'Grudge match' square after session interval

Ronnie O’Sullivan and Stephen Hendry shared the opening four frames of their grudge Embassy World Championships semi-final at the Crucible Theatre.

O’Sullivan had launched a stinging attack on Hendry after his quarter-final win over Stephen Lee in a dispute dating back to the 1999 world semi-final clash between the pair.

The Rocket was upset after being called for a miss and Hendry insisted that he play the shot again.

O’Sullivan claimed that as a result of that incident Hendry ‘‘had gone down in my estimation’’ and that he had ‘‘lost a lot of respect for him’’.

His outburst came out of the blue as the pair have met 10 times since that last-four showdown at the Crucible three years ago.

O’Sullivan boasted that he would ‘‘love to stick it right up Hendry’’ and that ‘‘the most satisfying thing for me would be to send Stephen home as quickly as possible to Scotland so he can have a nice summer off!’’

He also attacked Hendry’s management team, of which he had been a member for three-and-a-half years, which is led by Ian Doyle.

O’Sullivan and Hendry did at least shake hands before the best-of-33 frame showdown which will span three days and four sessions.

Defending champion O’Sullivan, 1-3 on favourite with the bookmakers to reach the final, certainly began in impressive fashion after Hendry had missed a red into the left black pocket with a break of 115 to take the opening frame.

Hendry levelled in the next with the aid of a run of 33 but O’Sullivan, with the aid of a fluked black into the centre pocket, edged back in front in frame three.

The final frame before the mid session interval was a more dramatic affair with Hendry opening up with a break of 65 but then missing a straightforward red into the centre pocket.

O’Sullivan responded with a 63 but left himself a difficult final black which he over-cut.

Up stepped a relieved Hendry to level for a second time.