by Roland » 07 Jan 2011 Read
STEPHEN Hendry has paid tribute to world champion Neil Robertson ahead of their first round clash at The Masters.
The six-times Masters champion is relishing the prospect of coming up against Robertson after initially having doubts that he’d even qualify.
“It looked a little dodgy at first so I am relieved to have qualified a tournament I consider to be the second biggest in the game,” Hendry confessed to 110sport.tv.
“All the top players are involved and it’s a real test. Going into this event I think there will be twelve or thirteen guys who think they have a good chance of winning – that certainly shows the strength in depth that the game boasts at present.
“I have been really impressed by Neil’s attitude since winning the World Championship. He didn’t rest on his laurels and quickly set his sights on becoming world No.1 which he obviously achieved after winning the World Open in Glasgow.
“I think that shows he has real ambition. After winning a title a lot of players relax and take their foot off the pedal but Neil is one of few who have managed to win more than one title in different seasons.”
Between 1989 and 1993, Hendry triumphed at Wembley five times in a row and his incredible feat brought with it some huge rewards.
“Winning the competition five-times in a row was fantastic. After the fifth Benson and Hedges let me keep the trophy – I was the first player that happened to and it was incredible,” smiled Hendry.LAST WIN....Hendry and O'Sullivan in 1996
“I also got my hand print on the Wembley Way. I am the only snooker player on there. That for me was almost bigger than my MBE – it was such a huge honour to take my place alongside so many sporting greats.”
Earlier this week John Higgins confessed that he has often struggled to cope with atmosphere at Wembley.
Hendry agrees that the crowd at The Masters is very different to that of any other ranking event but insists it has often helped encourage him to win matches.
“The old Wembley Conference Centre was a fantastic venue with 2500 spectators creating a great atmosphere. I played Jimmy White there and there were people booing and it seemed that everyone in the crowd was against me. That used to spur me on and I would thrive on it,” Hendry reflected.
Looking ahead to the remained of the season Hendry is well aware he still faces a fight to remain in the top 16 of the world rankings.
With four ranking events remaining the world No.14 knows he must start picking up results.
“The second half of the season is really important for me. I really need to pick up some positive results to remain in the top 16 and I am looking forward to the challenge.”
http://www.110sport.tv/news/841MARK Allen is hoping that the vociferous Wembley crowd have little to cheer about when he comes up against home crowd favourite Ronnie O’Sullivan at The Masters.
Allen says he is relishing his opening round encounter with the ‘Rocket’ and has set his sights on recapturing the form that took him to the last four of the UK Championship last month.
“I was obviously disappointed to lose to John Higgins at the UK, but it was a welcome relief to get a few wins under my belt and hopefully I can now kick on from here,” Allen told 110sport.tv.
“I know I’ll have to play well to beat Ronnie and continue that form from Telford but I am really looking forward to the match. Any player dreams of playing him at any of the big venues.
“When I played Ronnie at the World Championship he had 90% of the crowd on his side so I have a good idea of what the atmosphere will be like. I have a few people coming to see me though and I am sure that I’ll pick up the backing of a few neutral’s on the day.”
Antrim potter Allen insists that his mindset for a tournament does not change despite coming up against one of snooker’s big names.
Last year at Wembley he recorded a first round victory over John Higgins and says he will draw on that experience going into his match with the ‘Rocket’.
“I don’t go into the tournament in a different mindset just because I am playing a bigger name,” he said.
“I just go in hoping to win the event and aim to beat whoever is put in-front of me and to win the tournament – there are too many players to give all your respect to one individual.
“I can draw on my experience of beating John Higgins at Wembley last year. A few before that match talked about his victory over me in the semi-finals of the World Championship and suggested he was a bit of a bogey player for me.
“After that match however I levelled my record against him at 2-2 and if I beat Ronnie at The Masters I’d have a 2-1 record against him – I must be doing something right.”
Going into the first major tournament of 2011 Allen has had little time to prepare. While the majority of people celebrated over Christmas and New Year he was downed by a flu bug.
