Ssb - judd trump: World no.1

[Gerry Armstrong]

If Ding played every event like Robertson, Selby, Murphy etc. then he would zoom up to the top of the break building charts.

It seems he doesn't have the best of temperaments but his control of the cue ball is 2nd to none and he is a phenomenal scorer when he gets on a roll.

[cueman]

I think to put this argument to bed once and for all regarding different eras and generations I'll say this. In the game today you can play at the top of your form and still lose because you can run into someone who is just as good as you are but had the slight edge, be it luck or slightly better safety or shot selection, hell even the commentators say that the break off is the most important shot todays game.

Back during Hendry's peak and dominating period this just was not the case.
Lets take the 1993 World Championship as an example shall we. Hendry the same age as Trump is now! First round so that is the last 32, supposedly the best players in the world and here are some of the names that competed. Danny Fowler who Hendry beat 10-1, Les Dodd, Spencer Dunn, Karl Payne, Brian Morgan, David Roe, Tony Jones, John Giles, Shaun Mellish and Steven O'Connor. Now can anyone honestly tell me that the standard of today is no different to back then?

Compare that with this years world championship and all the players are well known with just one or two slightly less so. 70 century breaks in the TV stage with another 61 in the qualifiers alone, 1993 there were 35 centuries in total! The standard today is on another level but some people randomly forget that because it doesn't suit their argument. Yes Hendry was a great player and would still win titles if he started out today, but 7 world titles, get real! For the record Hendry won his 3rd world crown that year, would the standard he produced back then win it in 2012, not a chance.

[Odrl]

Compare that with this years world championship and all the players are well known with just one or two slightly less so. 70 century breaks in the TV stage with another 61 in the qualifiers alone, 1993 there were 35 centuries in total! The standard today is on another level but some people randomly forget that because it doesn't suit their argument. Yes Hendry was a great player and would still win titles if he started out today, but 7 world titles, get real! For the record Hendry won his 3rd world crown that year, would the standard he produced back then win it in 2012, not a chance.

It's interesting, I think I read a while back that Hendry's considers his 1993 performance as his best, or as the one he is most proud of, because he wasn't really challenged at any point. As you said, he beat Fowler 10-1, then Darren Morgan 13-4, Bond 13-7, McManus 16-9, and White 18-5 with a session to spare in the final. Not having seen his matches, of course I don't really know how strongly he played. :smile:

To be fair though, "Hendry wouldn't win 7 World titles today" isn't really the statement that got this whole discussion going. It was the claim the he wouldn't be a World champion at all, and that he wouldn't be able to compete with the likes of Robertson. Would he have won it in 2012? No clue, as that's a specific year rather than a period. But he did win it in 1999 by beating Hunter, Wattana, Stevens, O'Sullivan and Williams, and you can't realistically get a stronger field than that today. :wink:

[nrage]

Lets take the 1993 World Championship as an example shall we. Hendry the same age as Trump is now! First round so that is the last 32, supposedly the best players in the world and here are some of the names that competed. Danny Fowler who Hendry beat 10-1, Les Dodd, Spencer Dunn, Karl Payne, Brian Morgan, David Roe, Tony Jones, John Giles, Shaun Mellish and Steven O'Connor. Now can anyone honestly tell me that the standard of today is no different to back then?

Compare that with this years world championship and all the players are well known with just one or two slightly less so. 70 century breaks in the TV stage with another 61 in the qualifiers alone, 1993 there were 35 centuries in total! The standard today is on another level but some people randomly forget that because it doesn't suit their argument. Yes Hendry was a great player and would still win titles if he started out today, but 7 world titles, get real! For the record Hendry won his 3rd world crown that year, would the standard he produced back then win it in 2012, not a chance.

I agree that we have more players today who play at the very highest standard. That is, the difference in ability between the #1 ranked player and the #32 ranked player are much smaller. But, that doesn't imply that the #1 ranked player today is objectively "better" than the #1 ranked player in 1993.

You can't use centuries for comparison because the style of game and conditions on the table have changed.

I agree with your basic point. There would have been more luck required/involved in Hendry winning 7 world titles today. That's not to say that I think he wouldn't or couldn't have, but that luck would have played a larger part in it simply because all the top players are more evenly matched in terms of skill.

I do think Hendry had something special that even many of todays top players lack and that is his focus, determination and confidence, his strength of mind that allowed him to play well in tough situations. I think Higgins is the best match for him today in that department.

The reason we have a higher number of top players today is in part because we have more players today and also because a player is shaped by his/her environment and opposition, so the better the players get, the better the players get - it's a self-sustaining cycle.

[Gerry Armstrong]

If we are talking about tons, his 1999 WC semi against Ronnie produced 8 tons between them, still a record for a single match. One of those was Ronnie missing the pink in the middle while on 134, narrowly missing out on a maximum.

