Hendry 33-1 to knighted in wake of retirement

STEPHEN HENDRY, who retired from professional snooker after his 13-2 Betfred.com World Championship semi-final drubbing by Stephen Maguire on Tuesday, is 33-1 with Coral to become a Sir in either the birthday honours in June or the New Year after leading figures in snooker called for the Scot to be knighted.

Steve Davis called it a sad day for snooker after seven-time world champion Hendry, 43, announced he is to take up a lucrative post promoting pool in China.

With 36 ranking-tournament triumphs, six Masters triumphs and 775 career century breaks, Hendry is snooker’s most successful player of the modern era.

Davis, who won the World Championship six times, suspects Hendry’s tally of seven will never be beaten. He said: “John Higgins is on four and it’s very hardto envisage anyone reaching seven.”

Maguire pinpointed Higgins, 36, as the only player in the game who might challenge Hendry’s mark. He said: “The only one I can see matching Hendry’s record isJohn. He has four titles and plenty of years left to win more.”

Matthew Stevens was a best-priced 9-1 early on Wednesday night for a first world crown after easing into the last four in Sheffield with a 13-5 triumph over hisfellow Welshman and friend Ryan Day.

Dual Crucible runner-up Stevens completed a remarkable turnaround because he trailed Day 5-2 but won 11 frames in a row to advance – nine on Tuesday night and two on Wednesday morning – as Day’s game and temperament deserted him.

In his semi-final Stevens will face the winner of  the last-eight clash between Ronnie  O’Sullivan and Neil Robertson.

O’Sullivan, who is bidding to win a fourth Crucible crown, had gone odds-on for the title – he was a best-priced 5-6 – after fighting back from 5-3 down to lead Robertson 9-5, but the Rocket had been eased to 11-10 after the 2010 Sheffield hero took the last two frames of their second session to trail 9-7.

Maguire was waiting to see who he would meet out of Ali Carter or Jamie Jones. Carter was 8-1 for the title after taking a 9-7 lead over the Welsh debutant into their  concluding session.

session when O'Sullivan v Robertson is scheduled to finish.

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