2006/07 Maplin UK Championships Player Watch

17th December 2006

Ebdon beats Hendry to join elite

Peter Ebdon joined an elite band of players to have won both the UK Championship and the world title with a 10-6 win over Stephen Hendry in York.

The pair were locked at 4-4 after their opening session but Ebdon, 36, won the first four frames of the evening.

Hendry, whose form had disintegrated alarmingly, roused himself to close to 8-6 with a stirring break of 116.

But Ebdon, world champion in 2002, held his nerve and runs of 43, and a 70 in the last frame, sealed victory.

In doing so he became only the ninth player - joining Steve Davis, Terry Griffiths, Alex Higgins, John Parrott, Hendry, John Higgins, Mark Williams and Ronnie O'Sullivan - to win snooker's two most prestigious titles.

"There are so many great players to have won both - it means so much to me to join that select group," Ebdon said...

Read in full at the BBC Website

16th December 2006

Hendry shows class to reach final

Stephen Hendry battled back from 7-5 down against Graeme Dott to win 9-7 and book his place in the Maplin UK Championship final against Peter Ebdon.

Hendry led 5-3 after the opening session but world champion Dott won the first four frames of the evening, rattling in breaks of 96, 92 and 85.

Hendry responded with a 111 clearance and a run of 50 saw him level at 7-7.

He then showed his vast experience to close out victory, a 93 break sealing his place in a record 10th UK final...

Read in full at the BBC Website

15th December 2006

Gritty Ebdon wins Higgins battle

Peter Ebdon saw off John Higgins 9-7 in an epic battle to reach the final of the UK Championship.

In a match of outstanding quality, Ebdon came close to a maximum 147 break but just failed to pot the 13th black.

Then, with Ebdon leading 7-6, Higgins missed a straightforward red and the Englishman stepped in to take a decisive two-frame advantage.

Ebdon will now meet the winner of Saturday's second semi-final between Graeme Dott and Stephen Hendry...

Read in full at the BBC Website

14th December 2006

O'Sullivan sorry for York walkout

Ronnie O'Sullivan has apologised to his opponent Stephen Hendry and fans after walking out of his Maplin UK Championship quarter-final on Thursday.

The former world champion was trailing 4-1 when he dramatically conceded the match after missing a red.

O'Sullivan said: "Anyone who knows me knows I'm a perfectionist.

"Today I got so annoyed with myself that I lost my patience and walked away from a game that, with hindsight, I should have continued."

Read in full at the BBC Website

Dott books Hendry semi-final date

World champion Graeme Dott continued his fine form with a 9-6 victory over Steve Davis in the quarter-finals of the Maplin UK Championship.

The world champion led 5-3 after their opening session, breaks of 78, 83 and 65 helping him come from 3-2 down.

Runs of 52 and 61 helped the Scotsman move within one frame of victory at 8-4 before Davis pulled two frames back.

Read in full at the BBC Website

13th December 2006

Doherty sent tumbling out in York

Provisional number one Ken Doherty became the highest-ranked player to bow out of the Maplin UK Championship after losing 9-6 to Joe Perry.

Doherty won only one of the last seven frames after resuming 5-3 up in the second round tie.

Ding Junhui remained on course to become only the third man to retain the title, beating Matthew Stevens 9-5.

Stephen Hendry held off Mark Williams to move into the quarter-finals, while Steve Davis beat Alan McManus.

Hendry failed to impress in his first-round win over Dave Harold, but recovered his form in the early session to move into a 6-2 lead and eventually won 9-6.

However, Welshman Williams won the next three frames before Hendry recovered his form to grind out an untidy win and set up a clash with Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Read In Full at the BBC Website

Champion Ding defeated by Ebdon

Peter Ebdon beat defending champion Ding Junhui 9-5 to secure a Maplin UK Championship semi-final against two-time former champion John Higgins.

Ding was playing for the ninth day out of 10 after starring at the Asian Games in Qatar.

The 19-year-old was unable to produce his best snooker and trailed 6-2 after the first session.

He battled back to trail 6-5 but Ebdon won the 12th frame on a respotted black and it was one-way traffic after that...

Read In Full At the BBC Website

11th December 2006

Big names book last-eight places

Ronnie O'Sullivan wasted little time in wrapping up victory over Stephen Maguire to move into the quarter-finals of the UK Championship in York.

Resuming with a 5-3 lead, he reeled off four straight frames to book a clash with Stephen Hendry or Mark Williams.

John Higgins cruised through after completing a 9-2 win over Stephen Lee and was joined in the last eight by Graeme Dott, who beat Robin Hull 9-1.

Peter Ebdon sealed his spot in the last eight by beating Stuart Bingham 9-4.

Read Full Report at the BBC Website

10th December 2006

Doherty strolls to easy victory

Dubliner Ken Doherty eased his way into the third round of the UK Championship in York by completing a 9-1 thrashing of England's Mike Dunn on Sunday.

Resuming 7-1 ahead, Doherty did not concede a point as he easily claimed the two frames needed for victory.

Doherty will now take on Joe Perry in the last 16 on Monday...

Top seed Ding Junhui, of China, ensured his progression with a 9-7 win over Welshman Ryan Day, scoring century breaks in frames six and seven...

Read Full Report at the BBC Website

9th December 2006

Dott and Hendry through at York

Current and former world champions Graeme Dott and Stephen Hendry progressed to the third round of the UK Championship at York on Saturday.

Reigning world champion Dott easily saw off Scott Mackenzie 9-2 but Hendry was made to work hard for his 9-7 victory over Dave Harold.

Ding Junhui, the holder of this title, resumes on Sunday at 4-4 with Ryan Day...

Read Full Report at the BBC Website

7th December 2006

York exits for Murphy & Robertson

Shaun Murphy and Neil Robertson both suffered second-round defeats at the UK Championship in York.

England's Murphy, the 2005 world champion, never got going as he lost 9-3 to rejuvenated Scot Alan McManus.

Aussie star Robertson, winner of the Grand Prix in Aberdeen, went down 9-5 against Finland's Robin Hull.

Ronnie O'Sullivan scraped into the third round, beating Ricky Walden 9-8. After leading 7-4, the former world number one found himself 8-7 down.

Mark Williams of Wales, progressed with a 9-7 victory over Northern Ireland's Gerard Greene.  

Scotland's John Higgins went through at the expense of Mark King, who lost 9-4 but emulated the 146 total clearance achieved by David Gray on Wednesday.

Stephen Maguire, joined Higgins in the third round with a 9-8 win over Joe Swail of Northern Ireland.

O'Sullivan acknowledged an unpredictable bounce off a cushion had hindered Walden when he was on a potentially match-winning break of 52.

Read The Full Report at the BBC Website

6th December 2006

Ebdon & Stevens march on in York

Peter Ebdon and Matthew Stevens battled through to the third round of the UK Championship in York with impressive victories on Wednesday.

Ebdon reeled off four centuries and three more breaks over 50 in winning 9-6 against Mark Selby.

Not even a 146 break could save David Gray against Stevens, who rattled in two centuries in his 9-5 win.

And Ali Carter controversially lost 9-8 to Stuart Bingham...

Scotsman Scott Mackenzie needed just one frame in the evening to complete a 9-0 whitewash of Michael Holt.

Joe Perry saw off Barry Hawkins 9-4 to reach the last 16.

Ronnie O'Sullivan was locked at 4-4 with Ricky Waldon after the first session of their second round match.

Last year's shock finalist Steve Davis was also level 4-4 with Jamie Burnett.

Gerard Greene won the last three frames to level with Mark Williams at 4-4.

Stephen Lee and Rod Lawler, and Stephen Maguire, the 2004 champion, and Joe Swail also shared their eight frames.

Read in Full at the BBC website

5th December 2006

Superb Perry thumps Judge in York

The 31-year-old from Cambridgeshire, who has reached the semi-finals for the last two years, led 7-1 overnight after breaks of 125, 93, 75, 74, 66 and 60.

And he needed only 26 minutes on Tuesday to complete the victory.

"The damage was done on Monday when I played exceptionally well; it's nice to win comfortably for a change," he said.

"I've won a lot of matches here in the last two years and the easiest was 9-6, so it's a bit of a rarity for me.

England's Mike Dunn also reached the second round after a 9-5 victory over James Wattana while Dave Harold fired a break of 102 in the final frame to beat Robert Milkins 9-7.

Ricky Walden will play Ronnie O'Sullivan in the second round after a 9-6 victory over Ian McCulloch.

And Rod Lawler finally emerged a 9-7 winner after a marathon encounter with Anthony Hamilton.

Read In Full at the BBC

4th December 2006

Selby storms past Parrott in York

The 1991 world champion, down to number 42 in the rankings, was unfortunate to find himself 4-1 down.

But he hardly got a look-in thereafter as Selby took frame six with a break of 104 - after an earlier 110 - and a 59 and a 57 made it 7-1 at the interval.

Further breaks of 71 and 63 secured the 23-year-old from Leicester a second-round meeting with Peter Ebdon.

It was a disappointing way for Parrott to exit the tournament, after he had battled through qualifying.

But the Liverpudlian believes Selby can go on to make a big impression at the sport's second biggest tournament.

"It was very harsh for me to be 4-1 down," said Parrott. "But I've no complaints from that point on. You will be hard pressed to see anyone play better this week...

Read Full Report at the BBC

David Gray also enjoyed a comfortable passage into the second round, where he will play Matthew Stevens, after beating fellow Englishman Barry Pinches 9-2.

Welshman Ryan Day rattled off five frames in a row from 5-4 down to overcome China's Liu Song 9-5, completing victory with a break of 130.

He next faces the defending champion Ding Junhui.

Stuart Bingham was made to sweat in a nailbiting duel with Rory McLeod, coming from 7-5 and 8-7 down to win 9-8 in a final-frame finish.

Bingham's reward is a clash with Ali Carter, while Mark King will face John Higgins after a 9-4 win over Adrian Gunnell.

Joe Perry is on course to join them in the second round after opening up a 7-1 lead in his match against Michael Judge, one of four matches resuming on Tuesday.