Stephen Hendry frustrated with young star: ‘In the commentary box I threw the mic down’

Stephen Hendry was left frustrated by the performance of Si Jiahui in defeat to Mark Selby at the Tour Championship on Tuesday, stunned by the youngster’s lack of aggression.

Selby picked up a 10-6 win over Si at Manchester Central, which was little surprise as the 22-year-old has never beaten the four-time world champion before.

However, what was something of a shock was how many shots the Chinese star was refusing, opting to play safe rather than take on difficult pots.

Taking on the immense challenge of Selby can knock players off their usual game and Hendry certainly felt that the usually swashbuckling Si was limiting himself with surprisingly negative shot choices.

‘Si Jiahui will be disappointed,’ Hendry told ITV4. ‘At times he didn’t look like he belonged in that company, such was his shot choice. He didn’t look on it, focussed, look like he belonged at that table with Mark Selby.

‘Some of the shots he refused, there were some strange shot choices, for me. I don’t know if he’s thinking about the shots that everyone thinks he should play, rather than just committing to the shot that he wants. He had enough chances.’

Referring to a particularly surprisingly red which Si refused, then played a poor safety shot which allowed Selby back in, Hendry said: ‘How can you not go for the pot there? I know it’s not easy, but you have to play the pot surely.

‘This one, I was in the commentary box, I threw the mic down, how can you not play that red to the right corner? It’s not a gimme, I’m not saying it’s an easy, easy shot, but in the end he doesn’t even play a good safety! Mark Selby pots the red off it. You’ve got to attack!’

Si is one of the brightest prospects in the game, despite still having a lot to learn, as he has shown by just qualifying for the Tour Championship, which only features the top 12 on the one-year ranking list.

Selby’s assessment of the former Crucible semi-finalist was that his best game is devastating and finding a balance of how to approach frames when not at peak form is something to learn.

‘He’s still very, very raw,’ said Selby. ‘But it’s tough because if you take that away from him then he doesn’t become as dangerous. When he is playing well and flying then nothing’s safe.

‘He’s only young, I’m sure he’ll learn and he’ll be one to watch for the future.’

As for the Jester from Leicester it was another good win in an encouraging season for him, with two ranking titles under his belt and playing well ahead of the Crucible later this month.

‘I feel close. I feel like I’m hitting the ball better the back half of the season,’ he said of reaching his best form.

‘I know I’ve put in some poor performances, but I think I put less in than what I did last year. I don’t think I had a great season last year and played a lot of poor matches.

‘This year something’s clicking. I’m trying to up my tempo a little bit when I do get a chance. When it’s obvious I’m trying to force myself to get on with it. That’s when you play your best stuff.’

Next up for Selby is a quarter-final meeting with Neil Robertson, who has enjoyed a very good recent record against the Englishman.

Outside of the short-format Championship League, Robertson has won nine of the last 10 meetings with Selby, which is quite incredible against one of the all-time greats.

‘It’s great to see Neil back playing somewhere near his best,’ said Selby. ‘The last few times I’ve played him I think he’s beat me, so hopefully I can change that tomorrow.’

Elsewhere in the last eight, Judd Trump takes on Barry Hawkins, John Higgins faces Xiao Guodong and Ding Junhui meets Kyren Wilson.

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