Mark Selby forces Stephen Hendry to ponder retirement – 2011 World Snooker Championship
The Jester from Leicester, Mark Selby, has forced the seven-time world championship, Stephen Hendry, to ponder retirement, as he trashed him by a frame score of 13-4 in the second round
of the 2011 World Snooker Championship, held at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield.
It was a devastating performance from the world number three, Selby, as he broke all the Crucible records by making six century breaks in a single match. The King of Crucible, Hendry,
who holds the most decorated career in snooker, on the same note was on the wrong end of the record and this could prove to be the final straw.
The Englishman started in a straight-forward fashion, as he knocked in a mind-boggling century break of 125 in the first frame. The Scottish legend, Hendry, also responded in a similar
style with a 114 to level the things at 1-1. However since then the twenty-seven-year-old, Selby was almost invincible. He, apart from other carving breaks, racked up magnificent century breaks of 108 and 129 in the third and sixth frame respectively to end
his first session with a commanding 7-1 lead.
In the second he session again started his campaign with a marvellous century break, 100, in the first frame and later on added two more, a 127 in the eleventh frame and a 117 in the fifteenth,
to re-write the Crucible record.
The 42-year-old Scot, who already hinted retirement, told the media he would make his final decision in the summer.
Hendry, who is known as the greatest snooker player ever, said, "I still have the game but I don't have the self belief to compete with these guys," said Hendry. "If you're not truly believing
you're going to win they you're going to struggle. Without wins it doesn't change but you need wins to get some self belief."
He further added "At the moment I don't have it, which is basically down to not having any success in the last few years. If I can't win, or (can't) believe I can win, then I'm not going
to enjoy it."
Mark Selby has progress to last-8 and will be facing the Chinese Sensation, Ding Junhui today at the Crucible Theatre.
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