2008 888.com World Championship

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Ladder - QUALIFYING RESULTS  - CRUCIBLE RESULTS  - INFORMATION - MATCH NOTES - PLAYER CUEFACTS

GALLERIES: No. 1 Preliminary Rounds - No. 2 Qualifying Rounds

Stephen Hendry

v

Ronnie O'Sullivan

Semi Final 1

(Best of 33 frames)

Thursday 1 May 14.00

Friday 2 May 10.00

Friday 2 May 19.00

Saturday 3 May 14.30

 

Match Notes

Good afternoon, welcome back to the new look Crucible - down to the one table set up for the semi finals. A packed arena, a great atmosphere, and I for one, can't wait for the start of this match, it could be a classic... the first chance falls to Hendry after an error by Ronnie... you feel Hendry needs to get a good start to put some pressure on Ronnie.. this is the 50th tournament match between these two and the fourth time they've met in the semi finals here... He's made 32 so far,  it's a pretty good chance this, albeit that it's the first frame and they've got to get used to the new cloth, onto 68 now, still six reds left, so he needs one more, which he's got, now can he open with a century, on 84 now, of course he can, and if this is a sign of what's to come in this match, then it's going to be a real treat... well you can't get better than a total clearance to start the match, 140 - absolutely wonderful... Hendry makes 16 in the second, but can't gain good position, a little safety exchange has developed now... and the safety is equally as brilliant as their potting... who will make the first error here? Both players look to be at the very top of their game, both know the other provides a true test of their abilities and they rise to that occasion, but who will prevail I wonder, well we'll find but as the match unfolds... Ronnie makes an error on his safety Hendry opens a 47 point lead, but it's back to safety again.. there's a mistake by Hendry and Ronnie pots his first ball of the match... he's made 22 but can't retain position and that's a terrible safety attempt, he's gone in off in the corner pocket... Hendry leads 51-22 with 3 reds left, they're all safe at the moment near the top cushion... Ronnie gets one of them but can't open the last two... Hendry's clipped one in to lead 54-28 with one red left... Hendry's left a long red for Ronnie and it whistles in.. he's missed a thin clip on the blue, he's 13 behind... Hendry back doubles the blue in the corner and will take a 2-0 lead unless Ronnie can get a snooker... he's 18 behind on the pink... Hendry rolls in the long pink to win the frame... Ronnie breaks off in the third and puts Hendry in trouble and that leaves a red on for O'Sullivan... he can't get on the next red so runs safe... Ronnie gets the next chance after Hendry makes only 9... Ronnie fails at 29 and he's left Hendry a chance and it's a good chance... and he's moved 47-29 ahead now with four reds left, two in the open and two on cushions... one red left and Ronnie needs a snooker... that break of 60 gives him a 40 point lead... Ronnie gets a good snooker but Hendry manufactures an equally good escape route... Hendry snookers Ronnie, an easy hit and he gets it safe... or does he! Hendry fires in the red and that's the frame safe now... O'Sullivan gets the first chance in frame four, he'll be anxious to covert this but he can't, he's missed a pink to centre on 32.. and worse, he's left the reds on for Hendry... and Hendry, in turn, misses a red to centre on 24... so another chance for Ronnie, five reds still left... but again he's missed a red to centre... a chapter of misses, Hendry rattles one with the rest... no one wants to win this frame, Ronnie's missed a red, but he's 22 ahead and the last two reds are on the side cushion.. a reverse double solves that problem on one red, he can't get on the last red though and he didn't mean to put that pink safe.. so Ronnie has a 13 point lead on the last red... Hendry pots a great red... and after all that Ronnie eventually clears the colours to trail 3-1 at the interval...

