The 33-year-old bested Barry Hawkins to win the German Masters this month (Image: Getty)
Stephen Hendry admitted that possesses a “big argument” to be classed as the best player in the world ahead of . The reigning world champion added to his growing trophy cabinet earlier this month when he defeated Barry Hawkins to capture the German Masters title.
Wilson, 33, has won three ranking titles since his Crucible triumph which has elevated him in conversations surrounding the best players in the world, alongside the world No.1 in Trump. It’s a debate that was featured on the hosted by Hendry and Mark Watson.
Watson asked the seven-time world champion whether Wilson is the best player in the world right now, given his latest tournament victory, to which the Scotsman admitted with a smile that a similar conversation in the past left Trump not too happy. “We’ve done this before and Judd didn’t like it,” Hendry said.
“He’s got a strong argument, you can’t deny that. Shaun Murphy obviously had a fantastic Masters and played brilliantly but you have to say it’s a two-player season, it’s dominated by Kyren Wilson and Judd Trump who are becoming winning machines.
“To win regularly like they are doing is a talent, to be able to win and win and win again, straight off the back of the Masters losing the final to bounce back and win a huge event, it’s hard to argue against it right at this point in time. Whether he is the best player in the world per se the whole season, it’s a big argument but you have to say, the final of the Masters, winning in Berlin, he’s got an argument.”
While Wilson has been showered with praise recently – namely by Ronnie O’Sullivan, who admitted late last year that he believes ‘The Warrior’ can go on to win four more world titles – after calling Shaun Murphy, who defeated Wilson in the Masters final, an “old man”.
The snooker legend admitted it’s hard to argue that Kyren Wilson isn’t the best player in the world (Image: Getty)
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Hendry had his say on Wilson’s controversial comments as he defended the snooker star for being somebody uncomfortable with losing. “I don’t like seeing good losers,” he said on the podcast. “There’s a saying, ‘if you show me a good loser, I’ll show you a loser’. I think in sport, there’s a lot to that. I don’t mind the fact that he’s a bad loser. I think that’s the only way to be. Why would you enjoy losing?
“It was a huge match in the Masters. He came back, had a chance to get back into it and end up losing. A couple of things he said, I thought, maybe he didn’t have to, I mean, he felt the need to remind everyone that he was world champion. I think it was a comment about people on the circuit being jealous of his situation or something.
“A couple of things that maybe didn’t need to be said. But listen, when you lose and the microphone is put in your face, sometimes I’m more guilty of it than anyone in the history of the game, saying things I shouldn’t say after a loss.”