believes is one of the most underrated players in the snooker field, despite having already won a World Championship. The Warrior took the title at the 2024 tournament and has since established himself as one of the best players in the world.

On the back of his maiden Crucible triumph, Wilson went on to lift four ranking titles in 2025, including the Players Championship in March. While he was unable to replicate his exploits at this year's Championship, losing in the first round to Lei Peifan, Wilson's stock certainly improved across his year as defending champion.

But seven-time world champion Hendry admitted he didn't see Wilson turning into a "prolific winner", telling the WST Snooker Club podcast: "I'll throw in another underrated [player] that might be a weird one: Kyren Wilson.

"I underrated him and then he won the world title. Even after he won the world title I think I underrated him until his performances this season. Four titles. I didn't think he was going to be a prolific winner and he's really impressed me this year."

The suggestion raised the eyebrows of Ken Doherty, who was appearing on the show alongside Hendry, given that the discussion had largely focused on players who are no longer in the limelight. By contrast, Doherty put forward the name of Matthew Stevens, who suffered Crucible heartbreak twice, losing both the 2000 and 2005 finals.

He said: "My most underrated would probably be Matthew Stevens. He was a class player, still is a class player. He did win the UK, won the Masters, the only one he didn't win was this one [World Championship] and he would have been a Triple Crown winner. People forget about that.

"He was a wonderful player for so many years and loved playing at the Crucible. Had a couple of finals, a few semis, saved some of his best snooker for here. He was one of the best I've played."

Meanwhile, on top of his Wilson suggestion, Hendry added: "'Underrated, it's quite a tough category but I'm going to say Jimmy [White]. Everyone goes on about he's been in six finals and not won one but what a player he was! People look at the way he plays now and he's like myself, he's a shadow of what he was, but when you look back at what a player he was, he invented naughty snooker."