Higgins was also 19 and just like O'Sullivan 12 months earlier, came through a qualifying event ranked 51 in the world. At the first World Team Cup in 1979, there was not even a Scottish team. Ronnie O'Sullivan's 18-13 win over Judd Trump at the Crucible Theatre in the World Snooker Championship final in 2022 earned him the biggest prize in the sport for a record-equalling seventh time. Ronnie O'Sullivan 2014 UK Championship - Matthew Selt, 14. Ronnie O'Sullivan is happy to share the World Snooker Championship record with 'absolute legend' Stephen Hendry but feels that the feat means more to the Scot than it does to. He had never intended to be like his old rival Jimmy White and enter every event. "One thing you never stop missing as a sportsman is the buzz you get from a crowd. Once again, Hendry was setting records, with an unprecedented seventh world title. Seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry has announced his retirement from snooker after a heavy 13-2 defeat by Stephen Maguire at the Crucible. Later Career At the age of 17 years and 358 days he became the youngest ever winner of a ranking event and that record still stands. You put all that work in to get the record but if he does then fair play because he's taken the game to another level. He's going to be winning this a few times and the other guys better get their act together. He declared the match over when missing a red in frame six despite leading 24-0 at the time and although he later apologised to Hendry and his fans, O'Sullivan was fined 20,800 for his actions. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2001 LG Cup - Drew Hendry, 6. Stephen Hendry with his now girlfriend of four years Lauren Thundow The couple first launched a bid to build more homes on the site in 2008 and later won planning permission. The Scot finished as the year-end rankings leader for eight seasons in a row from 1989/90 to 1996/97. Remarkably, just like against Selby, this would be a match-winning 147 as he beat Mark Williams 13-7 in round two before seeing off Liang Wenbo (13-7) and Stephen Hendry (17-6) to reach the final. "Hendry: "Well he can't become the youngest world champion"Davis: "But he is playing like Benjamin Button." Technically, the most successful player at the world championship is. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2007 UK Championship - Mark Selby, 9. 2023 Eurosport, a Warner Bros. The seventh, though, was like a dam breaking. Stephen Hendry believes Mark Selby to be a greater threat to his record of seven World Snooker Championship titles than Ronnie O'Sullivan, says Steve Davis. Hendry, 43, retired on Tuesday after a 13-2 quarter-final defeat by Stephen Maguire ended his 27th consecutive appearance at the Crucible. Four months later he'd bring a packed house to their feet yet again with his third maximum break of the season and his third at the Crucible. At 20, he captured the Masters and UK Championship, and at 21 was crowned the youngest ever world champion. He was that dominant. "I will try to keep expectations lowthe animal that I am, if I start to get form, then the expectations will rise. Tribute to Stephen Hendry. McManus would win the Masters itself in 1994. "For me - and I've said it since 1990 - he's the greatest player ever to lift a snooker cue. "Jimmy White would probably feel that even though he's not at the cutting edge any more, he's enjoyed the challenge of trying to stay within the game, and I've enjoyed the same challenge, but obviously Stephen didn't. pic.twitter.com/l31qIFsXDp, Ronnie O'Sullivan wins his match 10-1 in 108 minutes. O'Sullivan was riding on a crest of a wave by the end of the year and after edging out Peter Ebdon 9-8 in the quarter-finals and Mark Williams 9-6 in the semis, the Rocket destroyed Ken Doherty 10-1 to land his third UK title. This year he made the back pages for making amends in majestic fashion by compiling a breathtaking 147 break in the deciding frame of his semi-final with Mark Selby. Ronnie O'Sullivan roof raising moment part 6567676: The way he scores the 100th point of his 1000th century. Rocket Ronnie's 30 years at Crucible O'Sullivan set to pass another Hendry record, 'Crucible return is ultimate goal' Hendry ready to continue playing, Age winning first ranking title: 18 (1987 Grand Prix), Age winning first world title: 21 (1990 World Championship), Age winning last ranking title: 36 (2005 Malta Cup). O'Sullivan returned to the sport just in time for the Masters after a near eight-month hiatus in which he decided to defend his UK Championship title in December 2015. Yes, that's yet another record and four clear of Hendry. Even before his victory, O'Sullivan was already considered by many to be the greatest player of all time not least because of the number of ranking titles he has collected during his storied 30-year career. While Davis, the world number 39, has continued to play on the tour along with another legend, Jimmy White [ranked 44], Hendry has opted to quit 13 years after winning his last world title in 1999. He has played only a handful of events and found victories hard to come by. Please subscribe as we've got loads of amazing snooker content coming up over the next few months. