Stephen Hendry believes snooker might by no means once more witness a trio fairly like Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins, and Mark Williams.
The legendary Class of ’92 trio have formed the fashionable period of the game for greater than three many years, combining for 14 world snooker titles, 39 Triple Crown titles, and 101 rating crowns.
All three gamers have additionally reached the summit of the game as world primary, whereas their longevity into their fifties continues to astonish followers and fellow professionals alike.
Even final season, every member produced moments that underlined why they continue to be amongst snooker’s elite opponents regardless of all being quinquagenarians.
O’Sullivan grabbed headlines by compiling a record-breaking 153 break on the World Open, whereas he additionally made a brace of 147s in the identical match on the Saudi Arabia Masters.
Williams grew to become the oldest rating occasion winner in snooker historical past after capturing the Xi’an Grand Prix title on the age of fifty, whereas Higgins reached three finals in the course of the marketing campaign, together with an look within the Masters showpiece at Alexandra Palace.
Their achievements have prompted common debate about whether or not snooker will ever once more produce a era able to matching the sustained brilliance of the Class of ’92.
Few figures are higher certified to evaluate that query than Hendry himself.
The Scot dominated the game all through the Nineties, successful seven world titles and accumulating 36 rating crowns throughout one of the crucial profitable careers the sport has ever seen.
Hendry additionally spent years battling O’Sullivan, Higgins, and Williams throughout one among snooker’s strongest eras, going through all three in numerous main matches on the Crucible and different prestigious venues world wide.
Talking on his Cue Ideas YouTube channel, the 57 year-old defined what he believes are the defining attributes of every participant.
“In the event you consider them as superpowers, it is vitally troublesome to do that,” Hendry mentioned. “Ronnie has cue-ball management. He’s one of the best break-builder of all time.”
O’Sullivan’s pure expertise and attacking fashion remodeled the game after his emergence as a teen within the Nineties.
Extensively considered essentially the most gifted participant snooker has ever seen, the Englishman holds quite a few information, together with essentially the most rating titles, Triple Crown titles, and century breaks in skilled historical past.
Hendry then turned his consideration to fellow Scot Higgins, who he believes possesses unmatched nerve beneath strain.
“They’ve all acquired great bottle, as a result of they wouldn’t have been in a position to do what they’ve performed of their careers with out having the ability to play beneath strain,” Hendry mentioned.
“However I feel with John, the quantity of clearances I’ve seen John make from 50 or 60 behind is simply phenomenal.”
“John’s superpower is his bottle. He’s nonetheless producing it now. Among the breaks he produces now could be simply unimaginable.”
Hendry reserved equally glowing reward for Williams, whose relaxed character and calm strategy have made him one of the crucial fashionable figures within the sport.
“For Williams, it’s temperament,” Hendry added. “He has the best temperament of any sportsman I’ve ever seen.”
“He can simply brush off dangerous pictures. You continue to need to scrape him off the desk, but when he loses, he has forgotten about it two seconds after leaving the desk.”
The continued success of the Class of ’92 in latest seasons has coincided with the rise of a strong new Chinese language contingent in snooker, with latest world champions Zhao Xintong and Wu Yize serving to to increase the game’s reputation in Asia.
Nevertheless, Hendry was not sure whether or not one other era would be capable of replicate the outstanding requirements set by O’Sullivan, Higgins, and Williams – particularly within the UK.
“I don’t know if we’ll ever once more see the likes of Ronnie, John, and Mark within the sport,” he mentioned.
“When it comes to home-grown expertise, whether or not we’ll see a John, Ronnie, or Mark once more, I don’t know.”
“They’re simply unbelievable opponents, and we simply need to take pleasure in them whereas they’re nonetheless enjoying. They’re simply absolute legends.”
Hendry, O’Sullivan, Higgins, and Williams not too long ago performed collectively on the inaugural John Virgo Trophy with O’Sullivan lifting the invitational title at Goffs in Eire.
Featured picture credit score: Snooker Legends
