Stephen Hendry voices worry over snooker’s future in China

Stephen Hendry has a concern over the rise of snooker in China (Picture: Getty Images)

Stephen Hendry feels snooker’s popularity in China could start to wane, saying there is a ‘slight danger of saturation’ after the sport’s explosion in the country since 2005.

The snooker boom in China began over 20 years ago thanks to Ding Junhui’s spectacular emergence at the top of the game.

The teenage Ding grabbed the attention of his homeland by winning the 2005 China Open, beating Hendry in the final.

By the end of that year he had won the UK Championship, beating another legend in the final in Steve Davis, and sparked huge passion for the sport that had only been a...