{"id":18061,"date":"2026-07-21T11:55:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T11:55:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=18061"},"modified":"2026-07-21T11:55:02","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T11:55:02","slug":"stephen-hendry-names-one-player-he-expects-to-dominate-this-snooker-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=18061","title":{"rendered":"Stephen Hendry names one player he expects to dominate this snooker season"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 300px 160px; gap: 2px; width: 460px; background: #eee; padding: 2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u6574\u884c\u5bbd\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876674\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 90px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876676\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u5de6\u4fa7\u7ad6\u6392 -->\r\n  <div style=\"height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876672\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"height: 500px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876680\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u6469\u5929\u697c\uff08\u548c\u5de6\u4fa7\u5b8c\u5168\u5bf9\u9f50\uff09 -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row: 3\/5; height: 750px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876678\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e6\" data-zoneid=\"5876682\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2271897703.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-29189970\" alt=\"Halo World Snooker Championship - Day One\" decoding=\"sync\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Stephen Hendry is a big fan of former world champ Zhao Xintong (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Stephen Hendry fancies a \u2018very big season\u2019 ahead for Zhao Xintong, with the 2025 Crucible king no longer under the pressure of being world champ.<\/p>\n<p>The 29-year-old had a brilliant 2025\/26 season, winning three big ranking titles and an invitational one on top of that.<\/p>\n<p>He was widely tipped to break the Crucible curse and retain the World Championship title he won for the first time in 2025, such was the level of his play ahead of Sheffield.<\/p>\n<p>However, he was denied in the quarter-finals by Shaun Murphy to see a brilliant campaign end in disappointment.<\/p>\n<p>Hendry reckons he will be back and better than ever in the new season, though, uninhibited by the pressure of being world champion and free to cause destruction on the World Snooker Tour.<\/p>\n<div class=\"metro-answers\">\n<h3>Ask Metro<\/h3>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<gist-search-widget api-key=\"pk_6d941997f7a2d2913efb8d4bc68a8ba02018ca9624102ad69508a25e6f55a0aa\" user-id=\"metro.co.uk\" target-url=\"\/answers\/\" ref-name=\"metro.co.uk\" theme=\"light\" default-placeholder=\"Ask Metro anything...\" id=\"metro-uk-widget-1\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/gist-search-widget><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-disclaimer\"><em>Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about \u2013 powered by Metro and trusted publications.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tAre you snooker loopy?\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<p>You&#8217;re in the right place. I&#8217;m Phil Haigh, and I cover the game we all love for <strong>Metro<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>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<p>Sign up here.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"646\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/FB-MAIN-8adc.png?w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27997408\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Phil has been reporting on snooker for over a decade<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u2018I tend to think Xintong will dominate this season,\u2019 Hendry said on WST\u2019s Snooker Club podcast. \u2018I think he\u2019s got the monkey off his back from being defending world champion and I think he\u2019ll just chill out.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>The seven-time world champion also expects plenty from the current world champion Wu Yize, but fancies the man he dethroned to shine brightest.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2270015936.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-29189980\" alt=\"Sportsbet.io Tour Championship 2026 - Day 7\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Zhao Xintong had a brilliant season last time round, winning four titles (Picture: via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u2018To be fair, I think him and Wu Yize will have big seasons,\u2019 said the Scot. \u2018Wu Yize might start off a little bit slowly with the world champion expectations. I think Xintong will have a very big season.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>The continuing rise towards dominance of Chinese snooker has seen the last two world champions hail from the country and there may well be more to come.<\/p>\n<p>Hendry really likes the look of 23-year-old Chang Bingyu, who he fancies will win his first professional tournament this season.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018I\u2019m going to stick with Chang Bingyu, I think he will win this season,\u2019 he said of his tip for a breakout star this campaign. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2259445021.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-29190396\" alt=\"WST World Grand Prix 2026\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Big things are expected of Chang Bingyu (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u2018Another face\u2026I think Luca Brecel might come back this season. Who knows with Luca because he\u2019s completely different to anyone on tour. <\/p>\n<p>\u2018That could be more of a comeback than a breakout but Chang Bingyu has got something a bit special and I think he\u2019ll definitely win this season.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Murphy is well aware of the talent of Chang after losing 4-0 to him at last season\u2019s Welsh Open with the youngster finishing the game with 100 per cent pot success.<\/p>\n<p>This year\u2019s Crucible runner-up expects more success from him, but also another Chinese player who he believes is still to reach his full potential.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2271925233.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-29190679\" alt=\"Halo World Snooker Championship - Day One\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Zhou Yuelong is still pushing to join snooker\u2019s elite (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>28-year-old Zhou Yuelong has been lurking just outside the world\u2019s top 16 for years, reaching four ranking finals without winning one, but Murphy reckons his time is still to come.