Stephen Hendry V Ali Carter

[dantuck_7]

Hendry is 15-1 on betfair.

[Alex0paul]

Hendry has been quite unlucky in this match. Ok he has been second best to Carter but a couple of times he has had terrible luck on crucial balls. The brown rolling off was probably the crucial part in this match and I don't think Hendry recovered from that.

For me this tournament is really going downhill fast. Lack of centuries, lack of quality matches, disapointing performances from Ding and Robertson and also the liklehood of a bizarre quarter final draw that nobody would have predicted. If this was the quarter final draw I would be quite upset.

Maguire V Hamilton
Higgins V O'Sullivan
Murphy V Stevens
Selby V Carter

If this was the case I would almost say Murphy was a dead cert to be in his second final.

[Aggrolite]

I don't think even Jimmy White could blow this lead. So sad that'll he'll more than likely go out next round as per usual with him.

Hendry mucked up this session very badly though.

[Alex0paul]

Another ball rolls off for Hendry!

Looks like Hendry needs to win 9 frames in a row.

[elvaago]

All I can say who are these two guys and what did they do with Ali Carter and Stephen Hendry?!

It's a complete reversal of what the situation should be.

Off to bed. COME ON STEPHEN! COME ON JOHN!

[Hendry the 8th]

Hendry fluked his way into the second round. Why on earth did he change his cue - idiot!

I am starting to think that this is the beginning of the end - the slide down the rankings starts here. I wish he would call it a day.

12-4 down - what a joke! If I were Hendry, I'd go home tonight, he's finished.

Good riddance - he is pathetic and I am ashamed to be a fan of his.

I wouldn't mind if he had made an effort to get back into the match, if you can't play your A game at The Crucible, you shouldn't be there.

It serves him right.

[Miss Walker]

Ali Carter was on a roll and Stephen Hendry, well, he wasn't there, was he? As I've said before, I wish Ali was beating someone else right now, but not Hendo... Ali is playing terrific snooker right now.

[Maija]

Oh come on, he's got more good snooker left in him. He just needs to get to know his cue a bit better. Hopefully this won't haunt him next season!

For me this tournament is really going downhill fast. Lack of centuries, lack of quality matches

Are we watching the same tournament? I mean, ok, some matches / sessions have been dreadful, but tonight's session at the other table?! Carter's playing wonderfully, Maguire well enough and getting better by the session and Stevens has somehow got a fetish for Sheffield, it seems.

[Hendry the 8th]

I am certain that the 2005 Malta Cup will be the last tournament that Hendry will win. Next season he will drop out of the top 16.

[PaulTheSoave]

Its not as bad as last year. first round was horrendous last year. The standard of play is not very high though. For example, when Murphy played his last round against JP the safety department was so poor. Not able to put the cueball anywhere safe or lay a decent snooker on at least a few dozen occassions.

I still think it can develop into a good tournament as the prima donnas are coming through in good shape, like Higgins, Stevens, ROS, Maguire and Murphy.

Hendry lost the plot. changing your cue a forthnight before the tournament is suicide! Desperate measures.

[Alex0paul]

Are we watching the same tournament? I mean, ok, some matches / sessions have been dreadful, but tonight's session at the other table?! Carter's playing wonderfully, Maguire well enough and getting better by the session and Stevens has somehow got a fetish for Sheffield, it seems.

I don't find players running away with matches very entertaining. The best match of today was Ebdon verses Selby. Maybe it is because I am going to the semis and don't really want to watch Carter Vs Murphy or Hamilton Vs O'Sullivan. I mean this is the World Championships and it has gone downhill in my opinion since Murphy won it. I am not bashing Murphy here because I think if it had been any qualifier the same could be said. It has given the lesser players more belief they can go on and win it and they aren't as scared as they would have been thus meaning the bigger named players getting knocked out. This years tournament just has not got started, in my opinion, and I don't think it will.

[ADR147]

I am certain that the 2005 Malta Cup will be the last tournament that Hendry will win. Next season he will drop out of the top 16.

This is not a bet I would make! the man is a total legend and as long as he is still playing he will always be a threat.

[Marc]

I am certain that the 2005 Malta Cup will be the last tournament that Hendry will win. Next season he will drop out of the top 16.

The new cue certainly didnt help, Ali carter playing brilliant didnt help, Carters amazing good fortune and hendrys bad luck didnt help neither..It did happen...

If they both started the match from the beginning again tomorrow morning i think it would be a different story. In practice hendrys been playing brilliant im sure he will win again,and at the end of next season he will be still in the top 8, nevermind the top 16..

Im real disapointed too in his play, but i still believe there are still some good days and weeks left in him just yet!

[Maija]

I don't find players running away with matches very entertaining. The best match of today was Ebdon verses Selby. Maybe it is because I am going to the semis and don't really want to watch Carter Vs Murphy or Hamilton Vs O'Sullivan.

Heheheh, I can sympathise with that (Though better than Hamilton v Murphy.) I know what you mean, I had expected a lot more from the ROS/Neil match, for instance, in terms of it being a close match, with more equally shared frames. I'm still hoping for Neil tomorrow! As for Higgins stealing the whole match - he did so in great style. I really cannot complain. It's the same with this match, Carter has played wonderfully, and though my heart now bleeds a little for Hendry, I have enjoyed some good snooker produced by Ali.

It has given the lesser players more belief they can go on and win it and they aren't as scared as they would have been thus meaning the bigger named players getting knocked out.

I guess we just see it differently, then. I think it's vital that the young ones chase the older, respected players without remorse or a second thought. They have nothing to lose, everything to win. Allen taking out Doherty - was pure class. Sadly it didn't go all the way for Judd Trump, but this place would have exploded with Trumpmania had he managed!

[Alex0paul]

I guess we just see it differently, then. I think it's vital that the young ones chase the older, respected players without remorse or a second thought. They have nothing to lose, everything to win. Allen taking out Doherty - was pure class. Sadly it didn't go all the way for Judd Trump, but this place would have exploded with Trumpmania had he managed!

I am pleased Higgins is playing well and does deserve to be a multipule World Champion.

I would have prefered to see more of Allen in other tournaments rather than bursting onto our screens in the world championships. Also he is already 21 so he isn't going to be the new sensation because for me he is already too old to get close to Hendry's record. (Considering players don't really win it after 31) I am encouraged by Trump but his safety was very up and down and obviously showed huge inexperience in that department.
I think I am pretty old fashioned in my views as I think the World Title should really only be contested between the top players rather than a surprise package coming through and winning it. Although I wasn't complaining when Dott won last year.