Hunter - second Welsh triumph (Allsport).

HUNTER IS PRINCE OF WALES

Click here for results

Paul Hunter defeated Ken Doherty 9-7 to collect his second Regal Welsh Open crown in four years at the Cardiff International Arena on Sunday night.

The 23-year-old from Leeds landed the £82,500 first prize with a break of 76 after Doherty had fought back from 7-4 down to trail by just a frame at 8-7.

Hunter, who won the title in 1998, was beaten 9-2 by Doherty in the final 12 months ago but pulled off a series of great long pots to prevent a repeat defeat.

"I could have won 9-2 because I had plenty of chances but Ken is such a gritty player that he came back at me," Hunter said.

"When he came back to 8-7 I knew I'd have to win it in the next frame to stop him and it's a fantastic feeling to have done that."

Hunter dropped the opening frame but then won five in a row as breaks of 72, 62 and 141, the highest of his seven-year professional career, carried him 5-1 ahead.

Doherty made 56 in reducing this to 5-2 and then threw himself a lifeline by winning the eighth on the black after Hunter had missed it for 6-2.

On the resumption, Hunter won two of the first three frames to extend his advantage to 7-4 but Doherty won the next with a 52 and clinched the next with a run of 40 for 7-6 after Hunter had gone in-off an attempted safety.

Hunter shrugged this off to win the 14th frame without dropping a point and was poised to clinch the title when he built a 56-point lead.

However, Hunter elected to go for a risky red after Doherty had fouled rather than put the Dubliner back in and eventually lost the frame to Doherty's 34 clearance to the pink.

But Hunter rose to the challenge again and his 76 sealed a victory which sends him into the world's top eight in the provisional rankings for the first time.

"I was excellent among the balls but I always knew it would be tough against Ken," said Hunter.

"What happened last year did have a bearing on the match. It made me determined not to be beaten like that again."

Doherty, drubbed 10-1 by Ronnie O'Sullivan in last month's UK Championship final, had no complaints after losing his first final as a married man.

Doherty, who wed long-time girlfriend Sarah Prasad in Melbourne just after Christmas, twice got to within a frame of Hunter but could not draw level.

"Every time I got close to him, Paul knocked in another good long ball and made a break," the Irishman said. "When I thought I had him under the cosh he pulled away again.

"I'm disappointed to lose another final but he played very well and a couple of errors cost me."

Doherty moves from fourth to third in the provisional rankings, with Hunter up from ninth to eighth.