Stephen Hendry believes Mark Selby will never get the plaudits he deserves as he will always have to live in Ronnie O’Sullivan’s shadow. The Jester from Leicester has won three of the last four World Championship titles but has struggled to earn the adoration of the public due to his perceived lack of charisma and preference for staying out of the headlines. In contrast, O’Sullivan remains a fans’ favourite due to his unpredictable style and entertaining play, with his maverick image grabbing the front pages as much as the back.
There is no doubt he is the most talented player of all time but he is not the most successful, a crown that arguably belongs to Hendry, The Scot claimed seven Crucible crowns during his career but he too often found himself playing second fiddle to the Rocket due to the lack of fireworks associated with his game. Hendry says he empathises with Selby’s situation, comparing it to the treatment one of his countrymen has often received from the media in recent years. Speaking to the Daily Star Online, the 48-year-old said: “I feel for him because he’s the best player in the world but he’s in Ronnie’s shadow. “There are similarities to when I was playing because he’s winning – but when you’re winning some people think it’s boring. “It’s almost like Andy Murray with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in tennis… Mark is a fantastic snooker player but people will still talk about Ronnie.”
Both Selby and O’Sullivan are currently in action at the UK Championship and with the Jester through to the second round, the Rocket kicks off his campaign on Thursday against Jackson Page in a match he is 1/100 to win, with Page 12/1.
UK Championship odds available at Dafabet.