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STEPHEN HENDRY needed all his skill to subdue a tenacious Steve Davis 9-6 and advance to the second round of the UK Championship at Telford.
Hendry and Davis had twice contested finals in the UK Championship in 1989 and 1991 with the Scotsman prevailing on both occasions while Davis had won their last encounter at this tournament in York 2005. Both players had a point to prove. Hendry after his disappointing exit to Mark Williams at the Grand Prix, while Davis had just won his first match of the season in qualifying against Irishman Michael Judge 9-7.
It was Hendry who got the best start as Davis missed a straightforward red and Hendry made him pay by taking full advantage to roll in a break of 115 lead 1-0. But if anyone thought that Stephen was going to ease his way clear of the six times UK champion they had another think coming as Steve stayed with Hendry, frame for frame, leading 4-3 before Stephen levelled at 4-4 at the interval with a 130 clearance.
Resuming neither player gave an inch as they ground on to 6-6. Now it was the best of five, and it was Hendry who threw the first punch as he got in with a 37 break in frame 13 before missing a simple red. Steve though couldn't capitalise, and his failure to do so was to cost him dear as he broke down on 20 when missing a straightforward blue to the centre- it just about gifted Stephen the frame. Dropping a red to the corner the Scotsman rolled a 40 break to move 7-6 in front.
Steve though must have been cursing his luck though- he should have levelled at 7-7 but lady luck chose this frame to give him a kick in the most unfriendly place. Let in when Stephen missed a simple red to the corner Davis was going nicely on a break of 41- with a clever plant picked out and secured- unfortunately he managed to cannon into the blue and it duly wandered into the centre pocket. To make matters worse Steve then misjudged his safety and Hendry with a red to the corner countered with 41. With two reds left on the cushion lady luck nailed her colours to the mast in the frame as Hendry sank a cross table doubled red and then scrambled in a yellow that certainly wiped it's feet to close out the frame and move 8-6 in front- needing just one frame for victory.
Stephen then took full advantage of Steve's misery, who must have still been cursing his luck to close out the match. Drilling in a long red to the corner Hendry navigated his way through a minefield of reds to piece together a break of 112 to close out victory. and book his place in the second round against Mark Selby who came from 8-4 down to edge out Jamie Cope with the help of two century breaks of 101 and 115 before winning the decider with breaks of 42 and 73
Meanwhile John Higgins was made to sweat by Ricky Walden before prevailing 9-7. The Scotsman stormed into a 4-0 lead against Ricky Walden with a run of 214 points before Ricky finally broke his duck. If Ricky thought the New York Marathon was tough Higgins was setting a pace that Ricky couldn't live with as they went into the mid session interval. It was just what Walden needed, the break in play - he won a scrappy fifth frame, reduced his arrears to 4-2 with the help of a 76. Breaks of 48 and 59 saw him close to 4-3 and then squared the match at 4-4 at the interval. Resuming Higgins moved 6-5 in front but the world champion soon found himself under the cosh in frame 12 as Walden powered in a long red and make a break of 44 before running out of position. Sizing up the situation Ricky tried to pot his way out of trouble and only succeeded in giving Higgins a chance to counter. Giving John Higgins a chance like that is usually asking for trouble and it duly materialised as Higgins sank a close range red and rolled in a break of 88 to lead 7-5 at the mid session interval.
Higgins needed no second invitation this time as he stroked in a long red and with the cue ball on a piece of string Higgins compiled the 420th century break of his professional career with a 116 - breaking down on a long straight pink to the "yellow" pocket.
While Higgins led 8-5 Ricky was in no mood to throw the towel in and with Higgins missing a few relatively simple pots it was Walden who established a 35 point lead. A loose safety shot from Higgins soon followed and with a red sitting pretty in the centre of the table Ricky stroked in the red and pieced together a break of 49- to remind Higgins he wasn't ready to give up on his title ambitions. Ricky is a rhythm player- and once he establishes a bit of that the confidence starts to flow. He powered in a long red at the start of frame 16 but broke down on 17 when he missed a straightforward blue. But the reprieve for Higgins was shortlived as Ricky drilled in a close range red to the corner and a 69 break was enough for Walden to close to 8-7. And the alarm bells were surely ringing for the world champion.
And Higgins answered them as he powered in a long straight red to the top corner pocket from deep in baulk and stroked in 37 before seeing his position go awry. Still though there was a chance of a red to the corner. Playing it dead weight the red slowed up - to stay in the jaws of the pocket allowing Ricky to step in. He prodded in the red but could do nothing with the position and was forced into safety. Getting into a saftey duel with John Higgins is never a good idea and he was to pay for it when Higgins hammered in a long red to the corner and cleared up with a break of 84 to move into the second round and set up a mouth watering clash with Neil Robertson(who thumped Tom Ford 9-3)- and revenge must be uppermost in the mind of Higgins who lost a dramatic encounter to the Australian in Glasgow at the Grand Prix.
Elsewhere Stephen Lee cause a minor upset by eding out Mark Allen 9-8. Lee looked to be heading for a 9-7 victory in frame 16 only for Allen to force a re-spotted black to steal the frame and level at 8-8 and force a decider which Lee took comfortably without any sizeable breaks. Former UK champion Peter Ebdon overcame Judd Trump 9-4. Stuart Bingham was a 9-4 victor over Joe Perry while Lian Wenbo thrashed Ryan Day 9-3.