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2007 Northern Ireland Trophy - Ali Carter, 8. Comments. Ronnie O'Sullivan's first TV appearance aged just 14 in 1990, making a break of 75. He shares the record for most World Snooker Championship wins with Ronnie OSullivan: both have seven titles. What Are The Differences Between Snooker And Billiards? 'One from the archives' - Hendry makes fantastic brown to win frame, 'That is the Hendry we remember well!' I'm enjoying the process.". Indeed OSullivans time span of winning major titles which now stands at 29 years is testament to the astounding longevity of his greatness compared to anyone whos ever picked up a cue, Hendry included. 1 spot in the world rankings for the first time. Once it happened, it was almost kind of a relief, said Hendry. Ranking the game's top five players in history, including World Championship stars. For good measure Hendry also spent a recordbreaking nine years as world No 1, ahead of. **Hendry resumed playing in 2021 after nine years out, but his future on the tour is unclear. The 53-year-old, who first lifted the famous trophy aged 21, quipped: "Well he cant become the youngest world champion, not even Ronnie can do that., Davis replied: But he is playing like Benjamin Button.. But despite trailing 16-14, he brilliantly won three frames on the trot to complete a remarkable day of semi-final snooker before wiping the floor with Kyren Wilson 18-8 in front of the returning, adoring, Crucible crowd. Higgins, 47, continues to have a successful career at the top level with 31 ranking event victories to his name, including four world titles. Finishes Tournaments played: 3 Category Winner Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Mark Allen, Ronnie O'Sullivan's seven UK Championship titles, Ronnie O'Sullivan is world champion for a sixth time, Ronnie O'Sullivan Fastest 147 Break Ever | 1997 Snooker World Championship | Eurosport, Ronnie O'Sullivan v James Wattana - 147 Break, Ronnie O'Sullivan v Graeme Dott 147 break, Ronnie O'Sullivan v Quinten Hann - 147 break, Must see!!! At 46 years and 146 days, the oldest ever world champion has most ranking titles (39), most Triple Crowns (21), most UK Championships (7), most Masters titles (7), most career centuries (1,170) and most maximum breaks (15), including the fastest ever made. He had pushed his career earnings past 6.2 million (about $10 million) and by November had reclaimed his number one ranking. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2008 World Championship - Mark Williams, 10. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. What TV channel is 2022 World Snooker Championship final? The Romford potter has amassed 52 more Crucible centuries (179 vs 127) to take his astonishing overall career tally to 1,061 compared to Scotsman's mark of 775 - which is second on the all-time list - while 15 of those were maximums. Never, ever a dull moment watching Ronnie.pic.twitter.com/wIryNNsPha, Trying to get Ronnie O'Sullivan enthused about the excitement and romance of his own storylines is a tough gig. "I can't see Stephen changing his mind; once he decides on something, that's it. After losing to Stephen Maguire in the quarterfinal of the 2012 World Snooker Championship, Hendry announced his retirement, stating that he was dissatisfied with his ability to maintain an acceptably high level of competition. I didnt want Ronnie to equal my record and I dont want him to beat my record, why would I? Hendry said on the WST Podcast. There are some young prospects in Scotland, but not in the numbers of 30 years ago. Hendry changed the way snooker was played, ushering in a more attacking era and. Ronnie O'Sullivan has won more ranking titles in snooker than any other player, just ahead of Stephen Hendry. Notwithstanding his absence from the top table and the feats of the likes of Ronnie OSullivan since, Hendry retains several records in the sport including nine seasons as world number one and being the only player to have won each of the sports Triple Crown titles during the same season twice. The winner of this weeks Scottish Open receives the Stephen Hendry trophy. The year was 1996. He might not have been the last snooker king of Scotland but was the man who inspired