Announced his retirement from competitive snooker tonight after losing 13-2 to Maguire in the world championship quarter final.Great player,arguably the best ever,wouldn't like to choose between him and Steve Davis at his very top.Strange thing about older snooker players is that they lose consistency and when they do produce a performance to match their pomp,the next one seems to be a match too far.Still,nice way to go out i suppose,having made a maximum and beaten the defending champion in this tournament.Good luck to him,a stellar career indeed.

He's fallen out of the top 16, and I don't think he could be bothered with qualifying for all the events next season. I think he was going to retire last season but just managed to stay in the top 16. Players like Steve Davis and Jimmy White are actually still playing, but rarely qualify for the main events, just don't think Hendry fancys fading out like that.

Personally I think Hendry was the best there has ever been. At his peak he used to win every frame he got a chance in at one visit, and he kept that level of performance up for nearly a decade. Much more consistent than O'Sullivan and a better player than Davis was at his peak.

my trick was to always remain at the 2nd pint point. my playing vastly improved after 2 pints, any less and i was average, any more and i was atrocious.

not saying i was world class though! things just seem to go down better after 2 pints! take that as you will

I was always torn between watching the excitement of players like Jimmy White and Alex Higgins or watching the precision and break-building tension of people like Hendry. When I first started watching (in black and white when I was a student ) I was always drawn to Ray Reardon. But Hendry took that style of play to the pinnacle.

Shouldn't this be in the mundane thread???

I wouldn't dare!

I understand snooker is the retirement home version of cricket.

Is he still alive, was he ever alive?

Hendry is almost certainly the best snooker player ever. He didn't have the outright talent of Alex Higgins or Ronnie O'Sullivan, but his records won't be beaten for many a year if ever.

He is also a more than handy golf player who by all accounts could have turned pro if he hadn't stuck with snooker.

On the other hand he is the most miserable, poor loser I have ever seen in sport. He was also the only person who refused to sign a programme for a mate of mine in Plymouth, because he had just lost a match. My mate wrote to his manager, Ian Doyle, and Hendry still refused to sign the programme for him and sent it back!

He is a miserable Scottish Git, Im pleased we dont have to see his mug on TV anymore!!!!