Stephen Hendry ‘threw microphone’ in ITV commentary box after getting frustrated with snooker star
STEPHEN HENDRY admitted to throwing his microphone down in frustration while commentating at the Tour Championship.
Hendry, 56, was left irked by Si Jiahui’s performance in his 10-6 defeat to Mark Selby on Tuesday.
Selby advanced to play Neil Robertson in the quarter-finals on Wednesday at Manchester Central.
Si – who has never beaten the four-time world champion before – appeared to be limiting himself with negative shot choices.
Hendry was shocked by how many shots the Chinese star was refusing, opting to play safe rather than take on difficult pots.
The seven-time world champion told ITV 4: “Si Jiahui will be disappointed.
“At times he didn’t look like he belonged in that company, such was his shot choice.
“He didn’t look on it, focused, look like he belonged at that table with Mark Selby.
‘Some of the shots he refused, there were some strange shot choices, for me. He had enough chances.
“I don’t know if he’s thinking about the shots that everyone thinks he should play, rather than just committing to the shot that he wants.
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At one point Si refused a surprising red and played poor safety shot which allowed Selby back in.
In response, Hendry fumed: “How can you not go for the pot there? I know it’s not easy, but you have to play the pot surely.
“This one, I was in the commentary box, I threw the mic down, how can you not play that red to the right corner?
“It’s not a gimme, I’m not saying it’s an easy, easy shot, but in the end he doesn’t even play a good safety! Mark Selby pots the red off it.
“You’ve got to attack!”
Si, 22, is one of the brightest prospects in snooker, despite still having a lot to learn.
He has shown that by qualifying for the Tour Championship, which only features the top 12 on the one-year ranking list.
Elsewhere, Barry Hawkins thrashed Shaun Murphy 11-1 on Monday to set up a quarter-final clash with world No.1 Judd Trump on Wednesday.
The Tour is the final ranking tournament before the World Championships kick off on April 19.
List of all-time Snooker World Champions
BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.
The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.
The first World Championships ran from 1927 – with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.
Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.
Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.
- 1969 – John Spencer
- 1970 – Ray Reardon
- 1971 – John Spencer
- 1972 – Alex Higgins
- 1973 – Ray Reardon (2)
- 1974 – Ray Reardon (3)
- 1975 – Ray Reardon (4)
- 1976 – Ray Reardon (5)
- 1977 – John Spencer (2)
- 1978 – Ray Reardon (6)
- 1979 – Terry Griffiths
- 1980 – Cliff Thorburn
- 1981 – Steve Davis
- 1982 – Alex Higgins (2)
- 1983 – Steve Davis (2)
- 1984 – Steve Davis (3)
- 1985 – Dennis Taylor
- 1986 – Joe Johnson
- 1987 – Steve Davis (4)
- 1988 – Steve Davis (5)
- 1989 – Steve Davis (6)
- 1990 – Stephen Hendry
- 1991 – John Parrott
- 1992 – Stephen Hendry (2)
- 1993 – Stephen Hendry (3)
- 1994 – Stephen Hendry (4)
- 1995 – Stephen Hendry (5)
- 1996 – Stephen Hendry (6)
- 1997 – Ken Doherty
- 1998 – John Higgins
- 1999 – Stephen Hendry (7)
- 2000 – Mark Williams
- 2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
- 2002 – Peter Ebdon
- 2003 – Mark Williams (2)
- 2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
- 2005 – Shaun Murphy
- 2006 – Graeme Dott
- 2007 – John Higgins (2)
- 2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)
- 2009 – John Higgins (3)
- 2010 – Neil Robertson
- 2011 – John Higgins (4)
- 2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (4)
- 2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (5)
- 2014 – Mark Selby
- 2015 – Stuart Bingham
- 2016 – Mark Selby (2)
- 2017 – Mark Selby (3)
- 2018 – Mark Williams (3)
- 2019 – Judd Trump
- 2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (6)
- 2021 – Mark Selby (4)
- 2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (7)
- 2023 – Luca Brecel
- 2024 – Kyren Wilson
Most World Titles (modern era)
- 7 – Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan
- 6 – Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
- 4 – John Higgins, Mark Selby
- 3 – John Spencer, Mark Williams
- 2 – Alex Higgins