And he still lost to Stephen...

[GeordieDS]

If we are talking about tons, his 1999 WC semi against Ronnie produced 8 tons between them, still a record for a single match. One of those was Ronnie missing the pink in the middle while on 134, narrowly missing out on a maximum.

And he still lost to Stephen...

This in my opinion was the greatest snooker match ever played......both players at the top of their game and at the business end when it really mattered Hendry was to good for O'Sullivan......anybody who seriously thinks Hendry at his best would not live with Trump or Robertson is just plain stupid.

[P.Smith]

It's the way of the game now and I suspect the number one spot will no longer be a confirmation of being the world champion and best in the world but just who turns up to most events.

The world number 1 should turn up to as many events as they can.

[cazmac1]

This in my opinion was the greatest snooker match ever played......both players at the top of their game and at the business end when it really mattered Hendry was to good for O'Sullivan......anybody who seriously thinks Hendry at his best would not live with Trump or Robertson is just plain stupid.

There have been some great posts on this thread but I take my hat off to you geordie, your post about the trolls had me pissing with laughter . I love this post as well as there is no real comeback unless of course you don't rate ronnie.
Now where's that sand pit????lol

[arbitrage]

This in my opinion was the greatest snooker match ever played......both players at the top of their game and at the business end when it really mattered Hendry was to good for O'Sullivan......anybody who seriously thinks Hendry at his best would not live with Trump or Robertson is just plain stupid.

unfortunately your opinion is not worth very much - in fact, its probably a negative for hendry that you are one of his fans. why don't you refer to the 1993 uk championship, 2004 & 2008 wsc sfs in which hendry was slaughtered and use hendry's own comments about ronnie's play e.g. he is the best player in the world by a country mile, there was nothing i could do etc. not to mention that ronnie leads hendry in their head to heads by a wide margin and one which will essentially never be reversed since one of them is officially retired and one of them may be soon.

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=18&ID2=10

[GeordieDS]

unfortunately your opinion is not worth very much - in fact, its probably a negative for hendry that you are one of his fans. why don't you refer to the 1993 uk championship, 2004 & 2008 wsc sfs in which hendry was slaughtered and use hendry's own comments about ronnie's play e.g. he is the best player in the world by a country mile, there was nothing i could do etc. not to mention that ronnie leads hendry in their head to heads by a wide margin and one which will essentially never be reversed since one of them is officially retired and one of them may be soon.

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=18&ID2=10

You see the main problem with you is your an imbecile who is incapable of reading a post and working out the true meaning..........i never said i was a Hendry fan but i think he is the greatest player to have picked up a cue.

I also appreciate Ronnie is an absolute machine when in full flow and if he did not have bipolar disorder he probably would have been the greatest player ever but unfortunately his fragile mental state has robbed us of ever knowing.

Please don't put me in a box of being a hendry fan or Ronnie fan as i am neither i am a snooker fan and love to watch all great players.

Oh and one more thing.....you sir are a numpty...

[arbitrage]

You see the main problem with you is your an imbecile who is incapable of reading a post and working out the true meaning..........i never said i was a Hendry fan but i think he is the greatest player to have picked up a cue.

I also appreciate Ronnie is an absolute machine when in full flow and if he did not have bipolar disorder he probably would have been the greatest player ever but unfortunately his fragile mental state has robbed us of ever knowing.

Please don't put me in a box of being a hendry fan or Ronnie fan as i am neither i am a snooker fan and love to watch all great players.

Oh and one more thing.....you sir are a numpty...

firstly, "you're" an imbecile. learn how to spell before you dish out insults re. intelligence please.

secondly, what "true meaning" are you talking about? you made some inane comments and i refuted you. period.

[eaoin11]

firstly, "you're" an imbecile. learn how to spell before you dish out insults re. intelligence please.

secondly, what "true meaning" are you talking about? you made some inane comments and i refuted you. period.

One of the smartest people I know is a dentist who can't spell to save her life.

The debate is over, you stopped addressing other people's points a long time ago. Let's all just agree to regard each other as complete and utter twats and move on...

[GeordieDS]

firstly, "you're" an imbecile. learn how to spell before you dish out insults re. intelligence please.

secondly, what "true meaning" are you talking about? you made some inane comments and i refuted you. period.

I forgot to say you are a moron as well but that's just stating the obvious.

[robertmac]

Perhaps people could simply state their opinions and keep the name calling
and insults out of it.

Is it really necessary to 'win' ?????????????

[billabong]

Perhaps people could simply state their opinions and keep the name calling
and insults out of it.

Is it really necessary to 'win' ?????????????

+1

( I see what you mean Mike , about the minimum 10 characters thing ).