HUNTER BREEZES TO VICTORY
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Paul Hunter completed the last eight line-up with his crushing 13-6 victory over
stablemate Matthew Stevens.
Leeds-based Hunter needed just 45 minutes to put the Welshman out of his
misery after resuming with a 12-4 lead.
It is the first time Stevens has failed to reach the quarter-finals since
1997.
Hunter inflicted maximum punishment during this morning's second session when
he claimed six of the eight available frames, having started the day 6-2 up.
The final session had to be delayed as Ken Doherty and Graeme Dott slugged it
out for more than nine hours in their second round match.
In contrast Hunter and Stevens zipped through their match in half the time.
When the good friends eventually got down to business Stevens added some
respectability to the scoreline by taking the first two frames of the evening,
including a break of 101.
But Hunter knew it was only delaying the inevitable.
He said: "It was only a matter of time before I got a chance. It was nice to
have a 6-2 lead after the first session. And to be honest I would have settled
to share the second 4-4.
"But I took that 6-2 as well and Matthew had a mountain to climb.
"Besides Matthew has had his time," joked Hunter of the world number eight
from Carmarthen. "It's my turn now."
Stevens, runner-up to Mark Williams in 2000, knew he would never attain the
summit and revealed he went out for a meal and a few beers between sessions.
"I'd have probably done the same," said the world number nine who has so far
not been tested in his opening two games.
It will be different tomorrow when he begins a best of 25 frames quarter-final
against defending champion Peter Ebdon - Hunter's first appearance in the last
eight.
"I've played Peter a few times and every time I've beaten him I've gone on to
win the tournament," explained the confidant Yorkshireman.
"I'm not saying that's going to happen again but it's nice to know I've got
that sort of record against him."
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