Slick Selby sends Doherty crashing out
Seven-times world champion Stephen Hendry survived a huge scare against Chinese teenager Zhang Anda, digging deep to come from 9-7 down to win 10-9.
After failing to qualify 12 months ago, Doherty was so thrilled to clinch his place in the draw this time that he entered the arena on Saturday and planted a kiss on the theatre floor.
The 40-year-old Dubliner, who was champion at the Crucible in 1997, was more restrained as his match against Selby resumed yesterday.
He had business to set about after allowing Selby to open up a 6-3 lead in their opening session, but overturning that deficit proved a challenge Doherty could not rise to.
He won just one further frame, the 12th, as Selby showed why he is a serious title contender, taking his chances when they came along.
Selby had a chance of a 147 maximum break in the final frame, but missed the 11th black after reaching 81.
Selby began positively yesterday taking a first frame which always looked likely to be important thanks to a couple of solid scoring visits.
A break of 82 made it 8-3, and although Doherty pinched one back the Irishman was being overwhelmed.
Doherty was first in with 37 in the next frame but missed a black off its spot and 80 from Selby was severe punishment.
The maximum was out of reach, so Selby missed a possible £157,000 jackpot, but he goes on to take on Stephen Hendry or Zhang Anda in the last 16.
Doherty backed Selby’s title credentials, saying: “He looks like a guy who’s really on top form and it’s always hard to play against someone like that. Every time you make even a smallest miscalculation you’re punished by him clearing up and winning the frame. After he beat O’Sullivan in the Masters final, over the longer distance this guy has got everything.
“He’s a great character, he’s got good bottle, he scores very heavily, and he’s got a great all-round safety game.
“He could be the next John Higgins. He’s that tough to beat.”
Meanwhile Doherty offered cautious support for Barry Hearn’s plans to shake up the game.
Hearn is planning to bring in a swathe of new tournaments, a Player Tour Championship, and more prize-money.
But it is his plan to take control of the commercial arm of the sport – World Snooker – which has caused the most controversy.
Fellow sports promoter Lee Doyle resigned from the board of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association last week in protest, and several of the leading players – including Doherty – are managed by Doyle’s 110Sport Group.
“It’ll be nice not being a part-time snooker player,” Doherty said.
“The players have a big, big decision to make over the next few weeks, month maybe. They’ll have to listen to what Barry has to say, take it on board and see what they want to do.
“I think it’s a crucial time for snooker. I look forward to seeing what he has to say and what answers he gives a lot of the questions to him, and see where we go from there.
“I do like Barry, I think he is the man for the job, on what terms and conditions we’ll have to wait and see.”
Earlier, Mark Allen completed the formalities against Tom Ford, converting his 8-1 overnight lead into a 10-4 win.
“Was it 10-4 or 10-5?” Allen asked. “I honestly can’t remember, as my head had gone. I never felt comfortable in the second session, but I had done enough.
Marco Fu had to settle for a 5-4 lead over Martin Gould after the Englishman won the final two frames. And 2008 runner-up Ali Carter built up a 7-2 lead over Jamie Cope.
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