--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not only did I have to face the great…" description: "\"Not only did I have to face the great Steve Davis for 10 years, Stephen Hendry came along, who attacked the balls. He was such an incredible potter wit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef0/jimmy-white-6900_balls_not-only-did-i-have-to-face-the-great-st_1310850.jpg" --- # Not only did I have to face the great Steve Davis for 10… ![“Not only did I have to face the great Steve Davis for 10 years, Stephen Hendry came along, who attacked the balls. He was such an incredible potter with self-belief.” quote by Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef0/jimmy-white-6900_balls_not-only-did-i-have-to-face-the-great-st_1310850.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef0/jimmy-white-6900_balls_not-only-did-i-have-to-face-the-great-st_1310850.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef0/jimmy-white-6900_balls_not-only-did-i-have-to-face-the-great-st_1310850.jpg) > “Not only did I have to face the great Steve Davis for 10 years, Stephen Hendry came along, who attacked the balls. He was such an incredible potter with self-belief.” [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects on facing top opponents, highlighting the importance of self‑belief and skill in competition. **In simple terms:** Facing strong competitors requires confidence and talent. Key Takeaway Cultivate confidence and practice. Themes competition confidence skill development Mood motivational reflective Type interview sports. When to use this quote - sports training - career planning - mentorship Key Concepts sports psychology mastery Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain confidence without arrogance? - What routines boost your self‑belief? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can lead to underestimating opponents. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [I was a big fan of Naseem Hamed, and followed him. Ronnie O'Sullivan, Stephen Hendry and I know him well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-was-a-big-fan-of-naseem-hamed-and-followed-him-ronnie-o-sullivan/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [That period in the late Eighties and early Nineties was when I was playing my best snooker. My trouble was that I had so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/that-period-in-the-late-eighties-and-early-nineties-was-when-i-was/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [People often write to me, addressing the envelope, 'Stephen Hendry, Snooker Player' or 'Stephen Hendry, Scotland,' and it reaches me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hendry/people-often-write-to-me-addressing-the-envelope-stephen-hendry/) [Stephen Hendry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hendry/) > [Nobody can really dominate like Stephen Hendry or Steve Davis. The players are just too good for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-trump/nobody-can-really-dominate-like-stephen-hendry-or-steve-davis-the/) [Judd Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-trump/) > [I tried hard to create my own records when a lot of them belonged to Steve Davis, so to see someone else beat yours,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hendry/i-tried-hard-to-create-my-own-records-when-a-lot-of-them-belonged-to/) [Stephen Hendry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hendry/) > [Steve Davis has found a way of competing to a level that is not as high as it once was, enjoying his wins, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hendry/steve-davis-has-found-a-way-of-competing-to-a-level-that-is-not-as/) [Stephen Hendry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hendry/) > [When I see Steve Davis I see two letters... C S... Cue Sorceror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sid-waddell/when-i-see-steve-davis-i-see-two-letters-c-s-cue-sorceror/) [Sid Waddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sid-waddell/) > [I like René Descartes' theory about a ball of wax. You can change its form from solid to liquid, but it's still the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-rossum/i-like-ren-descartes-theory-about-a-ball-of-wax-you-can-change-its/) [Emmy Rossum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-rossum/) > [Maybe bring in sponge balls to learn the technique and gain that experience of actually challenging for a header.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-mason/maybe-bring-in-sponge-balls-to-learn-the-technique-and-gain-that/) [Ryan Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-mason/) > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Play small ball. Get back to basics. I would say that you need to be a conservative, but you need to maintain your independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/play-small-ball-get-back-to-basics-i-would-say-that-you-need-to-be-a/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) ## More by Jimmy White > [We earned any fans with the way we play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/we-earned-any-fans-with-the-way-we-play/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I love playing in Ireland and I've had great support here, like I get everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-love-playing-in-ireland-and-i-ve-had-great-support-here-like-i-get/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I did abuse the game a bit because I didn't give it the respect sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-did-abuse-the-game-a-bit-because-i-didn-t-give-it-the-respect/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I have always loved playing snooker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-have-always-loved-playing-snooker/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [In the past it sometimes took me two or three rounds to get the adrenaline rush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/in-the-past-it-sometimes-took-me-two-or-three-rounds-to-get-the/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Ronnie is a very clever winner. He will make sure that he does everything in his power to win the tournament. He is super-fit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/ronnie-is-a-very-clever-winner-he-will-make-sure-that-he-does/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I was a big fan of Naseem Hamed, and followed him. Ronnie O'Sullivan, Stephen Hendry and I know him