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Many, many years ago I tipped Zhou Yuelong to go and become a world-beater when he first came on the scene 10 or more years ago,\u2019 said the Magician. \u2018I remember him coming and thinking, jeez this lad\u2019s got everything. His technique, his shot selection, his composure round the table, everything seemed world class.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018That hasn\u2019t gone on and it hasn\u2019t come to fruition yet, but I use the word \u2018yet\u2019 because people bloom at different stages of their life. I think Zhou Yuelong has still got more to give.\u2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Jack Lisowski and Luca Brecel name their top five snooker players ever<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Championship League Snooker winner Jak Jones pays emotional tribute after first ranking title<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Last eight confirmed for Championship League Snooker showdown on final day<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"share-buttons-bottom\" class=\"share-buttons share-buttons-bottom\">\n\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Comment now<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-comment\" href=\"#social-comment\"\/><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-comments__label\">Comments<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-preferred-source\" href=\"#social-preferred-source\"\/><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-preferred-source__label\">Add as preferred source<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/section>\n<div class=\"newsletter-end-card accent--snooker\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-end-card__inner\">\n<h4>The Table<\/h4>\n<p>Stay ahead of snooker&#8217;s next big break with Metro&#8217;s resident expert Phil Haigh in his new weekly newsletter.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- \u603b\u5bb9\u5668\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u5bbd908px Grid\u7d27\u51d1\u5e03\u5c40 -->\r\n<div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 728px 160px; gap:2px; width:908px; background:#eee; padding:2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u901a\u680f\u9876\u90e8\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u6a2a\u5e45 908x258 \u8de8\u6574\u884c -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column:1\/-1; height:258px; background:#ff6b6b; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114307\" data-width=\"908\" data-height=\"258\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114307});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u7b2c\u4e8c\u901a\u680f\uff1a728\u00d790 \u901a\u680f -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column:1\/-1; height:90px; background:#4ecdc4; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114300\" data-width=\"728\" data-height=\"90\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114300});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u5de6\u4fa7\u4e3b\u680f\uff1a\u591a\u5e7f\u544a\u5806\u53e0 -->\r\n  <div style=\"display:grid; gap:2px;\">\r\n    <div style=\"height:60px; background:#45b7d1; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114308\" data-width=\"468\" data-height=\"60\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114308});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n    <div style=\"height:250px; background:#ffe066; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114299\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"250\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114299});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n    <div style=\"height:250px; background:#ff9ecd; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114305\" data-width=\"250\" data-height=\"250\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114305});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n    <div style=\"height:139px; background:#c792ea; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114302\" data-width=\"133\" data-height=\"139\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114302});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n    <div style=\"height:125px; background:#91e7ac; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t\r\n<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114303\" data-width=\"125\" data-height=\"125\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114303});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u7ad6\u680f\uff1a160\u00d7600 \u6574\u5217\u9ad8\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row:3\/8; height:600px;  display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114301\" data-width=\"160\" data-height=\"600\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114301});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<br \/> Stephen Hendry names one player he expects to dominate this snooker season<br \/>\n<br \/>#Stephen #Hendry #names #player #expects #dominate #snooker #season<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Stephen Hendry is a big fan of former world champ Zhao Xintong (Picture: Getty Images)&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18062,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[14509,12114,5846,1531,3361,2887,418,1154],"class_list":["post-18061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-dominate","tag-expects","tag-hendry","tag-names","tag-player","tag-season","tag-snooker","tag-stephen"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2271897703_1784634549.jpg",1200,630,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2271897703_1784634549-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2271897703_1784634549-300x158.jpg",300,158,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2271897703_1784634549-768x403.jpg",640,336,true],"large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2271897703_1784634549-1024x538.jpg",640,336,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2271897703_1784634549.jpg",1200,630,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2271897703_1784634549.jpg",1200,630,false],"covernews-slider-full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2271897703_1784634549-1115x630.jpg",1115,630,true],"covernews-slider-center":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2271897703_1784634549-800x500.jpg",800,500,true],"covernews-featured":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2271897703_1784634549-1024x538.jpg",1024,538,true],"covernews-medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2271897703_1784634549-540x340.jpg",540,340,true],"covernews-medium-square":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2271897703_1784634549-400x250.jpg",400,250,true]},"author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?author=1"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?cat=6\" rel=\"category\">Sports<\/a>","tag_info":"Sports","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18061"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18061\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18062"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}