a nation, and who brought it respect. He retired as a player following a 13-2 loss to fellow Scot, He last played a competitive match on the main tour in November, losing 6-1 to. "Hopefully, if I can keep getting better and keep improving, my technique becomes reliable and I can get to a better pace, then next year will be the goal to get back to the Crucible," he said after his win over old foe White last year. Following the 1996 world championship, Hendrys play slipped. Evans slams 'disgusting' prize money in women's snooker as Baipat claims world title. The prodigious talent underlined his rich potential in emphatic fashion at just his second UK Championship by beating Ken Doherty, Steve Davis and Darren Morgan before defeating Stephen Hendry, who'd already won three world titles, two UK crowns and five successive Masters by this time, 106 in the final. Although he remained a fixture in the sports top 10 rankings, he was unable to equal the heights he had reached in the previous decade. Having spent most of his career doing his own thing, he suddenly became friendly with the other players and, by his own admission, lost some of his edge. Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan jointly hold the record for the most World Snooker Championship titles with seven. What is the prize money at the 2022 World Snooker Championship? His triumph, which came a quarter of a century after he won his first United Kingdom crown as a 17-year-old, also saw O'Sullivan nudge ahead of Stephen Hendry with 19 Triple Crown titles - comprising the World and UK Championships and the Masters. OSullivan beat Judd Trump to win his seventh World Championship, I couldnt care less what Stephen Hendry or anyone else says Allen on slow-play critics, Why theres no hiding place for anyone at the Shoot Out, he was fined several times in the last 12 months. The winning moment The post-match interview The trophy lift Ronnie O'Sullivan is world champion for a sixth time pic.twitter.com/JfO90m22ak, Ronnie O'Sullivan wasn't mincing his words tonight! 'The players coming through are so bad I'd probably have to lose an arm and a leg to fall out of the top 50. "It was a mixture of embarrassment, anger, frustration, sadness, everything," Stephen Hendry says as he remembers how his dominance of snooker unravelled into, in his mind . Four years later, he turned professional. John Higgins has won four and is good enough to win another four; it is hard to say.". No player since Hendry in 1996 had retained the trophy while his 128th Crucible century during the 18-12 triumph over Barry Hawkins saw him move past the Scotsman's all-time record. They each joined the pro circuit the following year. Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan jointly hold the record for the most World Snooker Championship titles with seven. In 25 years time, maybe that record will fall too. SUBSCRIBE for the biggest and best videos from the only official World Snooker channel on YouTubeWebsite: www.wst.tvTwitter: @WeAreWSTFacebook: /WorldSnooker. Enjoy. In his Masters quarter-final against Marco Fu, Ronnie O'Sullivan fired in his 776th career century, taking him one . Perhaps it had to if he was to avoid serious burnout. Nobody could stop him this time as he downed former champions Peter Ebdon (10-4), Mark Williams (13-6) and Neil Robertson (13-10) before waltzing past Matthew Stevens (17-10) in the semi-finals and Ali Carter 18-11 for the title. Discovery company. He is much older and less driven, and the game has moved on with far more players capable now of playing to a high standard. Ronnie OSullivan is the greatest snooker player of all time. A. Career. @ronnieo147 pic.twitter.com/bCUnSqT2Z0. Despite eventually signing the official WPBSA players' contract after initially refusing to do so, O'Sullivan decided to miss virtually the entire 2012-13 season but thankfully announced at the end of February that he would return at the Crucible. 1. Earlier breaks of 116 and 105 had moved OSullivan onto 999 and any speculation that he would wait for the World Championship to reach a thousand was ended with a sumptuous 134. OSullivan's magic seventh World Championship title against Judd Trump 21 years after his first finally draws him level with the 'King of the Crucible', but he stands alone at the top for all the other records that matter and many others. A year after John Higgins got his revenge in the 2006 final with a nail-biting 10-9 that went down to the black, O'Sullivan broke the heart of 19-year-old sensation Ding Junhui with a resounding 10-3 triumph featuring four Rocket centuries, including a fine clearance of 143. I just try to enjoy the game, compete, try and enjoy what I do, and work hard at my game. #snooker #bbcsnooker pic.twitter.com/dgKOL1QXhs, Ronnie O'Sullivan doing this to trail Mark Selby 16-14 in a World Championship semi-final but still ends up winning 17-16 in a match of the ages. Even Neil Robertson is laughing by the end of the title-winning break. Joe is a sub-editor for Sporting News UK. O'Sullivan's longevity at the top is almost as remarkable as his breathtaking standard of play and his mind-boggling collection of records, titles and century milestones. Corrections? Technically, the most successful player at the world championship is Joe Davis, who won 15 consecutive titles from 1927 to 1946. Once he decided he'd be the greatest player in the world, he achieved that.". Updates? Hendry changed the way snooker was played, ushering in a more attacking era and establishing records that took decades to be matched. He had 24 hours to decide whether to take it and he could not resist. Way back in 1993 at the age of 17 he became the youngest winner of a ranking event at the UK Championship, and 27 years on he's bagged a record-breaking 37th as the oldest Crucible champion since Reardon in 1978. 1995: Beats Nigel Bond in the World Championship final. Tied at 42 pints apiece, Sinclair hit the deck and Werbeniuk went to the bar for a celebratory beer. Why Do Snooker Players Use Their Chins When Shooting. Hendry himself did not rule out someone overtaking his record eventually, even if the odds are against it. There have been as many as 20 rankings tournament in a single season in recent years. The 1989-90 season was the beginning of Stephen Hendrys period of dominance, both in major tournaments and atop the world rankings. 1 ranking for a period in 2005. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2003 World Championship - Marco Fu, 7. At 18, he won his first ranking title, the 1987 Grand Prix. Who has won the most World Snooker Championship titles? He became the first player to score the maximum of 147 three times in tournament play, recording his first 147 in 1992 and two more in 1995 (he scored additional maximums in 1997 and 1998, two in 1999, and others in 2001 and 2009). But in 2014,. He'd previously brushed aside Dott (6-3), Ding Junhui (6-2) and Jimmy White (6-1) as he continued to dazzle the crowds. "For me - and I've said it since 1990 - he's the greatest player ever to lift a snooker cue. With Judd, we all knew he wasn't playing his best. OSullivan has already ticked off the other major records Hendry held including most Triple Crown wins and most ranking tournament titles. It earned him 75 of the 11million+ he's now won 30 years later. As the Scottish Open begins in Edinburgh, its worth remembering that this had not always been the case. We look back at his 28 years of astonishing milestones, achievements statistics, maximum breaks, and fan-pleasing antics. Stephen Hendry, (born January 13, 1969, Edinburgh, Scotland), Scottish snooker player who won a record seven world titles and dominated the game throughout the 1990s. He practised with military discipline, watched over by his no-nonsense manager, Ian Doyle, and the rewards came quickly. Welcome to my brand new YouTube channel, Stephen Hendry's Cue Tips. In 2006, however, he demonstrated that he still possessed the talent that made him such a force in the 1990s when he claimed the number one ranking once again. 2005: Wins his 36th and most recent ranking title at the Malta Cup. Who Has Won The Most World Snooker Championships? There, the Rocket punished Mark Selby 10-4 but the Jester would of course get his revenge in the World Championship final later that season. Selby clinched his fourth triumph this . As if to underline how disappointing the comeback has been, the man himself did not enter the event. O'Sullivan set to pass another Hendry record He represented his nation at the highest level of a hugely popular sport with distinction, winning 36 ranking tournaments including seven World Championships. On either side of this triumph, he appeared in two other Crucible finals. pic.twitter.com/K1gRIJLnz9, Mark Selby thought Ronnie O'Sullivan's cavalier approach to getting out of his snookers was disrespectful. Until 1982, only the world championship counted as a ranking event; two others the International Open and the Professional Players Tournament were then added, as was the UK Championship in 1984. In 2020, Hendry accepted a tour card for the World Snooker Tour, indicating his return to professional play. Technically, the most successful player at the world championship is. Considering all categories of tournament, including ranking, non-ranking and invitational, Steve Davis has won the most titles in snooker. Stephen Hendry: Key records Ranking title wins: 36 World titles: 7 UK titles: 5 Masters titles: 