Stephen Hendry retires after World Snooker Championship defeat

Stephen Hendry retires after World Snooker Championship defeat Seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry has announced his retirement from snooker after a heavy 13-2 defeat by Stephen Maguire at the Crucible. The 43-year-old, who looked out of sorts against Maguire in a one-sided World Championship quarter-final, said he made the decision three months ago. He said: "There's a few reasons - the schedule, the fact I'm not playing the snooker I want to play, and the fact I'm not enjoying practice. "It was quite an easy decision." Rivals react to Hendry retirement on Twitter Shaun Murphy: "Most successful snooker player of all time, Stephen Hendry retires. Can't believe it." Ian McCulloch: "All the paracetamol in the world couldn't cure the headaches Hendry gave me but I always looked forward to playing him." Stuart Bingham: "A sad day for snooker as the best player who's ever picked up a cue retires! It's been an absolute honour being on the same table." Mark King: "Just heard Stephen Hendry has retired from professional snooker, I cant believe it, the tour won't be the same without him." Neal Foulds: "I somehow beat Stephen 5-4 in my first ranking match with him when he was 16 in Warrington. Never got close to beating the great man again." Referee Paul Collier: "So I just refereed Hendry's last professional match. Every match was a pleasure to referee. Thanks for all the memories." He added: "I didn't tell many people [before the tournament], but this is me finished from tournament snooker." Asked whether he would have changed his mind if he had won the tournament, Hendry replied: "No not at all. If I had won, it would have been a better way to go out. "I was delighted to have made a maximum here [against Stuart Bingham in the first round] which is why I was more animated when I achieved it. I was delighted to do it on my last appearance. "I've had so many memories here; my first time here, my first win, obviously my seventh world title. I could write a book about the memories that I had here. "It's a sad day that I won't play here [at the Crucible] again, I love playing here but it's a relief as much as anything. "I want to do other things now. I've got a lot of commitments now in China, which I've signed up for and I can't do that and play snooker because I would never be at home." Hendry, who was making his 27th consecutive appearance at the World Championship, looked back to his fluent best as he hit his third Crucible maximum - a record he shares with Ronnie O'Sullivan - in his first round victory over Bingham. He went on to beat defending champion Higgins 13-4 which prompted him to declare that he could win a record eighth world title. Use accessible player and disable flyout menus Hendry on the struggles of losing But Hendry made a flurry of mistakes against Maguire, which his opponent ruthlessly punished to win the last-eight tie with a session to spare. Jimmy White, who was beaten by Stephen Hendry in four World Championship finals, tweeted:  "He was and is an unbelievable snooker player & has nothing to prove. I hope he enjoys his retirement, he really deserves it. "He's always put snooker first, been a model professional, a credit to the game and I'll see him in the legends tour this year for more battles. "I thank him sincerely for some of the best matches and memories of my own career. I'm not sure his records will ever be equalled." Hendry became the youngest-ever world champion, aged 21 in 1990, before adding six more in the next nine years. Hendry factfile Born: 13 January 1969 Birthplace: Edinburgh Turned pro: 1985 Highest ranking: 1 (nine years) Current ranking: 23 Century breaks: 775 World Championships: 7 (1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999) He held the world number one ranking for eight consecutive years between 1990 and 1998 and then again briefly in 2006 and 2007. Hendry, who lost to Willie Thorne on his World Championship debut in 1986, holds the record for the most world ranking titles (36) and the most competitive century breaks (775) He also shares the record of most competitive maximum breaks with Ronnie O'Sullivan at 11. After dominating the 1990s, Hendry's form started to tail off and he reached just one World Championship final in the next decade. His last ranking tournament final was in the 2006 UK Championship where he lost to Peter Ebdon.