Stephen Hendry’s victory over Steve Davis at Preston in December 1989 kickstarted his decade of dominance
By Steven Pye for That 1980s Sports Blog
When Stephen Hendry beat Steve Davis in the UK Championship final at Preston in December 1989, it felt significant for snooker. There was an overwhelming sense that the baton of power was being passed from one great champion to the next. The end of the decade painted a worrying picture for the dominant figure of the sport in the 1980s.
Davis had lost finals before, but this was different. Since turning professional in 1985, Hendry had been considered the future of snooker, the boy who could knock Davis off his perch. He had won trophies, climbed the world rankings and even enjoyed some success in matches against Davis, but he was yet to beat the six-time world champion over a long distance.