Stevens' fightback stuns Hendry

Matthew Stevens’ hopes of a first ranking title are still alive after an incredible opening session to his Travis Perkins UK Championship final with Stephen Hendry in York.

The Welshman’s big-match jinx looked set to strike again as the seven-times world champion reproduced the form he showed against Ronnie O’Sullivan in yesterday’s semi-final.

Hendry, bidding to equal Steve Davis’ record of six UK crowns, stormed into a 4-0 lead against the 1998 and 1999 UK finalist.

Indeed, Stevens did not pot a ball for the opening 26 minutes of the final as the Scot produced breaks of 68 and 100.

But by the end of the session world number nine Stevens, looking to keep the cup in Wales after Mark Williams’ 2002 success over Ken Doherty, had wiped out the deficit for a 5-4 advantage.

In order to win that elusive first ranking tournament plus an £84,500 first prize, the Carmarthen man requires five of the remaining 10 frames.

And he can certainly expect Hendry to mount a strong challenge when the match resumes.

The world number two produced some vintage snooker as he began his bid for a 36th ranking trophy.

A second-frame century was his seventh of the tournament and the 623rd of his career.

He led 3-0 with a run of 48 and then came back from 46-0 down to snatch the fourth, helped by a break of 65.

The mid-session interval arrived at the wrong moment for the Scot and just the right time for the struggling Welshman.

However, Hendry could have inflicted further punishment on Stevens, appearing in his first final since the 2000 World Championship.

In frame five he led 40 points to five but missed a relatively routine red to give Stevens his umpteenth chance to put a frame on the board.

This time, Stevens, an undistinguished 9-7 winner over Jimmy White in the opening semi-final, finally accepted his opportunity.

A break of 66 began the comeback as it became Hendry’s turn to accept the role of spectator.

For the remaining four frames of the afternoon Hendry scored just 13 further points as Stevens dominated with runs of 50, 137, 99 and 76.

Against White plus Gerard Greene and James Wattana earlier in the tournament, Stevens allowed his opponents back in the game. And if he shows any sign of weakness then Hendry is just the player to take advantage.