Stephen Hendry won the 1990 World Snooker Championship by defeating Jimmy White in the final.
Hendry won the Crucible final 18–12, securing his first world title at the age of 21. The victory marked the beginning of his dominance in the 1990s and made him the youngest world champion at the time, a separate record from the identity of the first winner at the Crucible.
White reached the final after a celebrated semi-final against defending champion Steve Davis, but he could not stop Hendry in the championship match. Hendry’s precise long-potting and break-building became central features of his playing style and helped define the era.
Hendry went on to win six more world titles, taking his total to seven. His 1990 triumph is therefore both a specific final result and the opening title in one of snooker’s most successful modern careers. The final score was 18–12, not the famous 18–17 score from the 1985 final.