Hendry blitzed by the Rocket

Published on Saturday 1 May 2004 01:00

STEPHEN HENDRY was today left needing to pull off a comeback that would surpass any of his seven Embassy World Championship titles if he was to topple Ronnie O’Sullivan after being blitzed by the Rocket.

"No-one can play better than that," was former title holder John Parrott’s assessment of O’Sullivan’s performance as he opened up a huge lead in their semi-final.

O’Sullivan won seven of the eight frames played yesterday to extend his advantage from 6-2 to 13-3 in the best-of-33 frame contest.

Hendry has produced stunning revivals in the past

but it was going to take something remarkable to overhaul O’Sullivan in his present form. The Rocket amassed two centuries and eight 50-plus breaks in the first 16 frames of the match.

On this form neither Graeme Dott nor Matthew Stevens will have much chance of preventing O’Sullivan from adding to his 2001 title triumph on Sunday and Monday.

In the other semi-final Dott held his nerve after an onslaught from Stevens to move to within touching distance of his first World Championship final.

Dott looked to be finally bowing to the challenge of Stevens who reeled off four successive frames to move ahead at 11-10 for the first time. But the 26-year-old gave every indication that he will not buckle as he won the final three frames of the third session to lead 13-11.