Expectations for Hendry’s first tour match since his crushing 2012 world quarter-final defeat to Stephen Maguire are not high, with many convinced the strength in depth of today’s tour will leave the game’s most dominant player experiencing little more than embarrassment.
But those who faced Hendry at the Spectrum Arena in what effectively constituted his first main draw appearance on the professional ranking tour can still recall how swiftly he shattered those initial preconceptions with his sheer ability and determination.
In his opening match Hendry faced a 46-year-old Dubliner called Dessie Sheehan, who had hovered around the lower reaches of the world’s top hundred for a number of seasons.
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