Snooker icon Stephen Hendry has singled out four players he believes represent the sport's most significant underachievers, offering a candid assessment of talent unfulfilled at the highest level.
The Perspective of a Champion
With seven World Championship titles to his name, Stephen Hendry stands among snooker's all-time greats. While Ronnie O'Sullivan has since surpassed the Scottish maestro in the eyes of many as the greatest player ever, Hendry's credentials remain impeccable. His deep understanding of what it takes to reach snooker's summit gives particular weight to his observations about those who haven't maximised their potential.
The 57-year-old legend recently shared his insights on the WST Snooker Club podcast, reflecting on players who showed immense promise but ultimately fell short of expectations.
The Disappearing Talents
Hendry began by recalling the countless players who generated buzz in practice sessions but never translated that ability to the professional stage. 'If I had a pound for every player when you travel up and down the country and someone says, "wait till you see him, he makes seven, eight, nine centuries a day in practice, he's going to be a top player," and you never see them!' he remarked.
He highlighted the significant gap between amateur and professional competition, noting: 'The professional game is completely different from the amateur game, I think. There's been so many amateurs who haven't reached their potential.'
Specifically, Hendry mentioned two players from his early professional days: David Gilbert from Essex (not the current professional of the same name) and Steve Newbury from Wales. 'They used to clean up in the amateur games and didn't do a thing as professionals,' he observed.
Established Professionals Who Fell Short
In a separate category, Hendry examined successful professionals who never captured snooker's ultimate prize: the World Championship title. 'Down the years maybe people like Matthew Stevens has probably underachieved, with his talent. I reckon [Stephen] Maguire has probably underachieved with his talent. You can go up and down the rankings,' he stated.
Regarding Stephen Maguire, who won the 2004 UK Championship and was famously tipped by Ronnie O'Sullivan to 'rule the game for the next ten years,' Hendry expressed particular disappointment. Despite reaching a Crucible semi-final, Maguire has never claimed the world title.
'When he first came on the scene and he won that UK Championship – I practiced with him a lot when he was young and I thought he had the right attitude, he's a winner, hates losing, works hard, practices hard,' Hendry recalled. 'He had everything, I thought, to go on and win the world title, but it hasn't happened.'
The Players' Own Reflections
Maguire himself has acknowledged falling short of his own expectations. When asked in 2024 if he was satisfied with his achievements since that UK Championship victory, he responded bluntly: 'No. Ach, no. I've not had a good career.'
'Without a doubt I've not won what I think maybe I should have won,' Maguire admitted. 'I don't care what anybody else says, but I think I've left a few tournaments out there and that's probably my own fault.'
Offering a philosophical perspective on his career alongside Matthew Stevens, Maguire noted: 'As me and Matthew Stevens say, we've got stories. Not a lot of the boys have got stories, they've got titles but they've not got stories. Maybe it's a good thing, I don't know.'
Reflecting on what might have been, he added: 'Looking back, I think maybe I probably should have knuckled down from 2005, maybe that seven or eight year period. I should have maybe knuckled down a little bit more. Och aye, it's away now. I'm still here, I'm still breathing.'
Career Achievements
The ranking titles won by these identified underachievers include:
- Stephen Maguire: 2004 European Open, 2004 UK Championship, 2007 Northern Ireland Trophy, 2008 China Open, 2013 Welsh Open, 2020 Tour Championship, 2025 Championship League
- Matthew Stevens: 2003 UK Championship
Hendry's analysis provides a fascinating insight into the fine margins between snooker greatness and unfulfilled potential, highlighting how even substantial talent requires perfect alignment of dedication, mentality, and opportunity to achieve the sport's highest honours.
