Players Under the Spotlight / Ralph Ellis / 04 December 2008 / Leave a comment

We caught up with the snooker master ahead of his Premier League semi-final with Mark Selby.

Betfair's big interview is a year old this week and we've talked to some top stars in that time, but what better way to mark the anniversary than meeting a legend? Seven times World Champion Stephen Hendry spoke to us before this weekend's PartyPoker.com Premier League Snooker finals

Stephen you lost the first two matches and have still reached the big weekend in Norfolk - you must be pleased with that?

Absolutely delighted. When I lost my first two everybody else seemed to have won at least one game. Obviously the players that beat me had done, but everybody else seemed to be winning too so I sort of thought: 'God I'm going to have to win my last four games to go through' As it was I made it with two wins and two draws - but no defeats was the big thing - and I was really pleased

Ronnie seems to be the man to beat again...

Well he is, and he isn't. He's obviously going to be the favourite in every tournament he enters these days, but Mark Selby and Joe Perry actually finished one and two, Mark was undefeated and I think Joe only lost once. Joe beat Ronnie, Mark drew with Ronnie. I think that was a bit of a surprise, given it was the first time they had been in the league and had to deal with the shot clock and the different format, but it tells you they were obviously very comfortable straight away. I'd argue that they are the ones to beat this weekend

Do you like the shot clock format?

Do you want me to be honest? Personally, I don't like it. I love being involved in the tournament, and I think it is good to have different things in the sport, but for me it's not ideal. I mean I'm not a slow player, but when I'm in amongst the balls I like to be able to walk around the other side of the table, have a look at things, and just survey the situation. You can't do that with the clock, so it favours Ronnie, there's no getting away from that - but then again if you are playing well you don't think about it. It's only if you miss a couple and your confidence gets knocked that you start to think.

This tournament brings to an end what has not been a bad year for you after getting to the World Championship semis as well. How do you assess 2008?

Well obviously it was good getting to the last four at the Crucible, but I look back more that I was disappointed to lose - especially as I let Ronnie off the hook. The fist session I had a real chance to get a big lead, but I and let him go 4-4 and from then on he played fantastic. In terms of this season I don't think it's been that great. I've had one semi-final, but I'd like to have done better. Still there's a long way to go, more than half the season to play, so there's lots to go for still.

What does keep you going? We're sure you must get asked this a lot, but you were the man in the 1990s and since then it hasn't been the same. Why are you so keen to keep playing?

It's simple, really. I still look at the players at the top who are winning tournaments and I think they are not playing snooker that's out of my reach. I think when I was dominating in the 90s I was playing as good, if not better, than any of the snooker that's being played now. I still think I'm good enough, I still don't fear anybody, and although I've been losing I just don't think I'm far away. I think I can win again and I want to win again. Now I know I've not won a tournament for three or four years, so it's hard to back those claims up, but then if the deep down belief is still there you still keep practising and playing

Deep down belief. It must be desire too. Do you keep all your trophies on display or are you more worried about what you think you can still do?

Well the trophies are in my management offices in a display case. I don't have them at home - but that's basically only because it would cost too much to insure them! I do have a snooker room at my home and have photos of the World Championship wins on my walls so it's nice to keep some things. But yes, I am still looking forward

What are your best memories of the 90s? The Jimmy White final when you came from 14-8 down is probably the one most people remember...

Well 1999 was the special one for breaking the record, becoming the first person to win seven world titles. That was massive. But the one that gives me most pleasure is I think I beat Jimmy something like 18-4 or 18-5 in the final. Every round that year, going through every match, I won comfortably. I just played really good, and as a sportsman for me that gives me most pleasure where your performances have been the best. The close ones are exciting, but the ones that give you the most satisfaction are the ones where you haven't made that many mistakes.

That sounds like the difference between a fan and a sportsman.

Absolutely. Fans in any sport - they see people winning and picking up trophies, and matches being close and exciting, as the pinnacle. But if you ask any sportsman they would pick loads of faults in how they did it. The ones where you get everything right about your performance are the ones that give you most pleasure.

You won't thank us for reminding you but the big four-oh is coming up for you in January...

It doesn't worry me at all. I don't see myself as getting older - obviously if you do the numbers I'm the second oldest in the top 16 after Steve, and ten years in front of the likes of Higgins and O'Sulllivan and Mark Williams and people like that, but I certainly don't feel I'm coming to the end of my career or getting too old to play. There's nothing physical about snooker that can stop you playing is there. The people that talk about age don't know what they are talking about. It's all about how much your mind wants to keep playing.

Your eldest son Blaine is 12 now. Is he sporting?

Yeah, he's in every team at school, in the rugby team, in the hockey team, he does cross country running. He's obviously interested in snooker and he's quite talented at that too, so he's quite competitive.

That must be good to share that, then?

It is, but he doesn't listen to me! I try and give him tips at the table and he just completely blanks me. I think it is a typical son-dad thing. I try to suggest that it's one thing I do know a little bit about, but it just goes over his head

Thanks for your time and we wish you luck to get yourself another trophy this weekend. We've a free £50 bet for your favourite charity.

Thanks - that can go to the Yorkhill Children's Foundation at the hospital in Glasgow which is not far from my home. They are on www.yorkhillchildrensfoundation.org. And I'm going to Betfair Multiples to back the Big Four clubs in the Premier League to all take three points this weekend at [4.08]. They all slipped up a couple of weeks ago so they must be due to all win.