Hendry survives first round thriller at snooker worlds
22/4/2008 17:43
Seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry made the greatest escape so far
in the 2008 World Snooker Championships, beating Mark Allen 10-9 in the first
round yesterday.
Hendry was two balls away from being knocked out but showed
a bit of magic to make a perfect bounceback.
Allen, 22, led 6-3 and 9-7
before his best chance came at 9-8.
Leading 66-39 on a break of 39, the
Northern Irish missed a simple pink to a center pocket, needing just that ball
and the last red for the overall win.
Hendry showed no mercy to clear up with
35 to force a deciding frame in which he devastated the young opponent with a
brilliant 72.
"It's probably the greatest first round match I've ever won in
all the years I've been coming in Sheffield , England," said the Scot.
"I've
got to take confidence from a win like this, to be up against it all the way and
come through in the end, and to win the last frame in style in one visit is very
pleasing."
Xinhua
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