There was to be no first round exit in 1999, although it was close. Paul Hunter was the opponent. It was a tense match and Hendry's two-frame margin of victory was the smallest that he was to enjoy in the tournament. His progress past James Wattana, Matthew Stevens and Ronnie O'sullivan en-route to the final was remarkable given that just six months earlier Hendry had fallen to his worst professional defeat – a 9-0 drubbing at the hands of Marcus Campbell in the first round of the UK Championship.
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If the final lacked drama, Hendry always being in control, those watching at the Crucible and on television knew that history was being made. For most, it was a privilege to watch the best ever at work.
Two century breaks by Hendry lit up the final. At 17-9 Hendry was on the verge of winning. Williams rallied to take the next two frames. A Williams comeback was possible, after all Hendry himself had taken ten straight frames to defeat Jimmy White in 1992. In reality, there was little chance for Williams.
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Reflecting on his achievement, Hendry said: "Without doubt, this is worth more than the other six titles put together. It was the one last ambition I had in snooker and I've proved I can do it."
Stephen Hendry, a true Scottish sporting legend, stepped into a realm of his own with his seventh world championship win.
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