Hooray as Hendry bags final spot with very masterful performance

BACK-TO-FORM Stephen Hendry cruised into the final of the Regal Scottish Masters with a 6-1 demolition of Ken Doherty at Motherwell yesterday.

The seven-times world champion fired in eight breaks of 50 or more during a vintage display.

Hendry was reaching the 93rd final of his career but admitted: "I've got a bit disillusioned lately."

The Scot said: "I realised I've got to keep going because snooker is the thing I do, and there's a job to be done.

"I knew I would have no problem getting myself buzzed-up for this event, especially because it's here in Scotland."

Hendry, who edged through 6-5 in the quarter-finals against fellow countryman Alan McManus after building a 5-2 lead, ruthlessly recaptured his killer instinct as for long periods Doherty remained glued to his chair.

"I didn't do all that much wrong - Stephen's breaks speak for themselves," said the Irishman. "Sometimes all you can do is sit and admire the other guy as he's potting all of the balls."

The first sign of what was to come came in the first frame. Leading 49-0, Doherty misjudged a safety shot and Hendry pounced with a clinical 70 clearance.

After that, it was plain sailing for the 1989, 1990 and 1995 Regal Masters champion who knocked in a succession of raking long pots and breaks of 83, 58, 92, 52 and 59 in sprinting to a 5-0 lead.

Trailing by 61 in frame six, Doherty looked set to suffer his first whitewash in 27 pro-tournament meetings with Hendry - but the Dubliner bravely fought back to snatch it on the pink.

His fightback was not allowed to gather any further momentum, though, as Hendry closed proceedings with a run of 98.

Hendry will face either Ronnie O'Sullivan or Mark Williams in the best-of-17 frame final - where a #62,000 first prize will be up for grabs.

World champion Williams and O'Sullivan are the current form players of the season - they are placed first and second respectively in the provisional world rankings list.

So far this year honours have been even with one win each from two meetings.

Williams was responsible for a 9-5 victory over O'Sullivan in the final of the Grand Prix at Telford which took place last week.

But he was given a 9-1 beating by O'Sullivan in the Regal Scottish Open final in Aberdeen, the last event to be staged in Scotland, in April.

O'Sullivan said: "I feel relaxed and if I can start to play the way I know I can it could be very interesting."

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