionable. Ronnie O’Sullivan is my number one.’
Things got trickier as soon as he moved past number one in the rankings, with a toss-up between Mark Williams and John Higgins for second and third.
‘Number two is very, very tough between John and Mark but I’m going to go with Mark,’ he said. ‘How can you choose between them?
‘I’m going to go Mark basically for his record recently against John, that’s the only reason.
‘Mark’s incredible, a freak of nature. The way he does it, his temperament is incredible, the best temperament of any sportsman I’ve ever seen. Unbelievable skill, his touch around the balls is exceptional. He’s just a brilliant potter. I’m going Mark Williams by a cigarette paper.
‘Number three is obviously John Higgins. One of the greatest, if not the greatest match-player of all-time.
‘His scoring, like O’Sullivan, he’s done over 1000 centuries, his scoring has been phenomenal. People talk about his match play and shot selection but to me his scoring has been his strength. Equal second/third.’
Hendry then gave a nod to Mark Selby in fourth, although said that a few years ago he would have expected the Jester from Leicester to be a little higher on his list.
‘Number four would be number two if not for the last three, four, five, six years of his career where he’s not continued that domination of the game,’ said the seven-time world champion.
Stephen Hendry’s Top Five Players Of All-Time
- Ronnie O’Sullivan
- Mark Williams
- John Higgins
- Mark Selby
- Steve Davis
‘Mark Selby is one of the all-time greats. In terms of ball-striking I don’t think there’s many above him. The obviously thing to say is the tactical game and when he can win when he’s not at his best. I’d hate to play him. I did play him and I hated it. I would find him a very tough player to play.’
The decision over the last slot on his list came down to two contrasting players from different eras, but it was Steve Davis who edged ahead of current world number one Judd Trump.
‘Number five. This could be out of two players,’ he said. ‘Judd Trump, for what he’s won, has got to be considered, but he’s only won one world title.
‘Steve Davis is my number five. Six world titles. His utter domination of the 80s. People will scream that the players weren’t as good, I don’t care. If he was playing the way he did in the 80s he’d be in the top 16 today.
‘He was the ultimate winning machine and someone I learned a lot from in my whole attitude to the sport.’
Hendry himself is the obvious omission from the top five, while players from further back in snooker’s history could also have an argument to be in there.
Ray Reardon won six World Championship titles and is undoubtedly one of the game’s greats, while Joe Davis, the legendary figure from the first half of the 20th century could also be a contender.