Stephen Hendry has urged some snooker stars to “step up” after the World Snooker Championship.
Stephen Hendry has made his emotions clear following the World Snooker Championship (Picture: YouTube/Stephen Hendry’s Cue Suggestions)
Snooker legend Stephen Hendry has referred to as on European gamers to step up and problem Chinese language dominance of the game. The final two winners on the Crucible have hailed from China, with Zhao Xintong successful in 2025 and Wu Yize popping out on prime in 2026. Seven-time winner Hendry nonetheless holds the report of youngest champion, although Wu is now second on the checklist after his victory over Shaun Murphy on Monday.
There have been 11 Chinese language gamers in the primary attract Sheffield out of a area of 32, with solely England (13) contributing extra. “It’s unimaginable, the expertise coming from China now. The younger expertise is unimaginable,” BBC pundit Hendry mentioned on Stephen Hendry’s Cue Suggestions. “They’re taking the sport to new ranges. We want some younger blood from these shores – clearly with Stan Moody, Liam Pullen did very well, Antoni Kowalski did very well on the World Championship. These three are going to should step up in the event that they’re going to maintain up with the likes of Xintong and Wu Yize.”
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English prospect Moody, 19, reached the primary spherical of the World Championship for the primary time and took an early lead towards former champion Kyren Wilson earlier than dropping 10-7. Pullen was additionally making his fundamental draw debut at 20 and took six frames off Chris Wakelin.
Kowalski grew to become Poland’s first consultant within the competitors on the age of twenty-two after coming by way of three rounds of qualifying. His marketing campaign additionally resulted in spherical one, with Mark Williams handing him a 10-4 defeat.
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New world champion Wu, additionally 22, had by no means acquired past the primary spherical in Sheffield earlier than this yr. Nevertheless, after beating former world champions Murphy and Mark Selby on this yr’s version of the event, he has no plans to maneuver away from the town he has referred to as his dwelling because the age of 16.
Stan Moody is one in all English snooker’s rising stars (Picture: Getty)
“I don’t have any plans,” Wu informed BBC Sport after clinching a dramatic 18-17 win within the last. “I believe I’ll purchase a home or an condominium in Sheffield for follow and the World Championship.”
Yet another skilled European participant who did are available in for reward from Hendry was dropping finalist Murphy. The 43-year-old was hailed throughout his semi-final win over reigning champion Zhao and it prompted him to joke in regards to the pundit needing an intervention.
“It was nigh on the right session,” Hendry mentioned. “I do not assume Shaun could have ever performed pretty much as good a session, it was a super-human efficiency and it wanted that to take out Zhao Xintong, as a result of he wasn’t taking part in badly.”
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