Hendry - searching for very best form (Getty Images)
NO QUARTERS GIVEN BY HENDRY
Stephen Hendry has yet to show the form that will make him Embassy World
Champion for an eighth time on May 5.
But the tournament continues in the next round for the 34-year-old Scot who
tonight became the first player to reach the quarter-finals.
It is provisional world number one Mark Williams or Quinten Hann of Australia
next for Hendry after he survived a tough second round contest against
compatriot Drew Henry.
Hendry, who began the final session with a 9-7 lead, then found himself 10-9
in arrears against the world number 22 from Glasgow.
But just when he needed it most Hendry showed the form that has brought him
seven previous world title wins to record a 13-10 victory.
Henry did not win another frame, though he received plenty of praise from the
victor.
"Drew is such a tough player and makes it really hard for you," said the
world number six from Auchterarder.
"Drew doesn't score the big breaks but makes 40 or 50 and then plays some
very good safety.
"His long potting is also phenomenal and he never gives up. Thankfully I
managed to raise a gear when I was 10-9 down," added Hendry, who will enjoy a
weekend off and watch Williams and Hann battle it out for the right to meet
him.
Hendry's four-frame burst to end the game included a break of 130 in the 21st
frame - his third ton of the match.
"When you get to the quarter-final that's when the tournament starts as far
as I am concerned," said Hendry.
"If you don't play your best snooker then you're going to be in trouble."
There is plenty riding on Hendry's next match. In addition to a place in the
semi-finals he also needs to keep winning in order to become world number one at
the end of the season.
Hendry, who last topped the rankings five years ago, will have to beat
Williams to stand any chance of fulfilling his ambition.
"What more motivation do I need than to get back to number one?" he asked.
"This win over Drew means I am in the top four again which is fantastic."
Hendry would have expected to meet Ronnie O'Sullivan in the semi-finals but
refuses to get carried away by the Rocket's early departure.
"Just because Ronnie is out it doesn't mean there are no good players left,"
insisted Hendry.
"On his day Ronnie will be clear favourite but he is out and you only have to
look at some of the other players left to see there is still plenty of quality.
"It will be nice now to relax for a few days and watch Mark sweat. If I'm
being honest I would rather play Quinten because Mark is one of the best players
in the world," added Hendry, beaten by his stablemate in the final of the B&H
Masters at Wembley back in February, having beaten Williams in the Welsh Open
final several weeks earlier.
John Higgins has not won a title for more than 13 months but he was far more
impressive in building a 10-6 lead over Sean Storey.
And with a touch more luck the world number four from Wishaw could have been
celebrating his first ever world championship maximum break.
He was poised to emulate O'Sullivan's achievement against Marco Fu when he
potted 15 reds, 15 blacks and the yellow in frame two.
He then missed the green and with it the chance to share O'Sullivan's bounty
of £169,000.
And then in the closing frame of the night after earlier knocking in runs of
73, 56, 60, 77, 51 and 85 he put the Crucible on maximum alert once more.
This time Higgins cued his way to 72 but missed a costly ball and Storey came
back to the table and cleared up with 73.
It was an excellent break by the world number 82 from Grimsby but is surely
just a formality until Higgins gains the three frames he requires to qualify for
the next round.
The match resumes tomorrow afternoon with nine further frames.
Peter Ebdon can expect a verbal blast from Tony Drago when the duo complete
their acrimonious second round match in the Embassy World Championship on Saturday.
The defending champion is poised to reach the quarter-finals after taking
seven of this afternoon's eight frames of their penultimate session.
But Ebdon's 11-5 lead was overshadowed as both players lost their cool in a
bid to stay in the tournament.
Drago was fuming at what he perceived to be Ebdon's slow play and delaying
tactics.
The defending champion was angered by the playing conditions and is thought to
have confronted tournament director Mike Ganley during the mid-session
interval.
But Drago's anger was more visible. After missing an easy pink in frame 15 the
Maltese star conceded with seven reds left on the table.
The score was just 31-12 in favour of the world number three from
Wellingborough.
At the conclusion of the frame Ebdon disappeared backstage for a toilet
break.
Already incensed by an earlier Ebdon excursion to the loo, Drago sarcastically
applauded his opponent back to the table. He also gave the champion a long stare
as he sat down.
Ebdon, whose average shot time was 29 seconds compared to Drago's 12,
responded by knocking in a break of 105.
But even before the last couple of balls were potted, Drago had removed his
bow tie in readiness for the end of the session.
They shook hands - as quickly as Drago pots balls - before leaving the arena.
Drago refused to speak after the session but is unlikely to be as reticent
when the game is over tomorrow morning.
Despite the undercurrent of bad feeling Ebdon can be satisfied with his day's
work.
He resumed the day tied at 4-4 with Drago determined to make the champion work
for every frame.
Unfortunately the 37-year-old Valletta cueman's best laid plans were wrecked
by some careless pots.
Ebdon, an easy 10-3 winner over Gerard Greene in the first round, took the
next two frames with a top break of just 31.
Drago cut the leeway to 6-5 with a century break before Ebdon found better
form to add runs of 72, 44, 54 and his closing ton.
Stephen Lee twice reached three figures in his second round game against Jimmy
White.
The Whirlwind carries public support even more than normal after Ronnie
O'Sullivan's first round exit.
And though Lee compiled breaks of 102 and 125 it is White who starts tomorrow
morning with a 5-3 lead.
The 40-year-old six-times world championship runner-up was never behind in the
two-hour session.
It was certainly a more encouraging performance than he managed against James
Wattana despite winning seven frames without reply against the Thai.
However, White requires eight of the remaining 17 frames to reach the
quarter-finals for only the second time in five years.
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