Stephen Hendry v Fergal O’Brien live stream | English Open Qualifiers preview

Stephen Hendry aims to end a two-year wait for a competitive win when he faces Fergal O’Brien in the qualifying round of the English Open in Leicester on Thursday.

Hendry has mustered just one win since returning to the World Snooker Tour, with that coming against Chris Wakelin in the 2021 British Open.

The seven-time World Champion has competed in only a handful of events since then, picking and choosing his playing schedule amid punditry commitments.

Hendry won just five frames from 29 played last season, culminating in a 10-4 defeat to his nephew James Cahill in the opening qualifying round of the World Championship.

The Scot began the 2023-24 campaign with a 4-2 defeat to Pakistan’s Mohammed Asif despite clinching the opening frame with a break of 73.

He now goes head-to-head with fellow veteran O’Brien for what will be their first competitive encounter since 2006.

O’Brien, the 1999 British Open champion, has been a stalwart of the professional circuit since 1991, and regained his tour card immediately at Qualifying School in 2022.

The Irishman endured a miserable 2022-23 season, with his best run coming at the Shoot Out – where he reached the Third Round.

O’Brien, Masters finalist in 2001, defeated Hendry 3-2 in their last meeting at the 2006 Grand Prix but has lost four of their six fixtures in total, dating back 30 years.

Their latest show-down gets under way from 1pm BST at the Morningside Arena and will be contested over the best of seven frames.

How to watch Hendry v O’Brien live stream

18+ | Funded account required | Geo restrictions may apply | Please Gamble Responsibly

1) Go to Bet365.com via this special link

2) Register an account, place a £10 first bet and get £30 in Free Bets* (18+ only, T&Cs apply)

3) Once registered, go to the sports homepage and select ‘Snooker’ from the left-hand menu

4) Select the play icon next to the match in progress and the stream window will appear

*18+ only. New Customers only. Bet £10* & Get £30* in Free Bets. Sign up, deposit between £5-£10* (*or currency equivalent) to your account and bet365 will give you three times that value in Free Bets when you place qualifying bets to the same value and they are settled. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits. Min odds/bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. T&Cs, time limits & exclusions apply. Registration required. BeGambleAware.org

All matches are also available to watch live at Sky Bet. To watch, simply:

1) Go to Sky Bet via this special link

2) Register an account (18+)

3) Get £30 in Free Bets when you place ANY first bet*

4) Go to the Snooker menu and select ‘Watch Live’ next to the match in progress

*New customers only. First single or E/W bet only. 5p minimum stake. 3x £10 Bet Tokens. Free Bet Stakes not included in returns. Free Bets exclude virtuals and are non-withdrawable. Eligibility restrictions and further T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org