Hendry poised to end Higgins reign

On a big day for Scotland in Sheffield, seven-time world champion Hendry won seven out of eight frames last night to storm 12-4 ahead of four-time winner Higgins in their long-awaited first Crucible meeting.

Higgins’ game, which took him to glory in the final against Judd Trump last May, looked to have completely deserted him in the second-round contest.

Higgins warned he was playing poorly as the tournament approached, but it was hard to believe the Crucible environment would not bring the best out of the 36-year-old from Wishaw.

And yet Higgins looked hopelessly rusty in the second-round contest, missing most remotely difficult balls and some utterly routine pots too. The same had applied in the first round when he edged past Liang Wenbo in a deciding frame.

Hendry, 43, would certainly not have expected to be gifted so many openings, and to win his frames last night he often needed several. He finished off in style though with a polished break of 83, and needs just one more frame this afternoon to reach the quarter-finals.

As Australia’s 2010 world champion Neil Robertson became the first player to reach the quarter-finals by beating Tamworth’s David Gilbert 13-9 on the other table, Hendry plunged one large boot in the last-eight line-up. Hendry was rarely at his vintage 1990s best but nor did he need to be.

He had six scoring visits as he pulled 6-3 ahead, a 51 break helped him make it 7-3, and after Higgins scraped the 11th frame by doubling in the pink and rolling in the black, the procession continued.

A run of 48 guided Hendry to 8-4, and the frames continued to be frittered away when Higgins missed repeatedly and increasingly waywardly. It was largely Hendry’s own work that brought him the final two frames of the night, as runs of 66 and the closing 83 left Higgins needing to win all nine today, but surely he is going home.

While Hendry made his Crucible debut as long ago as 1986, aged 17, Higgins’ first appearance came in 1995. The pair have been ever present since, yet bafflingly have always avoided each other.

It was Higgins’ stated desire that he should play Hendry this year, even before the draw created the prospect of a second-round encounter. He might be careful what he wishes for in future.

Hendry, down at 23rd in the world rankings, had to qualify to make the main draw this year but his maximum break against Stuart Bingham in the first round confirmed the Auchterarder player as a man in form.

He ploughed in breaks of 81, 69, 93, 123 and 67 to seize a 5-3 lead in the opening session, and despite having it made easy for him last night by Higgins, an eighth world title – and first since 1999 – is looking increasingly attainable.

The winner, presumably Hendry, goes on to face whoever prevails between Joe Perry and Stephen Maguire. Maguire holds an 11-5 overnight lead, the 31-year-old Glaswegian having won six of eight frames in his second session.

Just like Hendry, Maguire did not have to peak in his second session as Perry struggled to compete. Perry, 37, made the only century of the session, but that run of 103 came with him 10-4 behind and when Maguire completed a solid afternoon’s effort with a slick 75 clearance the contest looked as good as over. Bridgend potter Ryan Day was also strongly placed to push on for a place in the quarter-finals for the third time, as he moved 6-2 up on Mark Allen’s conqueror Cao Yupeng.

Robertson tore to the title two years ago and the Melbourne left-hander was delighted to get past Gilbert, who made a fight of their concluding session before the world number three crossed the winning line.

Asked whether he felt this could be the year he wins a second world title, Robertson, who faces Ronnie O’Sullivan or Mark Williams next, said: “I definitely do. If I do get on a run I will be able to put Ronnie or Mark under pressure and probably force some serious mistakes.”