The players return after their break, four more frames to play this afternoon... Ronnie creates the first scoring chance... he's looking for a maximum now, onto 56, but there's two reds up in baulk, this isn't an easy max attempt... he's on 64 and he's out of position, a hard red now, and he needs to win the frame first and foremost... he's missed the red... and Hendry's got it and now he's got a good chance to pinch this frame... onto 21, two reds left, both in pottable positions... he's got the reds, needs a good shot to get up for the yellow... he's on it and still needs all the colours, but he's missed the mid range yellow... Ronnie's left it in the jaws but Hendry's snookered... a god serve to hit and pot the yellow.. Hendry misses the long green but leaves Ronnie snookered... and he's missed the escape and it's a free ball... he's hit it and left it over the pocket.. and Hendry clears up to win the frame, he stretches his lead to 4-1, it should have been 3-2... Hendry starts frame six with a long red, lands perfect on the black, he's looking very dangerous today... oh what's he done here! potted green in middle pocket and has snookered himself behind it! five misses so far trying to get to the reds, the break ended at 32, but he's given 20 back in fouls... he hits the red at the sixth attempt... Hendry's missed a red ad left it on... and no mistake this time, O'Sullivan secures the frame... and clears up with 102, fabulous break... and Ronnie's straight to the table in frame seven... 16 so far and a couple of loose reds available... he's missed on 32... Hendry is unlucky, having potted a red, to see the white turn off as he rolled up to the yellow, he didn't get the snooker and left Ronnie a red, but he doesn't get position so he has a 33-1 lead and some cagey safety now as the reds are wide open... Ronnie gets in and is close to the winning line now, 64-1 ahead... he's missed frame red, but he's got a 63 point lead, 59 left on, Hendry needs one snooker, well now it's two as Hendry fouls... that red finally gives Ronnie the frame... and Ronnie is off and running in the last of the afternoon... he's run in 38 so far ... he's let that black go astray on 46... Hendry's responded with 34 so far, he can't get on the last two reds at this visit... that was reckless by Hendry, went for a double on the red and went in-off, he's left the red on for Ronnie... and he's cleared, so 4-4 overnight, honours even after a fascinating session...

Good morning, welcome to Session two of this match... Ronnie fires in the first red of the morning, the reds have been nicely opened from the safety exchange... he's rattled into a 50 point lead... the frame is safe, can Ronnie mop up with a century, no he can't get the last red, but a blistering 93 to take the lead... Ronnie's run up to the pack leaves a tiny gap and Hendry strokes a great red to the centre... in no time at all he's got the balls into good positions, this is a nice chance to counter Ronnie's blast in the opening frame.. he's moved along to 37, had to go in and out of baulk to retain position.. Henry's moved on to 53 but he's lost good position, tried a very hard red and missed it, and he's left it on... a let off for Hendry, Ronnie's only made 5... Hendry can't capitalise, so another chance for O'Sullivan... the only obstacle to a clearance is one red near the side cushion... not any more, Ronnie's got rid of that... the brown disappears, a good long blue and the frame will be Ronnie's... he's missed it... he's lucky, it's over the pocket but he's snookered Hendry... and he's missed the escape... and Ronnie gets it and the frame... Ronnie misses a risky cross double and he's left a red for Hendry... he's got the wrong side of the blue and can't get back round for the reds, but he's spotted a plant to keep the break going... but he's missed on 35 and left an opening for Ronnie... he's onto 49, two reds left... he's faced with a tough last red up the rail to the yellow pocket... with the rest... it's rattled and run safe.. Ronnie leads 57-35... Hendry has left it right over the pocket after that snooker escape... Ronnie clears and he's won all three frames this morning... Ronnie slots in the first red and gets an immediate chance in frame twelve... and he's made 87, another fabulous break, he's won the last seven frames now, so plenty for Hendry to think about at the interval... they're back from the interval, four more frames to play this morning and it's now crucial for Hendry to win maybe three of them... but it's Ronnie going well again, onto a 49-0 lead... 67 ahead now with 59 left on... and he completes a wonderful century... a 133 total clearance... Ronnie rolls in a red after the safety battle in frame fourteen, and straight onto the black and a good scoring chance again... this is relentless now from Ronnie, onto 72, another frame safe... and there's another century, it's fabulous snooker by the Rocket... another total clearance, Hendry just can't get a chance... Hendry misses the pack twice but is forced to take a very hard red down the rail, he's got it and now has a scoring chance, but the split off the pack has gone wrong... Hendry misses a red to middle pocket, Ronnie doesn't... his breaks reaches 57, he's 71-16 ahead, one red needed... that brilliant black to the middle makes sure of another frame with that 85 break... 11-4 ahead now... he's steam-rolling Hendry today... A good red for Hendry in the last of the morning, onto 36, can he salvage something from a disastrous morning.. the pack doesn't split kindly, end of break at 44... Hendry's safety leaves a red for Ronnie... and he's in a position to win the frame... the last red is down... he's 21 up on the yellow.. no problem, he's taken the frame and won the session 8-0, unbelievable..

