Stephen Hendry succumbs to Stephen Maguire in the last 16 of the 2011 Welsh Open – Snooker news
Stephen Hendry has lost 4-2 against Stephen Maguire in the last 16 at the 2011 Welsh Open.
It was a mixed night for the Master Class Stephen Hendry as in the very first frame he produced a maximum, 147, and equalled the world record with Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Ronnie was the only player who held the record of making ten maximums but now Hendry and he stand equal. Both these masters are way ahead than the others in this case as John Higgins is the second after them with only five.
This was the fourth ever 147 in Welsh Open, seventh in the season and 77th in the history of snooker.
Despite equalising a world record and making the highest break of tournament in an opening frame, Hendry could not clinch the victory.
Maguire trailing Hendry 1-0 bounced back and got a chance to be among the reds first but he broke down at 30 giving Hendry a chance which he reprieved and Maguire added another 9. Hendry was trailing Maguire now by 39-1 when after a bout of safety he got
a good chance but again could not capitalise on it as he missed at 45. Finally after another long safety bout Maguire was able to win it on a re-spotted black making scores 1-1.
Maguire after levelling the score was more composed as he dominated the third frame with a break of 129 before winning a scrappy fourth and went ahead by 3-1. He might have also had the fifth but last red’s miss gave Hendry a chance to close 3-2.
Hendry got an excellent chance in the sixth as well but he missed an easy penultimate red allowing Maguire to make a break of 55 later on resulting in his win 4-2.
Stephen Hendry was afterwards asked about his 147 but he said it did not matter. He also added that he almost had 59 chances in the second frame but he could not take them and was below par in the following frames then.
Stephen Hendry however has won the prize money of 1,000 pounds for the highest tournament break, which he will share if any other player also makes a 147.
Maguire on the other hand said that he thought Hendry would punish him in the second frame for the chances he had given but it did not prove so.
Stephen Maguire will now be playing the local hero Mark J Williams in the last 8 on February 18, 2011.
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