Suzy Jardine
Hendry and Davis had twice contested finals in the UK Championship in 1989 and 1991 with the Scotsman prevailing on both occasions while Davis had won their last encounter at this tournament in York 2005. Both players had a point to prove. Hendry after his disappointing exit to Mark Williams at the Grand Prix, while Davis had just won his first match of the season in qualifying against Irishman Michael Judge 9-7.
It was Hendry who got the best start as Davis missed a straightforward red and Hendry made him pay by taking full advantage to roll in a break of 115 lead 1-0. But if anyone thought that Stephen was going to ease his way clear of the six times UK champion they had another think coming as Steve stayed with Hendry, frame for frame, leading 4-3 before Stephen levelled at 4-4 at the interval with a 130 clearance.
Resuming neither player gave an inch as they ground on to 6-6. Now it was the best of five, and it was Hendry who threw the first punch as he got in with a 37 break in frame 13 before missing a simple red. Steve though couldn't capitalise, and his failure to do so was to cost him dear as he broke down on 20 when missing a straightforward blue to the centre- it just about gifted Stephen the frame. Dropping a red to the corner the Scotsman rolled a 40 break to move 7-6 in front.
Steve though must have been cursing his luck though- he should have levelled at 7-7 but lady luck chose this frame to give him a kick in the most unfriendly place. Let in when Stephen missed a simple red to the corner Davis was going nicely on a break of 41- with a clever plant picked out and secured- unfortunately he managed to cannon into the blue and it duly wandered into the centre pocket. To make matters worse Steve then misjudged his safety and Hendry with a red to the corner countered with 41. With two reds left on the cushion lady luck nailed her colours to the mast in the frame as Hendry sank a cross table doubled red and then scrambled in a yellow that certainly wiped it's feet to close out the frame and move 8-6 in front- needing just one frame for victory.
Stephen then took full advantage of Steve's misery, who must have still been cursing his luck to close out the match. Drilling in a long red to the corner Hendry navigated his way through a minefield of reds to piece together a break of 112 to close out victory. and book his place in the second round against Mark Selby who came from 8-4 down to edge out Jamie Cope with the help of two century breaks of 101 and 115 before winning the decider with breaks of 42 and 73
Meanwhile John Higgins was made to sweat by Ricky Walden before prevailing 9-7. The Scotsman stormed into a 4-0 lead against Ricky Walden with a run of 214 points before Ricky finally broke his duck. If Ricky thought the New York Marathon was tough Higgins was setting a pace that Ricky couldn't live with as they went into the mid session interval. It was just what Walden needed, the break in play - he won a scrappy fifth frame, reduced his arrears to 4-2 with the help of a 76. Breaks of 48 and 59 saw him close to 4-3 and then squared the match at 4-4 at the interval. Resuming Higgins moved 6-5 in front but the world champion soon found himself under the cosh in frame 12 as Walden powered in a long red and make a break of 44 before running out of position. Sizing up the situation Ricky tried to pot his way out of trouble and only succeeded in giving Higgins a chance to counter. Giving John Higgins a chance like that is usually asking for trouble and it duly materialised as Higgins sank a close range red and rolled in a break of 88 to lead 7-5 at the mid session interval.
Higgins needed no second invitation this time as he stroked in a long red and with the cue ball on a piece of string Higgins compiled the 420th century break of his professional career with a 116 - breaking down on a long straight pink to the "yellow" pocket.
While Higgins led 8-5 Ricky was in no mood to throw the towel in and with Higgins missing a few relatively simple pots it was Walden who established a 35 point lead. A loose safety shot from Higgins soon followed and with a red sitting pretty in the centre of the table Ricky stroked in the red and pieced together a break of 49- to remind Higgins he wasn't ready to give up on his title ambitions. Ricky is a rhythm player- and once he establishes a bit of that the confidence starts to flow. He powered in a long red at the start of frame 16 but broke down on 17 when he missed a straightforward blue. But the reprieve for Higgins was shortlived as Ricky drilled in a close range red to the corner and a 69 break was enough for Walden to close to 8-7. And the alarm bells were surely ringing for the world champion.
And Higgins answered them as he powered in a long straight red to the top corner pocket from deep in baulk and stroked in 37 before seeing his position go awry. Still though there was a chance of a red to the corner. Playing it dead weight the red slowed up - to stay in the jaws of the pocket allowing Ricky to step in. He prodded in the red but could do nothing with the position and was forced into safety. Getting into a saftey duel with John Higgins is never a good idea and he was to pay for it when Higgins hammered in a long red to the corner and cleared up with a break of 84 to move into the second round and set up a mouth watering clash with Neil Robertson(who thumped Tom Ford 9-3)- and revenge must be uppermost in the mind of Higgins who lost a dramatic encounter to the Australian in Glasgow at the Grand Prix.
Elsewhere Stephen Lee cause a minor upset by eding out Mark Allen 9-8. Lee looked to be heading for a 9-7 victory in frame 16 only for Allen to force a re-spotted black to steal the frame and level at 8-8 and force a decider which Lee took comfortably without any sizeable breaks. Former UK champion Peter Ebdon overcame Judd Trump 9-4. Stuart Bingham was a 9-4 victor over Joe Perry while Lian Wenbo thrashed Ryan Day 9-3.
Suzy Jardine