Stephen Hendry

Stephen Gordon Hendry, MBE (born 13 January 1969) is a former Scottish professional snooker player. Hendry is regarded by snooker's professional body, and many commentators, pundits and former players to be one of the greatest players ever. Hendry became the youngest professional snooker player in 1985 aged 16 and, in 1990, he was the youngest-ever snooker World Champion, at the age of 21. He has won the World Championship seven times, a record in the modern era, and was snooker's world number one for eight consecutive seasons between 1990 and 1998, and again in 2006/2007. He was also ranked in the worlds top 16 for a record 24 years, from August 1987 to November 2011.

He has made 11 ratified 147 maximum breaks, second only to Ronnie O'Sullivan, and has won 36 ranking events, the most in the modern era. As a prolific breakbuilder, Hendry holds the record for the most century breaks, with 775.

During the 2011/12 season, Hendry announced that he would retire after the 2013 World Snooker Championship, citing a loss of love for playing the game at a professional level. However, in October 2012, he reached the final of the British Open, his first ranking event final since the 2006 UK Championship. He went on to lose 6-10 to compatriot John Higgins, and wrote in his BBC column that it signalled his "last hurrah."

Although the 2012/13 season was scheduled to be Hendry's last, he reached the last 16 of every event he has entered, and the quarter-finals in all but one tournament.

On February 24th 2013, Hendry confirmed that he would retire after the 2013 World Championship after deciding not to opt to sign the Professional Players Contract for 2013/14, despite pressure on him to do so from family and peers, and announced via his manager that he would be working as a commentator and pundit for the BBC and ITV until "at least" 2018.