Despite acknowledging that he has had some confusion when playing professional snooker again, Stephen Hendry maintains that this is not a comeback and finds it extremely irritating when others claim differently.
After retiring in, the seven-time world champion accepted an invitation to join an invitational circuit and came back to the professional ranks in 2020. In 2021, he made his competitive comeback at the Gibraltar Open.
Hendry has only played three games this season and has lost all of them, so his comeback to competition has been mostly stop-start since that time.
The 54-year-old is putting his commentary and punditry career first, skipping some events to concentrate on those obligations. Regarding his return to professional tournaments, he reiterates his usual statement that it is not a “comeback,” but rather an opportunity to play if he so chooses.
It never was a comeback; it’s not one now. On the World Snooker Tour podcast, Hendry said. “Some people are adamant about it, and the folks who detest me on Twitter—they know who they are—keep saying that when I pull out…”These days, watching TV takes precedence than playing pool.
All I’m doing is using my wildcard to play in the events I want to participate in.
Hendry was eager to make it to the World Championships and win the Crucible again, but he acknowledges that it is currently improbable due to changes in standards, circumstances, and his lack of consistent preparation.
My goal was to possibly return and play a match at the Crucible one more. That’s the main point, but even with that, after practicing for so long, it’s really difficult for me to concentrate myself to it today, he remarked.
“You’re just not in that mindset, so even two hours a day, five days a week, is a struggle for me,” the player said.
I always lose 5-1 or 5-0 in tournaments because I don’t prepare, and you can’t expect me to do anything. But that term really gets on my nerves—it’s not a reply.
“My method is no longer what it was.” I still play really well when I’m by myself, but you have to be out there. I’m.
