"Emperor of Billiards" Stephen Hendry says his snooker comeback could be the Welsh Open on Feb. 15. On Wednesday, the Scotsman refused to take part in the first stage of the WST Pro series because he felt he wasn't ready and he would be "embarrassed" if he played against the top pros.
The seven-time snooker winner retired in 2012. In September, IAW president Barry Hearn gave him a two-year tour card, but he hadn't played on the tour yet. The ultimate goal for the 52-year-old is to race in Crucible in April, although he will have to pass pre-qualifying.
Hendry said: "My goal is to play at Sheffield. That's my goal. Fighting in Crucible again is sure to be incredible. Until then, I'll have to compete in other races. I can't go to the World Championships hopelessly. Probably the Welsh Open in February is looking for an option. I want to give myself a chance to play well. ”
Hendry explained his reasons for this week's withdrawal: "The WST Pro Series is divided into two phases, January and March. I talked to people from world snooker a few weeks ago. I asked to play in March. I said that if I wanted to race in January, I would quit because I wasn't racing yet and I wasn't ready. I just embarrassed myself. Without training, I can't play this week. I have informed them that I will be withdrawing from this week's event. ”
Hendry is not blindly confident about his comeback results, he knows he can't play against the top stars like O'Sullivan, but he wants to be decent, even if he's not a champion, he wants to be a first-class player: "I've got a lot of support and blessings. I must emphasize that this is not a complete comeback, it's just a strange thing. ”
It is worth mentioning that Hendry has just passed his 52nd birthday, but there are signs of premature aging, most of his hair and beard are white, there are many wrinkles on his face, and the whole person looks haggard, which has been questioned by some netizens. This comeback Hendry is also secretly competing, hoping to prove that he is not old.