Ken Doherty reveals his five greatest snooker players of all time.

Ken Doherty has questioned the exclusion of Stephen Hendry from recent greatest-ever snooker debates, as the former world champion revealed his own top five players in the sport’s history.

Comparing players from different generations will always divide opinion, but Doherty admitted he was surprised to hear Hendry left outside the top three by two former world champions during discussions at the recent World Championship.

Steve Davis sparked debate when he said Mark Selby belonged among the top three players ever, alongside Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins. Neil Robertson shared a similar opinion, naming O’Sullivan, Higgins and Selby as his own top three.

Doherty, however, believes the achievements of previous generations should not be dismissed simply because standards naturally evolve over time. His personal top five consists of O’Sullivan, Hendry, Davis, Higgins and Selby.

Reacting to the omission of Hendry from some rankings, Doherty argued that the Scot’s dominance during the 1990s remains unmatched. He pointed out that Hendry nearly captured six straight world titles at the Crucible and doubted anyone would repeat such a feat. While praising modern stars, he stressed that Hendry won seven world championships within a decade, whereas O’Sullivan’s seven titles came across a 30-year span.

Doherty also believes Hendry and Davis would have adapted successfully in today’s era. Recalling his own experiences playing Davis in the 1990s, he described the six-time world champion as exceptionally intelligent and tactically brilliant.

The Irishman acknowledged that longevity is rightly admired in the careers of O’Sullivan and Higgins, but said Hendry’s sustained dominance deserves equal recognition. He noted that Hendry’s career effectively ended at 35 because of physical and psychological struggles, including the yips, while modern players are often able to compete at the top level for much longer.

Doherty highlighted how extraordinary Hendry’s record was in an era with far fewer tournaments, noting that the Scot regularly won half of the available events each season.

Ahead of this year’s World Championship, both O’Sullivan and Hendry publicly praised each other in the GOAT debate. O’Sullivan described Hendry as the greatest player he had ever seen or faced, while Hendry returned the compliment by calling O’Sullivan the sport’s ultimate great, particularly for his break-building and unmatched cue-ball control.