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The greatest Snooker rivalry ever?

Steve Davis-Alex Higgins
11
27%
Steve Davis-Stephen Hendry
3
7%
Stephen Hendry-Jimmy White
6
15%
Stephen Hendry-Ronnie O'Sullivan
5
12%
Ronnie O'Sullivan-John Higgins
12
29%
Ronnie O'Sullivan-Mark Selby
3
7%
other
1
2%
 
Total votes : 41

Best rivalry in Snooker history

Postby TheRocket

I haven't seen a poll like this so far so it's time to make one. Which one is the best snooker rivalry ever? I think, those six are the main contenders but I also put the "other" option into it as well if you truly believe, there's really another rivalry which tops one of them.

Discuss and vote. You can choose 2 from the list.

For me it's Hendry-ROS.
Last edited by TheRocket on 15 Jan 2016, edited 3 times in total.

Re: Best rivalry in Snooker history

Postby TheRocket

Snooker Overdrive wrote:I think one option isn't enough here


Yeah, you might be right. Was also a tough one for me to choose between Hendry-ROS and Higgins-ROS. Changed it to two.

Re: Best rivalry in Snooker history

Postby Holden Chinaski

I've made up my mind. I picked John Higgins v Ronnie O'Sullivan. So many great matches. Such a high standard.
Two of the absolute best players ever, who turned pro in the same year.... And in the end, a whole lot of respect between the two!

Re: Best rivalry in Snooker history

Postby TheRocket

Ronnie79 wrote:Why isnt Ronnie and Trump on the list ?


There is the other option on the list which you can vote for in that case. I've just chosen to put the obvious rivalries directly onto the list which are really accepted by everyone as the greatest rivalries. Otherwise the list would be endless.

It'd be like asking for the greatest of all time and then putting like 20 names onto the list which makes no sense. You obviously put the obvious ones directly onto the list (like Hendry,ROS,Higgins,Davis) and then the other option in addition if someones really believes, it's not one of these players.

Re: Best rivalry in Snooker history

Postby Cue Guru

Davis-Higgins because it was so chalk and cheese on the personality front and especially because Higgins really did want to kill Davis. Lol. Though he saved the death threat for Taylor. Jimmy v. Davis was also keen, as Jimmy has always referred to him as that boring c***. Joe v. Fred was a pretty good rivalry as well.

Re: Best rivalry in Snooker history

Postby SnookerAnt

I am not sure most of those actually were rivalries since there was usually a dominant player. For example I doubt that Hendry considered Davis a rival in the 90s.

Maybe O'Sullivan Higgins would be an exception

Re: Best rivalry in Snooker history

Postby TheSaviour

How about the seemingly brilliant Ulsterman Mark Allen against some other top player? For Example against Ronnie, or the Wisbech-based cueman, Joe Perry? "The Fen Potter", or "the gentleman Joe". How they call him.

Mark got that something which could make him a great rivalry-making player. He is certainly not lacking the resilience or the creativity which can´t be said about many other top players. They can make it up via other better qualities than Mark perhaps posses, but just solely rivalry-thinking I can´t think much beyond Mark Allen. Obviously he should himself scrape there to have a chance to create those rivalries but that´s the beauty of the sport! The best (or perhaps the luckiest then) are those who wins and steals the spotlights. Whether that´s good or bad then. That´s the beauty of to be an ordinary to judge that..

We are all so proud having these players like Mark Allen just exactly they are. How Mark for example speaks, how he behaves, how he thinks large and solidly. People shouldn´t be afraid of just being a humans. If cannot find a flaw then just cannot find a flaw. That´s the nature of the beast. But it has absolutely nothing to do with any physiologies. It is just how things have been learned and then trying to build something. That´s not anything away with other things. People can think how they like to think it, how they feel most laid-back. But certainly shouldn´t be afraid of being a human.

Re: Best rivalry in Snooker history

Postby PLtheRef

Interesting question. All of them are definitely keenly contested rivalries with match-ups between both players most certainly being well anticipated.

Davis v Higgins and Hendry v White are very similar rivalries, even if one was clearly played out on a bigger stage than the other. Both feature the dominant force at the time. A player who (rather unfairly) had the tag of making the sport boring in the sense of how successful they had or were becoming. The opponent, a player which despite not having the same amount of success had produced a style of snooker which had made them popular and well supported by the fans. Both rivalries were fixtures which were guaranteed to produce a vocal support - with a huge majority cheering on the underdog.

Davis v Hendry and Hendry v O'Sullivan although considerable rivalries might not be considered to have been as fiercely contested as the previous two because although they created great interest - they are between three players who's peak periods in the sport bookend each other. - For the matches they have had, none really took place between a Davis and Hendry at both their peaks. Similarly for Hendry and O'Sullivan.

O'Sullivan v Higgins has remained a big rivalry because of the player's backgrounds. By far, they are the two most successful members of the Class of 1992. Throughout the meetings there has been to an extent swings where people have thought either had the upperhand. E.g. O'Sullivan from 2001-2005, and then Higgins from 2005-2011 but the other has recovered, and retaken the upper hand.

O'Sullivan v Selby though a still developing rivalry is well on the way to becoming to one of snooker's all time great rivalries. The match-ups are between two are keenly contested between two players though with a great deal of mutual respect for each other and their achievements - are desperate to beat each other. It's the closest rivalry to come to having two sets of fans wanting the other to lose. - It's also a rivalry which can be argued has seen the revival of one or both players. Is Selby the first players where O'Sullivan fans had a genuine fear of having the measure of him?


To pick one from the list of six. I think it has to be Stephen Hendry v Jimmy White

Re: Best rivalry in Snooker history

Postby Andre147

O'Sullivan v Higgins for me. O'Sullivan v Selby is a similar one, although with Selby being younger, both naturaly haven't had so many matches as the first one.

And although not in my time, Steve Davis v Alex Higgins was a great rivarly, complete contrast of styles. But the head to head is just HUGE is Davis favour.


I guess it comes down to what people consider a great rivarly. Contrast in styles and lot's of matches, or lot's of matches and the head to head being close? O'Sullivan v Higgins wins it on both camps for me.

Re: Best rivalry in Snooker history

Postby sas6789

I wouldn't really call Steve Davis vs Alex Higgins a rivalry in the true sense of the word because 9 times out of 10 Steve wiped the floor with Alex. Steve Davis vs Jimmy White I'd say was more like a rivalry.

Re: Best rivalry in Snooker history

Postby SnookerFan

sas6789 wrote:I wouldn't really call Steve Davis vs Alex Higgins a rivalry in the true sense of the word because 9 times out of 10 Steve wiped the floor with Alex. Steve Davis vs Jimmy White I'd say was more like a rivalry.


And yet, they didn't make a made-for-TV movie about Steve Davis vs Jimmy White... :chin: