Quinten Hann today strenuously denied newspaper allegations that he agreed to throw a match for money.

A true clash of the generations over the next two days will produce an Embassy World Championship semi-finalist few people would have predicted.

It’s difficult to imagine Ray Reardon making the sort of obscene hand gesture that marred Ronnie O’Sullivan’s latest success at the Embassy World Championship.

Stephen Hendry booked his quarter-final place at the Embassy World Championship in Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre, and said: ‘‘This is where the tough stuff really starts.’’