THEY are two of snooker’s greatest – and firm friends.
Mark Williams cemented his name in the sport on Sunday evening – beating Xiao Guodong in the Champion of Champions final.
Stephen Hendry and Mark Williams were once fierce rivals
Instagram / s_hendry775Today, Williams and Hendry are firm friends who share friendly banter[/caption]
Instagram / champofchampssnookerMark Williams was victorious at this weekend’s Champions Of Champions[/caption]
It’s the first time the Welshman, who has three world titles to his name, has won the tournament.
Watching all the action as a pundit for ITV Sport was seven-time world champion, Stephen Hendry.
The pair enjoyed a rivalry at the baize, which soon turned to friendly banter in their later years.
SunSport looks into their blossoming bromance.
‘He’s my hero’
Over the weekend, Williams disposed of Xiao 10-6 in a pulsating Champion of Champions final in Bolton.
And he was gobsmacked by his performance.
“I can’t believe it,” Williams told ITV.
“I’m stood here just about to pick that trophy up and I don’t know how I’m doing it really, but I’m sticking in there.
“The interval came at the perfect time for me because if it carried on, he was probably going to run away with it.
“I’m lost for words really. I’m over the moon.”
Hendry was watching as part of ITV’s punditry team, and he was equally as delighted for his pal.
He said: “He’s my hero, I have to say it.
“He is my best mate on tour as well, but what he’s doing at almost 50, how he’s playing and the way he plays with not a care in the world it’s just incredible, I love it.”
Instagram / s_hendry775Stephen Hendry was working on punditry duty with ITV[/caption]
Williams poked fun at Hendry for previously slamming him about changing his cue on air after his win
Friendly banter
Despite making a huge change to his game, changing his cue recently, Williams was able to win the Champion of Champions.
The Welsh Potting Machine had chosen to use a brand new cue in the lead up to the tournament, despite pushback on the idea from Hendry.
And Williams couldn’t resist taking a tongue-in-cheek swipe at seven-time world champ Hendry after proving him wrong by winning the Champion of Champions.
Speaking on ITV4 after his victory, he said: ” I had a new cue, which I knew I was going to struggle with, I knew I was going to lose two or three first-rounders.
“I wasn’t worried about that because I really like my new cue and I knew it would come good.
‘I’ve been getting slated by a lot of people for changing cues, I’m not going to mention any names Hendry, but it’s starting to come alright now and all of a sudden the cue is the best thing I’ve ever had in my hands.”
In truth, Williams has struggled with the new cue which he changed after he reached the Saudi Arabia Masters final.
Previously, Hendry savaged Williams when he was comfortably beaten 4-1 in the first round at the British Open by Malaysia’s Rory Thoras in September.
“It was a very, very poor performance,” Hendry said at the time.
SNSWilliams and Hendry played each other many times on the circuit over the years[/caption]
Williams famously beat Hendry in the Masters final in 1998PA:Press Association
“He’s using a new cue. I hope he was paid nicely because it’s going to derail his season. It’s going to take him a bit of getting used to. It sounded horrific and his play was horrific. It was very, very bad.”
Amusingly, Williams replied to the comments on X: “Derail his season? What a tit, my season is already made.”
If all else fails, bond over golf
If there’s one thing both Williams and Hendry love, it’s golf.
Williams said as much when speaking after his victory on Sunday night.
He hilariously interrupted his victory speech, by saying: “Let’s go and have a game of golf. Where’s Stephen?”
The pair regularly enjoy a round together, with Williams sharing snaps on Instagram with the Scot on several courses.
According to Williams’ Instagram, he has also played on the 18th at the Celtic Manor resort, which is owned by Wales’ first billionaire Sir Terry Matthews.
Back in 2019, Williams confessed that he hates snooker and prefers golf.
Speaking after beating Fraser Patrick 6-2 in the UK Championship, he revealed: “I really struggled but somehow he struggled more than me and made it easy for me on a couple of frames.
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
Hendry and Williams have bonded over the game of golf
To this day, the snooker legends regularly share a round when they can
Hendry called Williams his “hero” after his latest success
When he was asked how he felt his season was going, he then quipped: “It’s going alright, I’m enjoying myself when I’m on the golf course.”
When pushed on snooker, he added: “Hate it. I’m just enjoying play golf more.”
Maybe we’ll see a sport crossover one day?
Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
