Dott edges ahead against Stevens

Underdog Graeme Dott held his nerve under immense pressure to move to within touching distance of his first Embassy World Championship final.

Dott looked to be finally bowing to the challenge of Matthew Stevens who reeled off four successive frames to move ahead at 11-10 for the first time in their best of 33 semi-final.

But the 26-year-old gave every indication that he will not buckle as he won the final three frames of the third session to lead 13-11.

Now Dott will need to win only four of the remaining nine frames to cross the finishing line and set up a likely meeting with red hot favourite Ronnie Sullivan who leads Stephen Hendry 13-3.

It remains to be seen how much Dott’s exertions have taken out of him should he reach the final and retain his place in the top 16.

He has already fought out 86 frames – far more than any other tournament he has participated in – whereas ‘The Rocket’ has breezed through the last two rounds with the minimum of effort.

But no-one can deny his fighting qualities at the end of a season which he began by contemplating quitting the game and then in January smashing up his cue at his lack of success.

Dott began the third session impressively with a break of 61 to the final yellow which extended his advantage to 10-7 – the second time he had been three frames in front.

But errors began to creep into his play for the first time and beaten 2000 finalist Stevens took full advantage and also began to play with greater fluency.

Dott broke off in frame 18 and left Stevens a red into the black pocket which set him on the way to a 104 – his second century of the match.

In the next Dott made a hash of a safety shot with reds scattered all the table and Stevens capitalised with a run of 84.

Stevens looked to be growing in belief and he went into the interval all square with the help of 52 in frame 20.

Then he found himself ahead for the first time at 11-10 with a break of 73 but Dott showed that he was not about to buckle.

A 74 in the next made it all square again and 42 and 47 in the next enabled the 26-year-old to edge back in front.

Stevens was first amongst the balls in the final frame of the session but Dott responded with a superb 69 to the final black.

The duo had shared the eight frames in the morning session when Dott had the distinction of registering the 50th century of this year’s championships with a 117 giving him his first ton of the 2004 finals.

Dott had moved 8-5 clear at one stage and Stevens was relieved when he left the final black hanging over the pocket in frame 14 before they shared the final two of the session.

The clash was overshadowed by the stunning display from O’Sullivan who extended his overnight lead from 6-2 to 13-3 against seven-times world champion Hendry with an awesome display of potting

Hendry had been in serious danger of suffering his first ever Crucible Theatre session whitewash until he won the final frame.

But he will have to win five of the eight frames tomorrow afternoon to avoid tasting defeat with a session to spare at snooker’s most famous venue for the first time.

Hendry could also experience his heaviest ever defeat which currently stands at the 9-0 drubbing handed out to him by Marcus Campbell in the first round of the 1998 UK Championship.

The Scot made some uncharacteristic errors, missing relatively easy pots and was also guilty of poor safety play, but almost every one was punished in devastating fashion by ‘The Rocket’.

O’Sullivan rattled in six breaks over 50 in the eight frames including his 12th century of the tournament.

He notched up 630 points to Hendry’s 138 during the two hour blitz.