Hendry exits Crucible with question marks over his playing future

Seven-time world champion Hendry – arguably the best player to have picked up a snooker cue – lost 13-4 to Mark Selby in the second round in Sheffield.

“It’s hard to compete like that,” confessed Hendry. “I’ve still got the game but I haven’t got the self-belief that’s required to compete with these guys.

“I love playing at the Crucible, but I hate not being competitive. Coming down here and not truly believing you can win the World Championship is not what it’s about for me, enjoyment in the game is all about winning. If I can’t win then I’m not going to enjoy it.

“Without wins that doesn’t change, that’s the Catch 22. You need wins to get your belief and your confidence – and I’m not getting wins. It’s debilitating.

“I’ll decide on my future in the summer. I’ve got things to think about, we’ll see what happens.

“If I’m not playing then I’m sure I’ll be involved in snooker in some shape or form because it’s all I know.”

Selby created a Crucible record by knocking in six centuries in their match, but despite his impressive win, the story was Hendry, the 42-year-old who has won 36 ranking events titles and dominated the Nineties, spending eight years as World No 1.

Along with Steve Davis, who at 53 is still playing the circuit, the pair are widely regarded as setting the standard in modern-day snooker although six years without a major title has left Hendry questioning his future in a game which is constantly expanding under the drive of World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn.

Hendry added: “It will be a shame if it was my last match because I’ve had tremendous success, but if someone had said you could have 26 years here, win it (the title) seven times and be in two other finals, you’d take that.

“I’ve had two 147s at the Crucible as well, I’ve not had a bad time here. I was not a bad player,” he added.

Former world champion John Higgins, who yesterday reached the quarter-finals with a 13-7 win over Rory McLeod, hopes his childhood hero Hendry keeps on playing.

“I think it’s just far too premature for him to pack it in.

“He’s only really been losing to the top players like Selby, Robertson or myself in the last few seasons, but he’s been beating everybody else,

Comparing snooker’s two greats, Higgins added: “The difference between Davis and Hendry is Davis just loves snooker and Hendry just loves winning.”

Joining Higgins and Selby in the quarter-finals are Ronnie O’Sullivan, who beat Shaun Murphy 13-10, and Sheffield-based Ding Junhui who battled back to oust Stuart Bingham 13-12.