Most comebacks in sport aren’t very profitable, however the try from Stephen Hendry has been notably dangerous.
In September of 2020, Stephen Hendry made the shock announcement that he was making a return as an expert participant.
In one in all Barry Hearn’s final main acts because the chairman of the World Snooker Tour, Hendry was persuaded to just accept an invitational tour card.
On the age of 43, the seven-time world champion first retired from the sport after the 2012 World Snooker Championship.
In Sheffield that 12 months, Hendry compiled a 147 break within the first spherical and subsequently beat defending champion John Higgins to succeed in the final eight.
Nonetheless, a heavy loss to compatriot Stephen Maguire within the quarter-finals was sufficient to persuade Hendry that his time on the high was over.
It had been over for a number of years in actual fact, with Hendry by that time a shadow of the fierce competitor who dominated all earlier than him all through the Nineteen Nineties.
Later revealing that he had suffered from snooker’s model of the yips as he skilled his slide down the rankings, it wasn’t essentially a shock to witness the departure of somebody who solely knew a method of enjoying – to win.
Hendry continued to look intermittently on the Snooker Legends circuit, which might in the end turn into the World Seniors Tour, however to restricted success.
Certainly, the 36-time rating occasion winner has to today didn’t win a single title on the seniors circuit.
In 2020, then, the revelation that Hendry would as soon as once more be competing as an expert got here as completely sudden information.
By his personal admission he was nonetheless not prepared, however some early periods with famend SightRight coach Stephen Feeney satisfied him that an unlikely return to type was potential.
Whereas most doubted the legitimacy of there being any believable probability of him recreating his heyday, there was nonetheless loads of hubbub surrounding his impending return.
What has transpired since can solely be described as a soggy squib, and along with his preliminary two-year invitational tour card quickly coming to an finish, it’s a surprise what’s subsequent.
Hendry hasn’t competed for the reason that UK Championship in November, when he was thrashed 6-1 by Thepchaiya Un-Nooh within the first spherical.
Even previous to that, he was extraordinarily selective through which occasions he entered, constantly delaying his preliminary comeback earlier than lastly enjoying on the Gibraltar Open in March of final 12 months.
A blockbuster World Championship qualifying tie with outdated rival Jimmy White was arguably the spotlight of his latest stint on the circuit.
Hendry beat White 6-3, though each gamers have been considerably embarrassed by their respective performances, and the previous tamely bowed out on the very subsequent hurdle anyway.
There have solely been three match victories in whole, however the reality is that Hendry hasn’t participated sufficient to warrant many extra.
It has at all times been Hendry’s aim to make one other look on the Crucible Theatre, and presumably he’ll give it another crack in April this 12 months.
However having performed so little, what reasonable probability does he have of fulfilling such an achievement, and what is going to he do if he’s provided one other invitational tour card as soon as this one expires?
There are critics who bemoan the invitational tour card, and once you have a look at how Hendry has handled it, it’s comprehensible why.
White and Ken Doherty are two different beneficiaries, and despite the fact that they don’t fare particularly nicely both, at the least they respect the chance that they’ve been given and enter most occasions, in recognition of their love of the sport.
The Stephen Hendry comeback, whereas as soon as a supply of pleasure, has turn into considerably of a working joke.
Hendry’s legacy will, after all, not be tarnished, however it’s a surprise why he has even bothered when the try has been so halfhearted.
Featured picture credit score: WST
