UK viewers today will have seen Stephen Hendry’s post-match interview in the BBC studio with Hazel Irvine, Ken Doherty and Steve Davis in which it was notable that the seven-times world champion has little time for the PTC events, but could this attitude cost him this season?
Having seen off the challenge of Bjorn Haneveer, Stephen Hendry was today interviewed by Hazel Irvine in the BBC studio and it was interesting, if unsurprising to note when asked about the PTC new events that the Scot was fairly nonplussed by the series. His exact reply was:
“There are new tournaments but they are not the sort of tournaments I want to play in but let’s not get into that”
In fairness to Hendry, for a player who has won more ranking event titles than any other, won seven world titles and competed on the biggest stage right from the start of his professional career back in 1986, I can quite understand why the prospect of playing in front of four people in a booth in Sheffield does not quite set his pulse racing. It is only natural that the older players who have enjoyed sustained success in the past do not quite love the game with the same verve as back when they were starting out as teenagers and as a result do not find themselves as fired up each and every event.
In an ideal world players would not have to play in cubicles and we would have 12 major televised events all complete with sponsorship.
However, this is not an ideal world, times are hard and although the amount of ranking event points on offer are not as high as for the bigger television events, such events are surely better than nothing for the majority of players on the tour. Furthermore I think that it is fair to say that if Hendry remains uninspired by the PTC and either does not play in the series or crashes out of events early, I believe this will cost him his top 16 place as he is not playing well enough on TV to be able to remain there ahead of those gaining points on the PTC.
To illustrate the point, just look at the amount of points gained so far this season from the PTC by those players in and around the top 16 who are seeking to displace Hendry:
Jamie Cope – 2920
Matthew Stevens – 3040
Mark Davis – 4120
While in isolation therefore the points gained may not appear to be that much, Mark Davis has already in just five of the 12 events gained almost as many points as would be available from winning the Welsh Open title. If he or indeed Jamie Cope or Matthew Stevens were to carry on in this vein during the remainder of the PTC events then by the time the seedings are revised ahead of the Crucible, Hendry could find himself leapfrogged by these players and missing out on the World Championship for the first time in many years…
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6 comments
Claus Christensen
September 19, 2010 at 6:06 pm (UTC 0)
I sincerely hope his reluctance to take part in the smaller events won’t spell the end of his career. I don’t know if Stephen Hendry is stubborn but I dream about him winning this tournament, getting all fired up about playing and making the best of snooker’s situation. Seeing him exit the sport on a sour note would be terrible.
porridge
September 19, 2010 at 7:18 pm (UTC 0)
While in my mind I labelled his statements about the ranking system as pathetic and laughable, I can certainly understand this one. Although the motives don’t really come across with that sentence, I would say Matt’s theory must be correct.
Actually I’ve often been thinking about from time to time when O’Sullivan has pulled out of tournaments that snooker careers are just so bloody long. So in the end, is it really a miracle that the motivation isn’t quite up there once they’re over 33 or whatever, nearing almost two decades as a sportsman? And snooker being what it is, with sitting in a chair watching others play in the worst case scenario, unlike almost all the other sports. Not everyone can be passionate about this kind of game year after year like Davis or White (who happens to be on the telly right now).
You might love the game as such, but professional snooker must be gruelling when you’re older and especially when you’ve achieved everything that the game can offer. I think everyone should remind themselves of these things, before they start criticizing someone in particular for moaning about how everything’s really boring. I’m not calling for protection for anyone, but try thinking about it…
edd
Twitter: wildey_1
September 20, 2010 at 10:42 am (UTC 0)
to be honest he was not dismissive of them just they did not do nothing for him.
he has lived the life he has walked the walk for so long where cash and earning opportunity means nothing to him.. the PTC is great i love them but they are more for the youngsters coming through so that they can feel like a professional.
Stephen wont scratch around as a qualifier i think his words yesterday confirmed that.
he would rather do a Terry Griffiths and walk away.
Ian Doyle
September 21, 2010 at 9:24 am (UTC 0)
Re Stephen’s comments with regard to the PTC events, to play in a confined space with no audience frankly does nothing for him also as has been seen certain players have won a couple of events notwithstanding neither have come close in major tournaments despite having been around for many years.I believe that Hearn has made a major mistake by not taking a leaf out of the PGA’s system and following that principle 1. Main Tour 2.Challenge Tour 3.Qualifying School. I believe top quality players would emerge from that system ,you only have to look at the World Open it is clear that a number of competitors are way out their depth.Golf ensures that the top players are to the forefront and whilst some fall by the wayside others appear to replace them and go on to reach the dizzy heights.Snooker has spent too much time pandering to the lower ranks that has to change, proof of the pudding is there to be seen some players indeed a fair number have been around for 20 years and done nothing. I agree with Ronnie a 147 break should be rewarded so I may add does Stephen Hendry the problem is there are few players out there capable of making one in tournament conditions so as Davis said on television why reward achievment that punters love when we can spread it as prize money come on Steve get real.I heard Willie Thorne mention yesterday that his broyher Malcolm is currently fighting cancer may I send my best wishes to him for a full and speedy recovery
matt2745
September 21, 2010 at 5:58 pm (UTC 0)
Like I say, I can definitely appreciate that the PTC events do nothing for Stephen, indeed I admire his honesty to say it really, that’s one thing about him that I’ve always liked.
I just worries me (as a fan as much as anything, Hendry has always been my favourite), that over the course of a season it will come back to bite him.
Interesting on the golf system, I have a passing interest but it’s not a sport that I am as familiar with as say snooker or tennis.
Anthony Hull
September 22, 2010 at 12:24 pm (UTC 0)
Having read all the different comments on this, I am bound to say that the tour events are fine (as I remember we had some very good tour events held a number of years ago)but having a system of ranking points from them is really moon talk.If top players wish to enter them fine but not under the threat of losing points if they don’t.
If some simple common sense was used,at the end of this season points earned on the Ranking Events would be used to decide the 2011-12 rankings and players would be positioned as such. They would however start with NO ranking points but their reward is that they are guaranteed more points and money the higher up they are on the list.This is certainly enough and allows much more movement which is healthy for the game.
Regarding the 6 European events, I do not call having four of them in Germany a way of promoting Europe and having looked into this area very closely, my only comment is that we are doing our own promoting in Finland.
One last thing and that is the Q School to be held in May. Excellent but if this is following the principles of sports like golf, how can it possibly be that there will be NO prize money? Taking 128 players makes a nice sum of £128.000 which be used against expenses and put against such things as prize money on the main tour.The Q School in golf pays out prize money to I think around 50 players so…??? This really cannot be correct.