Welcome back, don't blink! What can these players come up with tonight that will match the first two amazing sessions in this historic match... Some good safety shots to start but Hendry's left a long red for O'Sullivan... bang! and the Rocket lifts off again... he's carrying on where he left off this morning, already onto 37... 48 now and key shot coming up, splitting the remaining pack... it's like shelling peas... and that's the frame secure, only remains to see how big the break will be... there's the ton... how can anyone play the game this well, it is unbelievable snooker... a 126 clearance... At last, Hendry gets to a pot ball, a great long red, the cheer from the crowd is as loud as if he'd won the Championship... he's in good position, but just how battered and bruised is he after the O'Sullivan onslaught... ooh, that black wobbled a bit, but it dropped and he's onto 40 now... don't tell me he's looking for a 147... the first priority is to win the frame and end Ronnie's 12 frame surge... he's played for the pink, so maybe he'll settle for the first ever Crucible 146... onto 48, still in good position... and the frame is safe, one step at a time, but he's got a very high mountain to climb to get back into this match...  and that was a very gutsy 85... That's given Hendry encouragement, he's fired in another great red to get started in frame nineteen... he's unlucky, made 54, got stuck on a red, end of break... Ronnie's got Hendry in trouble with the safety, there's a miss, somewhere threaded the white between two reds... and he's left them on... Ronnie missed the blue, trying to force it and he's let Hendry off the hook... and he's accepted chance gratefully to win the frame... Hendry had a chance but missed a red to middle, Ronnie's got it and whizzed along to 38 already... he runs out of position on 68, but there's only 67 left on the table.. Hendry hits the black coming out of the snooker and concedes... The players return from their interval, O'Sullivan fires in the opening red and lands perfect on the black... and clinches the frame in one visit.... and adds another century to his tally... Ronnie's safety is as good as his potting, that one was pin point accuracy, but a good response by Hendry... although there is a red visible and that seems to be all Ronnie needs today... ooh, he's missed one! And another one... but he leaves nothing and now he's got a red, this time can't gain position, so forced to play safe... Ronnie flukes a red, that's just what Hendry needs at this point, that's his second in the frame... onto 36 now... he secures another frame with 56... One more frame needed for a place in the final and to win with a session to spare... Ronnie pots the first red... he misses the black and hangs his head as if he'd lost the match... Hendry has compiled 31, but he's lost position, tried a very thin cut which doesn't drop... O'Sullivan misses his second black of the frame... and again he's lucky not to leave anything... here's the chance now that Ronnie has been waiting for as Hendry narrowly fails with that long red... and it's all over bar the hand shake now... well it should have been but Ronnie very carelessly went in off the last red and left the colours on for Hendry to clear up but he misses the black and it's all over... Ronnie goes through to Sunday's final... Hendry has shown glimpses of his best form, but there was quite simply nothing he could do today, Ronnie played as near perfect snooker as you're ever likely to see.

FRAME SCORES

1. 140(140)-0

2. 65-41

3. 96(60)-29

4. 34-60

5. 72(41)-64(64)

6. 32(32)-122(102)

7. 1-76

8. 34(34)-68(46)

9. 0-101(93)

10. 61(53)-72(44)

11. 35(35)-85(57)

FRAME SCORES

12. 0-87(87)

13. 0-133(133)

14. 0-135(135)

15. 16-93(85)

16. 53(44)-76(70)

17. 0-127(126)

18. 85(85)-0

19. 100(54,46)-19

20. 0-75(68)

21. 0-123(123)

22. 0-71(56)

FRAME SCORES

23. 63-68(59)

24.

25.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

QUOTES

WINNER

.

QUOTES