{"id":10156,"date":"2026-05-14T04:46:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T04:46:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=10156"},"modified":"2026-05-14T04:46:02","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T04:46:02","slug":"ken-doherty-names-his-top-five-snooker-players-of-all-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=10156","title":{"rendered":"Ken Doherty names his top five snooker players of all time"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Ken Doherty feels greats of the past would have competed with today\u2019s players (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ken Doherty is baffled by Stephen Hendry\u2019s omission from recent \u2018greatest of all time\u2019 lists, as he names his top five snooker players ever.<\/p>\n

Clearly ranking players of different eras is a subjective call, but Doherty is surprised to see Hendry miss out on a podium finish in the eyes of two former world champions.<\/p>\n

During the recent World Championship, Steve Davis stirred debate by saying of Mark Selby: \u2018I think he\u2019s top three standard ever. Ronnie O\u2019Sullivan, John Higgins and Mark Selby. The actual standard.\u2019<\/p>\n

Neil Robertson agreed, saying: \u2018I think you\u2019d probably have Ronnie, John and third greatest would be probably Selby. Yeah, I\u2019d have those three.\u2019<\/p>\n

Hardly bad choices, but Doherty would not agree, feeling the dominant players of the past should not be overlooked just because, inevitably, the performance levels in a sport will improve over time.<\/p>\n

On his five greatest of all time, the 1997 world champion told Metro<\/strong>: \u2018Ronnie, Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis, John Higgins, and Mark Selby.\u2019<\/p>\n

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You’re in the right place. I’m Phil Haigh, and I cover the game we all love for Metro<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In my newsletter, The Table, I analyse the biggest talking points, pull back the curtain on the sport and crown the biggest winners and losers every week.<\/p>\n

We’ve just seen one of the greatest World Championships of all time, so there’s no better time to sign up.<\/p>\n

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Phil has been reporting on snooker for over a decade<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Informed of recent top three lists, he said: \u2018What, they put Selby ahead of Stephen Hendry? <\/p>\n

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Stephen Hendry won seven world titles in the 1990s (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018No, Stephen Hendry almost won six in a row here [the Crucible]! No one will ever, ever do that again. And as great as the other players are, even Ronnie, Ronnie won a seven in 30 years. Stephen won seven in 10.<\/p>\n

\u2018No one will dominate the game the way he played. And if he had been around with the era today, he would have actually got better. <\/p>\n

\u2018He would have competed against them, as Davis would have as well. People say, \u201coh, Davis.\u201d I played Davis in the 90s. He was unbelievable. So clever.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Steve Davis won all his six world titles in the 1980s (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Longevity is rightly praised when it comes to the epic careers of O\u2019Sullivan, Higgins and others, but Doherty says the incredible dominance Hendry had in the 90s is not to be undervalued.<\/p>\n

\u2018Stephen Hendry, he was finished at 35. These guys have got another 20 years on him now,\u2019 said the Irishman. \u2018Just because of his physics and physiology, that\u2019s why he had to stop, because he got the yips and that\u2019s the way it happens to certain people. <\/p>\n

\u2018But when he was in the game, he was winning six tournaments a year, when there were only 12, you know what I mean? It\u2019s not like it is today.\u2019<\/p>\n

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