6 Crucible match wins: 70 Crucible win percentage: 77.78% Career win percentage: 68.54%. Photo: AP While Hendry is happy with his progress, he insisted that this was . The result gained revenge from losing a deciding frame in that year's Charity Challenge final, in which Hendry scored an iconic maximum break. "Obviously a name for the future. By becoming the first player since Paul Hunter in 2002 to retain it, O'Sullivan could celebrate a record seventh Masters title. O'Sullivan equalled the record of Stephen Hendry by winning his seventh World Championship . One of the most joyous scenes in all of British cinema is the opening to Trainspotting, which sees Renton and his pals careening down Princes Street and other parts of Edinburgh to Iggy Pops Lust for Life. He managed it in six minutes and there was an amusing moment at the end when he removed the sponsor logo from his waistcoat! "It's been an unbelievable career," Taylor told. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Stephen Hendry bestrode the sport in the 90s in an almost imperious way. While many had given the enigmatic Rocket GOAT status on talent grounds long before he'd surpassed Stephen Hendry's records for most ranking titles (36) and Triple Crowns (18) due to the . Ronnie O'Sullivan's sixth World Championship broke Stephen Hendry's record for the most career ranking titles and also extended his all-time Triple Crown tally to 20. In terms of weeks spent as world number one, as of April 18, 2022, Stephen Hendry tops the list. Hendry, O'Sullivan, Davis and the players with the most trophies, Is Ronnie O'Sullivan snooker's GOAT? He also talks about whether it was extra motivation pic.twitter.com/n58nxPeGaK. Stephen Hendry with wife Mandy and son Blaine after beating Mark Williams 18-11 to win a record seventh world title. Although he sat out of the 2022 World Snooker Championship qualifying, Hendry stated that he intends to continue competing. Tai Chengzhe/Visual China Group via Getty Images. O'Sullivan had finished runner-up in the Masters three times since his maiden title in this tournament in 1995 - to Hendry (1996), Steve Davis (1997) and Paul Hunter (2004) - but he'd get his hands on the new crystal triangle trophy with a 10-3 demolition job of John Higgins. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). BBC commentators and presenters for 2022 World Snooker Championship. Until 1982, only the world championship counted as a ranking event; two others the International Open and the Professional Players Tournament were then added, as was the UK Championship in 1984. The age of professionalism in Scottish snooker came courtesy of a shy teenager who possessed a laser-like focus rarely witnessed before or since. O'Sullivan came into the Masters on the back of losing the UK Championship final to Mark Selby but bounced back with wins over Liang Wenbo (6-5), Neil Robertson (6-3) and Marco Fu (6-4) before successfully defending his crown with a 10-7 triumph over Joe Perry. Ronnie O'Sullivan's legendary status reached yet another level when breaking the ranking title record of 36 that he'd previously shared with Stephen Hendry by landing the biggest of the lot for the sixth time. Who set these standards? That's what a champion does, they don't play their best, they get to the final, and they still nearly win it. He intends to continue playing, and his tour card has been renewed through 2024. Hendry had not even played the game before his parents bought him a half-sized table for Christmas in 1981. Tai Chengzhe/Visual China Group via Getty Images. Ronnie O'Sullivan - 1997 World Championship v Mick Price, 2. That year he also won the Australian Masters and successfully defended his Scottish Professional Championship and World Doubles Championship titles.. At the moment it is about trying to get back to playing some good snooker.". pic.twitter.com/kkjnHt983m. Last updated on 2 May 20122 May 2012.From the section Snooker. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. After Hendry lost the top ranking in 2007, his play began to decline, and in 2012 he retired suddenly following his loss in the quarterfinals of the snooker world championship. Mon Oct 15 2018 - 13:17. The scene was vibrant. He has won 36 full-ranking titles to date, including 18 Triple Crown titles bettered only by OSullivan as well as having compiled 11 maximum breaks during his career. Some were more successful than others but they became regular faces on the circuit. Then a week or so afterwards, I was like, OK, he's got the mantle now to live up to. Hendry, who turned pro in 1985 aged 16, twice managed to win all three prestigious tournaments in one season (1989-90 & 95-96) - a feat O'Sullivan has never achieved - but only managed