well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-was-a-big-fan-of-naseem-hamed-and-followed-him-ronnie-o-sullivan/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Golf and snooker are similar. They are ball games that you don't have to be super fit for. It's not like boxing or football…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/golf-and-snooker-are-similar-they-are-ball-games-that-you-don-t-have/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Snooker's only popular in China now. Well China's OK to go to once or twice a year but to go and play six or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/snooker-s-only-popular-in-china-now-well-china-s-ok-to-go-to-once-or/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I really enjoy working as a pundit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-really-enjoy-working-as-a-pundit/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Northern Ireland as a whole is a great snooker country because of Alex Higgins and Dennis Taylor and now of course there is Mark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/northern-ireland-as-a-whole-is-a-great-snooker-country-because-of/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [If I didn't think I could win the World Championship I would go and play golf badly in Spain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/if-i-didn-t-think-i-could-win-the-world-championship-i-would-go-and/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [In a way, sometimes I was quite pleased when I got beat, 'cos then I could do my antics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/in-a-way-sometimes-i-was-quite-pleased-when-i-got-beat-cos-then-i/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I think I should win every tournament I enter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-think-i-should-win-every-tournament-i-enter/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I have only prepared properly for the World Championship three or four times in my life. If I had gone about it professionally I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-have-only-prepared-properly-for-the-world-championship-three-or/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) [Explore all 96 Jimmy White quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) ## More Balls quotes > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [Play small ball. Get back to basics. I would say that you need to be a conservative, but you need to maintain your independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/play-small-ball-get-back-to-basics-i-would-say-that-you-need-to-be-a/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Maybe bring in sponge balls to learn the technique and gain that experience of actually challenging for a header.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-mason/maybe-bring-in-sponge-balls-to-learn-the-technique-and-gain-that/) [Ryan Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-mason/) > [I like René Descartes' theory about a ball of wax. You can change its form from solid to liquid, but it's still the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-rossum/i-like-ren-descartes-theory-about-a-ball-of-wax-you-can-change-its/) [Emmy Rossum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-rossum/) > [It wasn't really touching to be young; it was touching not to be young, because you had less of life left. Touching to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/it-wasn-t-really-touching-to-be-young-it-was-touching-not-to-be-young/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Common sense is the guy who tells you that you ought to have had your brakes relined last week before you smashed a front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/common-sense-is-the-guy-who-tells-you-that-you-ought-to-have-had-your/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [Throwing a ball is not natural, whether it's overhand or underhand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-finch/throwing-a-ball-is-not-natural-whether-it-s-overhand-or-underhand/) [Jennie Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie-finch/) > [I don't feel like I have to live up to anything because I've proven that I can play. Give me the ball and let's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-portis/i-don-t-feel-like-i-have-to-live-up-to-anything-because-i-ve-proven/) [Clinton Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-portis/) > [And if we seem nutty to you and if we seem like an odd ball to you, just remember one thing. The mighty oak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-turner/and-if-we-seem-nutty-to-you-and-if-we-seem-like-an-odd-ball-to-you/) [Glenn Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-turner/) > [You run the football for toughness. You run the ball to tell your opponent that you're as tough as they are. But you throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-glanville/you-run-the-football-for-toughness-you-run-the-ball-to-tell-your/) Jerry Glanville Browse all 3,005 Balls quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Not only did I have to face the great Steve Davis for 10 years, Stephen Hendry came along, who attacked the balls. He was such an incredible potter with self-belief.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jimmy White" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/not-only-did-i-have-to-face-the-great-steve-davis-for-10-years/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Balls" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/not-only-did-i-have-to-face-the-great-steve-davis-for-10-years/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef0/jimmy-white-6900_balls_not-only-did-i-have-to-face-the-great-st_1310850.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef0/jimmy-white-6900_balls_not-only-did-i-have-to-face-the-great-st_1310850.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef0/jimmy-white-6900_balls_not-only-did-i-have-to-face-the-great-st_1310850.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Not only did I have to face the great Steve Davis for 10 years, Stephen Hendry came along, who attacked the…” — Jimmy White", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jimmy White", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Not only did I have to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/not-only-did-i-have-to-face-the-great-steve-davis-for-10-years/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/not-only-did-i-have-to-face-the-great-steve-davis-for-10-years/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```