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Page last updated at 21:36 GMT, Sunday, 19 April 2009 22:36 UK
World Snooker 2009

Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
18 April-4 May 2009




Stephen Hendry

Video - Hendry cleans up against Williams

Seven-time champion Stephen Hendry produced an impressive comeback to beat Mark Williams in the World Championship first round at the Crucible.

The match resumed with Williams 5-4 ahead and he extended his lead to 7-5 despite playing with a damaged tip.

The interval was taken early so Williams could make repairs but Hendry returned the stronger player.

He rattled off the next five frames, with breaks of 51, 83 and 53, to win an enthralling contest.

"To be 5-4 down last night I was devastated," said the Scot, who will play either Liang Wenbo or Ding Junhui in the next round.

606: DEBATE

"Tonight I came out and I didn't feel confident, I didn't truly believe I could win.

"But something is inside me that doesn't allow myself to give up and it just came to the fore, I just kept plugging away.

"Mark had cue trouble throughout the match and that obviously had something to do with the shots he was playing."

Williams was favourite to win the match at 7-5 when he informed referee Alan Chamberlain his tip was severely damaged.

The Welshman offered to play on until the break was due, but Hendry agreed to take the mid-session interval a frame ahead of schedule.

The key frame for Hendry was the 13th, as he battled back from 69-19 behind to take it by one point with a clearance of 51, comprising three reds, three blacks and the colours.

Graeme Dott

Video - Dott wins close game against Hawkins

Former world champion Graeme Dott advanced to the second round with a 10-8 victory over Barry Hawkins in a high-quality match.

Dott, winner at the Crucible in 2006, made breaks of 70, 91, 95, 69 and a match-winning 43 in the 18th frame, while Hawkins - who had led 5-4 at the start of the session - compiled runs of 105, 75 and 63.

"If I play like that I can win it, but everybody else plays like that as well," said Dott.

Mark King made it through after finally completing his match against Rory McLeod.

The pair resumed late on Sunday with King leading 9-5 and McLeod briefly rallied with breaks of 54 and 65 to make the score 9-6.

But King held on to edge a close 16th frame to seal a 10-6 victory.

Their first session on Saturday had to be stopped at 3-3 because it was poised to run into the time allocated for afternoon matches.

McLeod won the opening frame of their Sunday morning session to go 4-3 ahead, however King then strung together a run of four in a row to lead 7-4.

He compiled the first century of the match in the ninth frame, with a break of 114. McLeod pulled it back to 7-5 before King pulled away with breaks of 65 and 54.

Ali Carter
Carter lost to Ronnie O'Sullivan in last year's final

Ali Carter,

the 2008 World Championship runner-up, beat Gerard Greene 10-5 to book his berth in the second round.

Northern Ireland's Greene, who beat ex-champion Ken Doherty in the final round of qualifying, pulled back to 6-4 but Carter, from Essex, was not be denied.

Greene wasted a good chance to close to 6-5, and a 68 break in the next frame saw Carter close on victory at 8-4.

A 55 break by Greene made it 8-5, but his errors helped Carter to clinch the next two frames and reach the last 16.

Carter said: "I'm not saying I set the world alight with that performance - I didn't, it was a tough game. I was pleased to get it out of the way.

"Gerard is a very good player. He didn't play anywhere near his best but nor did I. It's all about winning and I did that so I'm pleased."

Mark Allen has one foot in the second round after taking a 7-2 lead over Martin Gould.

The pair are playing for the right to face title holder Ronnie O'Sullivan who beat Stuart Bingham 10-5 on day one.

Mark Allen
Allen reached the last 16 in 2007

Breaks of 69, 65, 77, 129 and 52 put Northern Ireland's Allen in complete control against his English opponent.

They will return for the concluding session on Monday morning with left-hander Allen needing just three more frames to book a clash O'Sullivan.

Victory in his opener should also guarantee Allen's top-16 place in next season's rankings.

Gould's only break above 50 came in the third frame, which he took thanks to a run of 71.

However he at least finished the session on a high by clearing the colours to deny Allen an 8-1 lead.

Mark Selby leads 6-3 Ricky Walden after the opening session of their first round encounter.

Walden went 2-0 down before a break of 90 gave him the third frame, but Selby took the next two for 4-1.

A 78 break saw Walden pull another frame back but Selby replied with a run of 62 in the next.

A break of 52 helped Walden to close to 5-3, only for Selby to win the final frame of the session 74-53.

Graeme Dott

Video - Dott wins close game against Hawkins



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see also
World Championship latest scores
15 Apr 09 |  Snooker
World Championship draw
07 Apr 09 |  Snooker
O'Sullivan breezes into round two
18 Apr 09 |  Snooker
Allen targets Rocket showdown
16 Apr 09 |  Snooker
Snooker on the BBC
20 Jan 09 |  Snooker


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