four more ranking triumphs this Millennium until he retired at the age of 43 following his 27th consecutive World Championship in 2012. Copyright 2017-2023 Rookie Road Inc. All rights reserved. Top 5 Ranked Men's Snooker Players Of All Time. Davis was the best player of his generation but still played the percentages. It takes too much time practicing getting out of snookers, I'd rather practice break building." Stephen . But why is that? Hendry, 43, retired on Tuesday after a 13-2 quarter-final defeat by Stephen Maguire . Fast forward to the 2012 World Championship, which he lost to Stephen Maguire, after which he announced his retirement. Ronnie O'Sullivan makes a maximum break 147 in 6 min on first frame! Stream the Scottish Open and more top snooker action live on, 'Feels amazing' Higgins ends 13-month title drought by retaining Championship League crown, Zhao and Yan to miss World Championship ahead of match-fixing hearing. However, given the varying format changes in the tournament's early life, most records in the sport are now taken from the period beginning 1969, when the knockout format at the world championship was reintroduced. He hadn't been at his fluent best earlier in the tournament but managed three century breaks and 10 above 50 when the trophy was on the line. Ronnie O'Sullivan's 18-13 win over Judd Trump at the Crucible Theatre in the World Snooker Championship final in 2022 earned him the biggest prize in the sport for a record-equalling seventh time. Now in the world's top 16 for the first time, Ronnie O'Sullivan booked his place in the Masters tournament automatically, having made his debut the previous year after coming through the qualifying event ranked 57 in the world. His seventh and final World Snooker Championship title in 1999 set a record for most of all timea record which he held solely until Ronnie OSullivan tied the record with his 2022 championship win. I'm sure you're as excited watching at home as we are here." The Scot, who dropped out of the elite top 16 earlier this season and is currently ranked 23, admitted having to qualify for this year's World Championship for the first time since 1988 "was not a nice feeling". In 1984, at age 15, Hendry became the youngest Scottish amateur snooker champion in history. Final report: Ronnie O'Sullivan 18-8 Kyren Wilson, CLICK HERE FOR EVERY 147 BREAK IN SNOOKER HISTORY, WATCH ALL THE CRUCIBLE MAXIMUM BREAKS IN HISTOR, Richard Mann's story of the snooker season, Sporting Life exclusive: Neil Robertson interview, Nick Metcalfe on a decade of World Championship finals, World Championship memories: White always a People's Champion, World Championship memories: O'Sullivan's finest hour, World Championship memories: Higgins prevails but Trump grows, World Championship memories: Joe Johnson: The biggest shock, World Championship memories: 1984 World Championship stands out, World Championship: 6 (2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020), UK Championship: 7* (1993, 1997, 2001, 2007, 2014, 2017, 2018), Masters: 7* (1995, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2017), Century breaks: 1,061* (179 at Crucible*). All rights reserved. Fellow Glaswegian Anthony McGill has won two and Edinburghs Chris Small, forced to retire in 2005 due to a chronic back condition, one. MORE:Is Ronnie O'Sullivan snooker's GOAT? He wont even be there to present the trophy. In 1996, with an 1812 victory over Peter Ebdon, Hendry captured his sixth world championship, a feat only two other players (Ray Reardon in the 1970s and Steve Davis in the 1980s) had achieved in the modern era. "I can't really envisage it happening, there's just going to be more and more players knocking each other out.". 2014 UK Championship Final: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Judd Trump DECIDER! In recognition of his excellence in the sport, Hendry was knighted, receiving a MBE recognition in 1994. What TV channel is 2022 World Snooker Championship final? Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2018 China Open - Elliot Slessor, 15. Can't stop smiling watching this againpic.twitter.com/vPxSMZhCEo, 1000 x ! Ronnie O'Sullivan's legendary career reaches a new unprecedented milestone, making his 1000th century - 27 years after his first - to win his 35th ranking title! What. On that occasion he was thrashed 5-1 by Dennis Taylor in the wildcard round but this was a completely different story, overcoming John Parrott, Terry Griffiths and Peter Ebdon prior to a 9-3 triumph over fellow teenage sensation John Higgins. MORE:Is Ronnie O'Sullivan snooker's GOAT? Ronnie O'Sullivan - 2014 Welsh Open - Ding Junhui, 13. believes Hendry's achievements mark him out as the stand-out player in the sport's history.