Stephen Hendry opens up on emotions playing in major snooker finals – 'I wouldn't call it excited'
Scots snooker hero Stephen Hendry has revealed that he didn't get excited before big finals.
The seven time world champion, who also lifted six Masters titles, was speaking ahead of the Alexandra Palace showcase between current world champ Kyren Wilson and a resurgent Shaun Murphy. Asked by Steve Davis on the BBC for his memories from playing in big finals, The King of the Crucible said he left it to those around him to feel emotional ahead of major matches.
Hendry said: "All the excitement tends to come from the people who surround you; family, friends, managers and whoever. For me I was always pretty cold about it. This was the culmination of the tournament, this was the day where I pick up the trophy. I was pretty focused on just winning. I wouldn't call it excited."
Ex world champion Davis continued: "The fact that you've played pretty well to get to the final means it's just another day at the office." And Hendry replied: "Of course, David Vine used to always call it wages day. You've got to treat it as just another day. When you walk into that arena, down those stairs and into the Alexandra Palace reception, you have to try to contain the excitement."
Prior to the Masters getting underway, Hendry had hit out at some of snooker's top stars for making the sport "boring", saying: "The game’s changed. I can’t believe how negative some of the top players are. There were times in the UK Championship where snooker wasn’t fun to watch for me. Maybe I’m a dinosaur, but I thought snooker was about potting balls. No-one wants to play safeties to open the reds up any more.
"I don’t like watching snooker where people know the shot and walk around the table. In the UK Championship, even Judd Trump was playing no-risk snooker. Even if I didn’t fancy a pot I would still go for it. So much gets refused now.”
