Seven-time world champion Steven Hendry is looking forward to a comeback and a wild card to stay on the World Snooker Tour.
Stephen Hendry hopes that another wild card will be extended back to the snooker sport if he does not stay on tour through the rankings. Seven-time world champion Britain defeated Chris Vacalin 3-2 in the last round of the Open. This was Hendry’s second win since returning from a significant tour earlier this year. Even in his next-round defeat to Gary Wilson of Leicester, his game showed some encouraging signs. At the beginning of last season, Barry Hearn Hendry, former chairman of the World Snooker Tour, presented a two-year travel card that will end the current business.
The 52-year-old appeared to be playing those two years, but his progress raised questions about staying after returning to regular sports. Hendry now intends to continue competitive snooker at the end of this season and to play Crucible at the World Cup again.
“That is the goal of this year [next year or next year [playing in the Crucible]. End it all, but that is the ultimate goal. “I always said [in 2012] that defeat to Struffen Maguire did not want to be my last match at Crucible, but it would have to go a long way to get there.
“If my game is improving, I should not suddenly stop playing again. I didn’t say I was coming back, starting to win tournaments, and being a top player again; all I wanted was to get back into snooker, play well and see what happens. To stay on tour beyond this season, Hendry must be ranked 64th in the rankings or remain on the cash register for the year.
Other options include going to Q school or earning another wild card. And Hendry hopes the latter will happen as Jimmy White continues to be given such an opportunity.
“I hope to give you another wild card,” Henry added. Jimmy is getting them, he’s not my best ally against Jimmy. But the point I’m competing with is that I hope I can get someone else. Barry told me that I would get one as long as I played and that the only reason he would remove it was if I had never played. So I play, so I like to think about getting one.” Hendry also confirmed that he has not been included in the Northern Ireland Open but has announced that he will be taking part in the Scottish Open, which starts next month.
He admitted that he was more disappointed with the venue in Wales than in Scotland due to unforeseen problems at the Glasgow Stadium. “I’m not going to enter Northern Ireland, but I’m going to enter Scotland, but playing the Scottish Open in Llandudno would be weird,” he said. “Of course, I do not even know why I did not play for Northern Ireland; to be fair, I did not like it. No special reason, I did not enter it. “My return will never be full-time; it’s more about picking and choosing the events I want to play with than always being full-time.”
Please let us know your opinions in the comments section below.