The world No.11 is back on his feet again now however and has been putting in the hard work in practice.
“I always take Christmas off and then try and get back to it. Unfortunately I was grounded by the flu just after that so I only returned to practicing on Tuesday. That’s not ideal but I am feeling pretty good about my game and hope to continue the form I was on towards the end of last year.”
Recently Mark has been working alongside former world champion Terry Griffiths in a bid to help his game.
Many have suggested that there has been a marked improvement in the 24-year-old’s discipline as a result.
I don’t think it’s been a case of working on my discipline – that’s something that you pick up after losing a lot of games from a winning position,” admitted Allen.
“Terry has been helping tighten up my game and it seems to be working. It certainly can’t do any harm working with a guy of his calibre.”
http://www.110sport.tv/news/840
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Roland
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by SnookerFan » 07 Jan 2011 Read
You interested in the Hendry vs Robertson game, Sonny?
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by Bourne » 07 Jan 2011 Read
I am relieved to have qualified a tournament I consider to be the second biggest in the gameNice bit of promo there Stephen, but we don't believe you
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by Wildey » 07 Jan 2011 Read
LeBourne wrote:I am relieved to have qualified a tournament I consider to be the second biggest in the gameNice bit of promo there Stephen, but we don't believe you
he has always said that he considered the Masters ahead of the UK in prestige that's nothing new.
Hendry played in 4 UK Championship Winning 2 Ranking Titles and a UK Final Before he played in the Masters Getting in to it was always a Major Goal in the 80s when to be Honest the term "Ranking" Title meant very little.
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by Sickpotter » 07 Jan 2011 Read
LeBourne wrote:I am relieved to have qualified a tournament I consider to be the second biggest in the gameNice bit of promo there Stephen, but we don't believe you
There might be a bit of exaggeration for promotional purposes but the basic statement is true. You won't find a tougher field in any other event, no round is going to afford any player an easy match.
The only reason it's not classed as a ranking major is because it's invitational and thus prevents everyone from having an equal shot at ranking points.
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by Casey » 07 Jan 2011 Read
Hendry and Allen
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by Witz78 » 07 Jan 2011 Read
wildJONESEYE wrote:LeBourne wrote:I am relieved to have qualified a tournament I consider to be the second biggest in the gameNice bit of promo there Stephen, but we don't believe you
he has always said that he considered the Masters ahead of the UK in prestige that's nothing new.
Hendry played in 4 UK Championship Winning 2 Ranking Titles and a UK Final Before he played in the Masters Getting in to it was always
a Major Goal in the 80s when to be Honest the term "Ranking" Title meant very little.
Finally some acceptance that all them titles Davis won in the 80s that didnt count as rankers were as good as rankers therefore Davis's tally of 73 title wins to Hendrys 60 ish is concrete evidence Davis was the greatest winner in snookers history
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by Wildey » 07 Jan 2011 Read
no you Muppet hendrys achievement pisses on Steve Davis's however you can only win whats infront of you and back in the 80s the mentality was better than it is now regarding tournaments. Now they are put in to categories back then You saw a Tournament how many Ranking Points was irrelevance But the 3 Tournament that was the cream then and still is now The World,Masters and UK were the ones to win others have come and gone those has tradition and history going back to a time most today's players wasn't even born.
Ive seen on this forum the Masters refereed to as a exhibition event the only basis for that is it carries no Ranking points but i can guarantee you players would prefere to win the Masters than most Ranking tournaments.
Regarding this Thread as a young player in the 80s Stephen Hendry saw the Masters as a Goal to Reach similar to his First Season Having Reaching the Crucible as a Goal those Venues and Tournaments was Something Extra Special that the UK couldn't compete with in Hendry's Opinion.
Ranking Tournament Winners has Never Played at the Masters even.
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by Roland » 07 Jan 2011 Read
Remember back in about 2007/08 when Ronnie was defending Masters and PL champion and there were people saying he was finished because he hadn't won a ranking event for x many months? And then you have people still going on about 3 times Masters finalist and twice winner who also finished 2nd and joint 3rd in the Worlds Mark Selby as if his greatest achievement is winning the Welsh Open just because it had ranking points.
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by Witz78 » 07 Jan 2011 Read
Sonny wrote:Remember back in about 2007/08 when Ronnie was defending Masters and PL champion and there were people saying he was finished because he hadn't won a ranking event for x many months? And then you have people still going on about 3 times Masters finalist and twice winner who also finished 2nd and joint 3rd in the Worlds Mark Selby as if his greatest achievement is winning the Welsh Open just because it had ranking points.
cant say ive ever heard anyone refer to Selby as the Welsh Open winner ahead of Masters specialist
And if they were going on ranking points as their basis then surely the 8,000 and 6,400 from the Worlds would be favoured over the 5,000 the Welsh gave him
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by Wildey » 07 Jan 2011 Read
i liken them to Ranking Tournaments are the Day to Day Grind of Life and the Masters is a Romantic Week away with the Girl of your dream.
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by Tubberlad » 07 Jan 2011 Read
wildJONESEYE wrote:i liken them to Ranking Tournaments are the Day to Day Grind of Life and the Masters is a Romantic Week away with the Girl of your dream.
The World Championship is a two week and a half week shagathon in that case
my favourite tournament
Why are you comparing tournaments to womanly relations Wild
that's going in the pile
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by Wildey » 07 Jan 2011 Read
thetubberlad wrote:wildJONESEYE wrote:i liken them to Ranking Tournaments are the Day to Day Grind of Life and the Masters is a Romantic Week away with the Girl of your dream.
The World Championship is a two week and a half week shagathon in that case
my favourite tournament
Why are you comparing tournaments to womanly relations Wild
that's going in the pile
snooker is my bit on the side
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by Witz78 » 07 Jan 2011 Read
thetubberlad wrote:wildJONESEYE wrote:i liken them to Ranking Tournaments are the Day to Day Grind of Life and the Masters is a Romantic Week away with the Girl of your dream.
The World Championship is a two week and a half week shagathon in that case
my favourite tournament
Why are you comparing tournaments to womanly relations Wild
that's going in the pile
anyone on here a 25 second shot clock man
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by Tubberlad » 07 Jan 2011 Read
Witz78 wrote:thetubberlad wrote:wildJONESEYE wrote:i liken them to Ranking Tournaments are the Day to Day Grind of Life and the Masters is a Romantic Week away with the Girl of your dream.
The World Championship is a two week and a half week shagathon in that case
my favourite tournament
Why are you comparing tournaments to womanly relations Wild
that's going in the pile
anyone on here a 25 second shot clock man
Brilliant... isn't that Seifer's format of choice?
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by Witz78 » 07 Jan 2011 Read
thetubberlad wrote:Witz78 wrote:thetubberlad wrote:wildJONESEYE wrote:i liken them to Ranking Tournaments are the Day to Day Grind of Life and the Masters is a Romantic Week away with the Girl of your dream.
The World Championship is a two week and a half week shagathon in that case
my favourite tournament
Why are you comparing tournaments to womanly relations Wild
that's going in the pile
anyone on here a 25 second shot clock man
Brilliant... isn't that Seifer's format of choice?
youd better ask Wild !!
Him and Seifer have been bucking each other off for years
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by Wildey » 07 Jan 2011 Read
Witz78 wrote:thetubberlad wrote:wildJONESEYE wrote:i liken them to Ranking Tournaments are the Day to Day Grind of Life and the Masters is a Romantic Week away with the Girl of your dream.
The World Championship is a two week and a half week shagathon in that case
my favourite tournament
Why are you comparing tournaments to womanly relations Wild
that's going in the pile
anyone on here a 25 second shot clock man
i can go all night
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by SnookerFan » 07 Jan 2011 Read
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by SnookerFan » 08 Jan 2011 Read
Hey. That's my dad you're laughing at.
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